31 January 2012, 1:14 pm
There is no escaping Spanish inside Room 510. The classroom walls explode with vibrant posters and banners welcoming students to class (Bienvenidos), illustrating the cuisine of Spanish-speaking countries (Paella, Salsa de Mole, Cuy Picante), and giving translations for common classroom objects such as pencil sharpeners (el sacapuntas). But this is no ordinary Spanish class, and these eighth-grade students are not foreign-language learners or English as Second Language students. They are all products of Spanish-speaking homes, fluent in English and already conversant in Spanish. Some are relatively new arrivals to the United States; others were born and raised here. Some have had formal education in their native language; others learned Spanish by hearing it spoken at home. And they are in the class - Beginning Spanish for Native-Speakers - because they want to preserve the language of their heritage. In this class, taught by Ana Snyder at Woodcreek Middle School in Humble ISD, and in the growing number of such classes throughout the Houston area, the goal is not only to strengthen native language skills, but also to instill cultural pride in bilingual students. http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Classes-turn-bilingual-students-into-biliterate-2851275.php#photo-2227703... Read More »
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