
The Pros and Cons of Bilingual Education for Kids
Bilingual education refers to teaching academic content in both a native and second language. While that may seem like a simple definition, you’ll soon see—it’s a bit more complicated than that! Bilingual education dates back to the 19th century when communities in the U.S. began to teach European immigrant children. Usually, teachers gave lessons in other languages, such as German, Dutch,...Read More
Slow or Fast in Spanish: How to Talk About Speed
Whether you’re a speed racer or a slowpoke, it’s useful to be able to discuss people and things that are slow and fast in Spanish. Faster than the speed of lightning… let’s get started! Keep reading to learn the essential vocabulary you’ll need to talk about speed in Spanish, plus a few interesting dichos (sayings) related to speed. Speed in Spanish When talking about “speed,” the...Read More
Spanish Reading Practice Tools for Spanish Learners of Every Level
Reading is fundamental to fluency. It’s also entertaining, and, at best, it can even be enlightening! In 2012, literary scholar Natalie Phillips and Stanford neurobiologists studied all the ways that reading benefits the brain. The fMRI images from their research suggest that reading provides “a truly valuable exercise of people’s brains.” This type of mental...Read More
Fiambre in Guatemala: What Is It and Why Do We Celebrate It?
Fiambre is truly the mother of all salads. This unique dish is prepared and eaten each year for Día de Todos Santos (All Saints Day) on November 1 and Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 2. It is a time for family and sharing. For Guatemalans, fiambre symbolizes both of these essential values. Served chilled, it contains a smorgasbord of ingredients. A variety of...Read More
25 Spectacular Channels to Watch YouTube Spanish Lessons
Did you know that over 80% of the world’s 572 million Spanish speakers are native speakers? And many of them have posted videos online. But, wait. Does that mean you can learn Spanish on YouTube? Yes! YouTube Spanish lessons are actually a marvelous resource for learning Spanish. Searching for “free Spanish lessons” pulls up thousands of results. How do you know where to...Read More
Soul-Stirring Spanish Terms of Endearment for Anyone You Love
Terms of endearment express affection to everyone we love—to our pets, children, partners, friends, and relatives. Spanish speakers tend to be quite loving and affectionate gente, giving life to an inspiring collection of Spanish terms of endearment that fill the heart with joy. In the Spanish and Latin American culture, expressing your care for another person is an essential part of...Read More
by Michelle Margaret FajkusOctober 18, 2020 Homeschooling, Learning Strategies, Spanish for Kids0 comments
Spanish For Kids Starter Kit: Free Resources and Best Options for You
Being bilingual in modern society offers many benefits. Teaching your child a second language positively impacts their development by boosting cognitive abilities and communication skills, which sets them up for success in adulthood. You’ve chosen Spanish, which is an incredibly popular second language for English speakers with plenty of tools available online. Plus, it’s phonetic! Once...Read More
Spanish People Talking: 10 of the Best Listening Resources for Beginners
Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are the four basic building blocks of language learning. By practicing these simple skills regularly, you will eventually gain fluency in your target language! Of the four areas, listening skills are the ones that tend to get overlooked the most. With all the grammar rules and vocabulary words to learn, listening practice is often put...Read More
How to Talk About Your Mood in Spanish
What are you in the mood for? Spanish is known for being expressive, warm, and passionate. The language offers a variety of ways to talk about our emotions (las emociones) and feelings (los sentimientos). Learn more about expressing feelings and emotions in Spanish. To clarify, this post is not about the subjunctive mood (el modo subjuntivo) in Spanish. If you’re looking to...Read More