Oral language is developed through teacher read-alouds and class conversations around the readings, retellings, oral presentations, etc.

Recognition and space are provided for children to discover relationships between written language and oral language.

Authentic Spanish language stories are integrated to support children’s oral narrative abilities.

A variety of genres are introduced and practiced orally: poems, riddles, songs, word play to further develop children’s language.

A variety of genres representing diverse language varieties and cultures from the Spanish-speaking world affirm students’ identities.

Selection of texts is critical: initial readings must have compelling illustrations and repetitive language.

Read-alouds are done several times so that children become familiar with the story line and the language.

Children are encouraged to retell the story as the teacher writes (writing via the teacher).

Syllables (vowels/consonants) taken from the read-alouds and dialogic reading are highlighted and utilized to teach phonemic awareness, syllabic patterns, rhymes, and word families.

There are multiple group and individual opportunities for students to write with the teacher, allowing them to discover sound-letter correspondence.

Initially, children read familiar texts; later, they are able to read new, unfamiliar texts.

Study includes roots and inflectional and derivational morphemes.

Cognates, false cognates, and lexical homographs are identified where appropriate to the unit of study.

Word study includes etymology, the study of word origins, and the influence of Arabic, Náhuatl, Latin, Greek, and Taíno on Spanish.

Writing is practiced with a partner, group, and whole class.

Students analyze mentor texts’ language, and structures used in diverse texts.

Students practice writing for different purposes and across the curriculum.

Lessons address creating cohesion in different genres.