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Spanish to English Crash course


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We are soon to be adopting an elementary boy who is a spanish speaker. Can anyone give me some thoughts about activities, resources , or things to consider about how to begin communicating quickly and an ongoing plan to develop english skills.  

Our spanish is about equivalent to about 2 years of high school spanish, and I have been doing doulingo. 

thanks

dudley

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Label things in the house preferably in English and Spanish.

List of common phrases (particularly ones you tend to say) in english and spanish, maybe even with pictures for quick identification.

I'm going to assume you're planning to homeschool him (if not, the school will probably provide ESL lessons)

The Writing Road to Reading. I've heard it's great for ESL people, and I've used it from the beginning to teach my son how to read and spell. I even use it with my ESL husband, and it's really helped him with reading/pronunciation. English spelling/reading is tricky compared to Spanish, as I'm sure you are aware. WRTR or some other phonics curriculum will likely be helpful for him.

Although you are going to be working on his English skills with him, please work with him to keep up and improve his Spanish skills too. Just like you would encourage English skills in an English speaking kid - give him books in Spanish to read, give him programs/movies in Spanish to watch, get him classes or tutors who will teach him higher level Spanish vocabulary, writing skills, etc.

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So, first, I suggest asking this question also at a bilingual parenting forum.  One I like is https://www.facebook.com/groups/RaisingBilingualMultilingualChildren/. 

Do crafts, chores, cooking while explaining things very slowly in English.   For instance, for craft, you might lay out all the materials (paper, scissors, glue, etc.) and point to each item and name them (encourage your child to repeat the word in English) then explain slowly in English what the child needs to do, while demonstrating (so that the child can follow without the words, but also can connect the words to the action).  

Play a lot of pretend with puppets, stuffed animals, or action figures.  

Play games with him and use English.   Uno is one I used to teach my kids the Spanish numbers and colors.   Without me formally teaching anything they picked them up colors and numbers just from me saying them as I laid down my cards, as well as phrases like "te toca"  (your turn) and "no tengo rojo" (I don't have red).  Since you'll be using English could keep saying "Uno" for the last card probably, so long as you say "one" when you lay down a one.   I think that would still work.  

Read picture books to him in English and in Spanish.   Maybe alternate.   Sometimes you can get the same book in both Spanish and English at your local library.   I would let my child read the book in their first language until they had it memorized, and then read the book in the second language.  

At this site you can sign up for free bilingual books (that have the text in both English and Spanish).  Remember those books that came in the Cheerios boxes for a while?   If you can find any of those on Ebay or wherever those are always in both Spanish and English, and they tend to be really good books. 

Look for Perro y Gato videos on YouTube to watch with your child.   They are in both Spanish and English.

 

Edited by goldenecho
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