Did you know that Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world? Second only to Chinese, and even more popular than English, Spanish is a growing language with a growing population, especially in the United States. As the United States' population is changing and becoming increasingly Hispanic, the nation must adapt; teachers must be empathetic towards the increase of Hispanic families and ELLs in the school system.
If you are interested in attending some basic Spanish lessons, the school will be hosting a Spanish seminar on the weekends of March 4-5, and March 11-12. Please join us to learn some Introductory Spanish made convenient to you. The classes will emphasize basic phrases that will help make ELLs feel more welcome and at home, even in an English-speaking school environment. Chips and salsa will be provided.
Hope to see you there!
Laura Ortiz & Spanish Department
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This is a really great topic to bring up. ELLs are increasingly a part of the modern classroom, and we as teachers can't ignore that. What I think this post brought up even more, though, is the problem of what can schools do about it. While teachers are required to have a basic knowledge about ELLs, they are required to know any languages or have any deep understanding or scholarship on the subject. This means the ball is the schools' court. I think it would be great if schools provided opportunites for teachers to learn languages and cultural facts. It would greatly benefit teachers who had ELLs that they were having a hard time reaching. Not all teachers would attend, which is inevitable, but those dedicated to helping and reaching each and every student would make the effort to attend these types of class. Plus, the free chips and salsa wouldn't hurt.
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