I can’t believe 2018 is almost over! Thank you for all the support I receive from you, my readers throughout the world. I truly enjoy receiving messages that share how my blog has inspired new ideas in other classrooms or helped other teachers, or that express a simple hola to connect with me. This year I gave a new look to my page in the hopes of making it an easier space for teachers to navigate. I truly hope it has been more intuitive and even fun to spend time on my page!
I started this blog about 8 years ago, when I was the only Spanish teacher in a school where I taught in Boston. I started it as a way to connect with other teachers. Soon after I started this blog, I was able to meet other teachers in the area and created a small group that met face to face once per month to exchange ideas.
Seeing that Facebook was also a place to reach more teachers, I opened a page for the blog, and recently, with all the changes with Facebook, two years ago a Facebook group called“Profes de ELE para niños”was born. I am telling you a little bit of the history of this blog to let you know that this blog wouldn’t exist without you! The awesome teachers who’ve inspired me every day!
Here are my posts that were most popular during 2018! Make sure to visit each post to download the resources that go along with them.
El Burrito Sabanero is one of the most well known villancicos (Christmas songs) in Latin America. Listening to this song brings back memories of my navidades in Colombia with many of my childhood friends as we gathered around the Nativity scene praying and reciting Las Novenas de Aguinaldo. Although I always thought this song was Colombian, I learned that it was written by a Venezuelan composer named Hugo Blanco. The song was first recorded in 1972 with the voices of the chorus “La Rondalla.” Nowadays you can find many versions of the song. Here are a few versions. Which one is your favorite?
Download the burrito HERE to make props to use while singing the song. Have fun!
This is the last set of Movements Cards that I post for this year. This time of the year goes so fast and I wanted to make sure you have these Christmas Movement cards in Spanish. My kinder students have loved all the different versions and I can’t wait to show them these ones. Just in case you missed the Movements cards I shared in the past, here is the list:
My younger students love all kinds of movement cards. We use them as quick brain brains. Movement cards are also a great opportunity to connect language with movement. If you explore my blog you will find that I have made different ones related to different holidays or topics that are of the interest of my students. The movement cards also have a lot repetition. You will find the same action verb or object in different cards.
How do they work? Just read them to your students and have them act every card. These Thanksgiving movement cards have been a hit these days! Download yours here and let the fun begin!
November is here! What a great month to practice gratitude in a world language class. I know that teaching gratitude is not limited to just November, but it happens to be the month where we think the most about it. In fact, we should make it a habit because practicing being grateful should be an active part in our curriculums. Something great that I have learned from my colleagues is to end our class by thanking our students for learning with us, and the students also thank us for teaching them. We do this everyday in the target language.
Here are a couple of songs I love that involve giving thanks:
A la Madre Tierra damos gracias, por el alimento que nos da. Damos gracias, damos gracias, por nuestra salud y libertad.
Doy gracias por mis amigos porque me gusta jugar. Doy gracias por la música porque me gusta cantar. Doy gracias por mi maestra porque me gusta aprender. Doy gracias por comida porque me gusta comer. Doy gracias por mi familia y también por la amistad. El Día de Acción de Gracias nos trae felicidad.
Here is a hands on activity you can do together. Have your students make a gratitude necklace. You will need to download the templateHERE, and print it on cardboard. Brain storm with your students what they are thankful for.
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