If you are looking for fun and catchy songs to teach your elementary students, here are nine! I wrote these songs with my students in mind and related to what was happening in my classes at that time. Some of the songs have traditional rhythms from Colombia and were sung by native speakers. The songs are short and the tunes are catchy. You will find yourself singing some of these songs at random times!
As a CI Spanish Teacher for 4 years now, I have seen firsthand how Comprehensible Input can work wonders to best promote Spanish language acquisition in young learners. This involves using language and repetition at the appropriate proficiency level of students and teaching the language in “context” in a variety situations. It capitalizes on young learners’ innate ability to learn languages and is quite different than the way the majority of today’s adults (parents and fellow educators alike) learned languages. It moves away from thematic units where the vocabulary is disconnected, to instead focus on teaching high frequency vocabulary in context.
INPUT, INPUT, INPUT: COMPREHENSIBLE AND COMPELLING
The idea is to provide enough exposure to the input to help young learners feel safe and comfortable in the target language and ensure the teacher uses the target language at least 90% of the time. The goal is not grammatical perfection or even much focus on explicit analysis or writing. In fact, it’s much more important to focus on building oral proficiency and an ear for the Spanish language as well as empathy for and interest in other cultures (where, for example, it’s vital to counter stereotypes and correct misconceptions).
CI IS FLEXIBLE AND YOU WILL NEVER GET BORED WITH SO MANY STRATEGIES TO CHOOSE FROM
One of the things that I love about being a CI Spanish teacher in an elementary world language program is the flexibility of the curriculum and how dynamic the process of creating it can be. I see a curriculum at the elementary level as something that is constantly evolving in relation to the interests of the students, collaboration with other subjects / teachers, use of technology, and attention to current events. I have been lucky enough to be an active part in the creation of the Spanish curriculum at many schools where I have taught. With CI, I feel that I have been able to use an ever greater variety of teaching tools in my professional practice. This image created by Sra. Dentigler’s blog shows different CI strategies, and has inspired me to create a puzzle showing the ones I’ve used the most with my elementary students.
Click HERE to open the link on every piece of the puzzle.
UNDERSTANDING THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF YOUR STUDENTS IS IMPORTANT
As an elementary-level teacher, it is also important to understand the different developmental stages of students when planning a curriculum. This is key to learn when to start introducing simple reading and writing skills in the target language and also to plan the kinds of activities needed to support the curriculum. For example, the younger the students are, the more they will need to move! In keeping with the Natural Approach, working on listening skills and allowing space for students to be exposed to a lot of input in the early years will create the foundations for later years. I enjoy being able to inject my own or my team’s creativity in the curriculum. I lately have discovered my love for Story Listening with the younger grades.
FOCUS ON WHAT YOUR STUDENTS CAN DO, NOT ON THE MISTAKES
In practice, I work hard to let my students know that it is okay to make mistakes and that being uncomfortable, vulnerable, even silly is just part of learning a language. My classroom is a safe space to learn by doing, pushing each other out of our comfort zones. I use Spanish without breaking into English approximately 95% of the time. I use gestures and questions to check for understanding. Games and music are teaching instruments that I use a lot in classes.
¡SÍ SE PUEDE! YOU CAN INCORPORATE CULTURE IN YOUR CI CURRICULUM
I am a “culture lover” and enjoy when there is space in the curriculum to share with my students about the cultural diversity of Spanish speaking countries (and yes, I include “La Guinea Ecuatorial”). Of course, being from Colombia means that my students get to learn a little bit more about the Colombian culture (and the great diversity that exists there) than any other Spanish-speaking countries. I use authentic resources and materials in class.
THERE IS ROOM FOR COLLABORATION WITH OTHER TEACHERS
As a specialist (non homeroom) teacher, I feel it is key that the school community works together to provide a rich curriculum and experience for students that is both nurturing and challenging. I work hard to negotiate with and understand the needs and interests of classroom teachers, and I am patient but firm, particularly because this approach to teaching a language requires a fair amount of re-education. See my post on the monarch butterfly migration to learn how I have collaborated with other teachers in the past.
I also recommend Mundo de Pepita’s blog if you are looking to learn more about CI at the elementary level!
Summer is around the corner and these movement cards are perfect to get your younger students ready for the season! Make sure to explore this blog to grab the different movement cards and brain breaks I have shared in the past.
Closing routines are as important as opening routines in any class. In fact, they’re not just relevant to how they end the class with you, but they also set the tone for whatever comes next in the schedule. Even if you are the last class your students have in the day, you really want to make sure they know what to expect and how to close out each day with you.
Depending on the grade or level you teach, closing a class might be a good place to check for understanding and to help you decide what to focus on / how to adapt plans for your next class session with a group of students – teaching adaptively! It can also be a place to review some vocabulary or structures. I do have to be honest, I’m still learning how to work closing routines into my class. Sometimes I run over time and send my students straight to line up, and then I come back to my room and it’s a whole mess because I didn’t take the time to close my class correctly and the feeling is not good. But sometimes I totally nail it!
Some Ideas to Close Your Class
Putting materials away if needed.
Exit ticket: This may be done orally or written. Just asking a simple question related to your lesson. Visit this link to learn more about it!
Sending students to line up by colors they are wearing, age or favorite food or animal.
Closing as a whole group with a quick calendar talk about when you will see them again. A great opportunity to practice “hasta mañana” or “hasta el lunes.”
Singing a goodbye song: Here is a list of possible songs to close your class with younger students. I haven’t found one yet for older grades, so if you know one please feel free to share it in the comments.
A few years ago I wrote a short story to use with my students to make a curricular connection with the butterfly life cycle in second grade science class. It is a twist on ” The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, which many of my students are already familiar with, and it’s also a popular title in kindergarten. This new version I created of my own story has more repetition and simple structures.
Before teaching the story you might want to pull out a map and point at the different countries mentioned in it: Colombia, México, La República Dominicana, Cuba, Argentina, and Perú. There are some traditional dishes mentioned in the story. You might want to talk about them. This will also be a great opportunity to talk about your students’ favorite food.
Pre-teach some of the vocabulary using TPR: va, tengo hambre, come, canta, duerme and dice.
Read the story to your class. Some questions you might want to consider while reading the story.
¿Dónde está la oruga? ¿Está en Colombia o Bolivia?
¿Qué come la oruga en Colombia? ¿Come pizza? ¿Come sancocho?
¿Qué hace la oruga? ¿La oruga duerme o corre?
¿La oruga es un perro ahora ? ¿La oruga es un perro o una mariposa?
¿La oruga dice “hola”? ¿La oruga dice “hola” o “adiós”?
After reading the story I like going back and talking about each picture. Talk about the colors in the different flags included in the story.
Act it out! You can have individual actors or have different groups going to different places. Print some masks, pictures of the different foods and flags of the countries included in the story.
Click HEREto download the story “La oruga va Latinoamérica.”
This story is a great follow up of the story I do during the fall called “Monarca va a Michoacán.” I also use this story to create a connection with their science curriculum, as well as to create a cultural connection with “El Día de los Muertos” celebration in Mexico. Read more on how I use “Monarca va a Michoacán” here!
¡Hola! I am Carolina, a Colombian elementary Spanish teacher based in Boston, MA. Fun for Spanish Teachers is the result of my passion for teaching Spanish to children and my desire to inspire collaboration and creativity in a vibrant teaching and learning community. It’s the perfect stop if you are looking for songs, games, teaching tips, stories, and fun for your classes.
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