Thinking about language learning . . . On your paper make three or four columns.

1. Thinking about language learning . . . On your paper make three or four columns. At the top of each column, list a language with which you’re only slightly familiar (one you haven’t studied). Jot down any words or phrases you know—greetings, foods, musical terms, song titles, etc. Beside each word or phrase, write how or where you learned it. For example: blitzkrieg--elementary school Social Studies book auf wiedersehen--Lawrence Welk show gnocchi--Italian restaurant Turn and talk with someone near you (or reflect and write) about any observations you have.

2. Teaching LatinoEnglish Language Learners Using L1 to Develop L2 Amy Cain dcaina@aol.com

3. Number your paper from 1 to 3.You’re about to see three words.Write each word.Beside each word put the● part of speech, ● number of syllables, and ● definition.

4. pared

5. dame

6. red

7. 1. pared2. dame3. red part of speech, number of syllables, definition

8. We’ll be talking more about vowel sounds later.In English words spelled the same can have different sounds (project, produce, polish, etc.)What other examples of homographs can you think of (in English)—words that are spelled the same but pronounced differently?

9. “All writing systems represent spoken languages, a universal with consequences for reading processes. . . reading universally requires the reader to make links to language at the phonological and morphemic levels.”Writing systems encode spoken language; they do not directly encode meaning. Learning how to read involves learning how one’s writing system encodes one’s spoken language (Perfetti, 2003, p. 3).

10. Reading instruction is much more complex that many would imagine. Prater (2009) mentions five instructional variables that are “potentially critical” for effective instruction. One of those variables is “strategic use of native language for support and clarification” (p. 609). She also describes strategies good readers use. One of those strategies is to “apply various forms of background knowledge including knowledge of language (English and their heritage language)” (p. 609).

11. “English language learners use cognatesto their advantage, monitor their comprehension, use metacognitive strategies, apply background knowledge and schema to assist in understanding texts, and comprehend differently depending on the text structure” (Prater, 2009, p. 608).

12. When assessing reading comprehension, is oral fluency (conversational ability in English) being assessed or are we actually measuring children’s reading abilities?

13. Before we think about English and Spanish specifically, let’s consider a quote from a book called Learning Is a Verb (Reynolds).We see with our mind . . . Part of what we see is determined by what we already think (p. 47).

14. Transparent and Opaque LanguagesTransparent languages have a close grapheme to phoneme correspondence. Spanish is very transparent—each vowel has only one sound. English is quite opaque. Each vowel may have several sounds (or be silent).

15. Spelling (Encoding)(Onomatopoeia)Dutch = Boe/MoeFinnish = AmmuuFrench = MeuhJapanese = Mau MauUrdu = Baehhttp://www.womansday.com/Articles/Lifestyle/Family-Fun/13-Animal-Noises-Translated.html http://www.quack-project.com/table.cgi

16. Arabic = Haw HawFrench = OuahOuahSpanish = GuaGuaSwedish = VovVovRussian = GavGavDutch = I-AFrench = HihanHebrew = Yi-AhIcelandic = E-Haw HawTurkish = A-Iiii A-Iiii

17. Danish = Rap-RapFrench = Coin CoinGreek = Pa-Pa-PaRussian = KryaKryaSpanish = CúaCúaHungarian = NyihahaNyihahaJapanese = Hi-HiinKorean = Hee-HingRussian = I-Go-GoSwedish = Iihahaha

18. Dutch = Oe HoeFinnish = HuhuuFrench = HouHouRussian = Uh UhUhTurkish = UuuUuuDutch = KnorKnorFrench = Groin GroinGerman = GrunzJapanese = Boo BooRussian = HrguHrgu

19. Chinese = Go-Geh-Goh-GohDanish = KykylikyKorean = Coo-Koo-Ri-KooSpanish = Quiquiriqui or KikirikiTurkish = U UruUuuGerman = ZichenHungarian = Sz-SzItalian = HshsNorwegian = HveseTurkish = TissBelgium = IrkaKloekKloekFrench = GlouGlou Greek = GlouGlouSpanish = ClouClou Turkish = GluGlu

20. English and SpanishHow are the alphabets alike?How are the alphabets different?Think about what you know already.Recall what you teach (or what you were taught) about consonants and vowels.What similarities do you anticipate?

21. Spanish, like English, has five vowels—a, e, i, o, and u.However, in Spanish each vowel has only one sound. In Spanish there are not short and long vowel sounds as there are in English.

22. Think about Spanish words you know that include the letter a.mamápapácasamanzanablancaWhat conclusions can you draw, or what can you infer?

23. In Spanish words, the a is always pronounced like the ah in father.Practice saying the following words.tazamapa plazavacarana

24. Think about Spanish words you know that include the letter e.mesacabezaverdeterceraelefanteWhat conclusions can you draw, or what can you infer?

25. In Spanish words, the e is always pronounced like the short e sound in egg.Practice saying the following words.escuelaestáecoenchilada

26. Think about Spanish words you might know that include the letter i.iglesiaaquíWhat conclusions can you draw, or what can you infer?

27. In Spanish words, the i is always pronounced like the long e in sleep.Practice saying the following words.bicicletaciclosiglosituación

28. Think about Spanish words you know that include the letter o.ropatomatebocafrijolesWhat conclusions can you draw, or what can you infer?

29. In Spanish words, the o is always pronounced like the long o in hope.Practice saying the following words.sopacocohombroboca

30. Think about Spanish words you know that include the letter u.frutajugoWhat conclusions can you draw, or what can you infer?

31. In Spanish words, the u is always pronounced like the oo in food.Practice saying the following words.unidosútiles

32. Keep in mind that in Spanish there is no distinction between the vowel’s name and the sound it makes.In English we may say that a long vowel says its name. Latino children may be confused by this concept.

33. Spanish Alphabeta h ñ ub i o vc j p wch k q xd l r ye llrr z f m s ………. g n t ………………….

34. The Spanish alphabet has four letters that the English alphabet does not have.Those letters are:ch (pronounced like the beginning of check)ll (pronounced like the letter y)ñ (pronounced like ny)rr (pronounced with a trill— “rolling” the r)

35. Now we’ll look at several letters of the Spanish alphabet (in order) so that you can become familiar with nuances. Some of the patterns will be similar to what you would expect from English. For example: c before a, o, and umakes the hard (k) sound; c before e or i makes the s sound (like celery or city).

36. c before a, o, or u has a hard (k) sound (like cat, coat, and cut)c before e or o has the s sound (like cent or city)To make the hard (k) sound before e or i, the spelling is que qui

37. In Spanish the word que often means “what.”¿Qué color prefieres?¿Quétepasa?The syllable qui appears in the word meaning “here”–aquí. Aquíestá la mesa.The syllable qui also appears in the word meaning “who”—quien. ¿Quiénestu amigo?

38. g before a, o, or u has a hard sound (like game, goat, or gum)g before e or i is pronounced like an hTo make the hard g sound before e or i, the spelling is guegui

39. In Spanish the syllable gueappears in the word guerra. The name Guillermo is an example including the syllable gui.

40. In order to pronounce the syllable “gwe,” the spelling has to be güe(for example, vergüenza).The syllable güi is pronounced “gwee.”

41. The letter h in Spanish is always silent.The letter j in Spanish is pronounced like an h. For example: José, Juan, jefe, jirafa

42. The letter ll in Spanish is pronounced like a y.For example: llamar (means “to call”)¿Cómote llamas? means “What is your name? (Literal meaning is “How do you call yourself?)

43. Other words with ll include:amarillo (yellow)cuchillo (knife)calle (street)Practice pronouncing each word.

44. The ñ in Spanish is a separate letter of the alphabet. It is pronounced like ny.For example:niño (child or boy)Nuñezpequeño (small).

45. The q in Spanish appears only before u(not before a, e, i, or o).An r at the beginning of a word is “rolled.”Therr is a separate letter of the alphabet. It is “rolled.” For example, ferrocarril means “train.”

46. Accent RulesHow do you know where to place the emphasis—on which syllable to place the accent—when pronouncing words in Spanish?The rules are relatively simple (with no exceptions).If a word ends in a vowel, n, or s, the accent is on the next-to-the-last syllable.

47. Practice pronouncing several words that end with a vowel, n, or s. Remember to place the emphasis on the next-to-the-last syllable.casa hojasrojoblancosonidosgatosagua pueblo

48. If a word ends in a consonant other than n or s, the accent is on the last syllable.Practice pronouncing several words that end with a consonant other than n or s. Remember to place the emphasis on the last syllable.pared ciudad estar comer

49. If a word does not follow these two rules, the accent mark must be written.For example:lápiznaciónáguilaalbóndigasPractice pronouncing each of these words. Notice why each word has a written accent mark.(Where would the accent be if the accent mark did not appear?)

50. PluralsPlurals in Spanish are similar to plurals in English. If a word ends in a vowel,the plural is formed by adding s.If a word ends in a consonant, the plural is formed by adding es.