1st graders have kicked off the year in Spanish by first reviewing some of the vocabulary we learned in Kindergarten, such as colors, days of the week, and months of the year. After completing some review, we dove into our first trimester topic, which is all about la escuela (school!).

Each day in Spanish class 1st graders practice their unit vocabulary by reciting the words and doing a corresponding action for each word. This is called TPR, or total physical response. Adding an action and saying the word out loud aids students in their vocabulary acquisition, comprehension, and retention by fostering a strong link between language and physical representation. It is also a great way to get the class up and moving and helps them to be able to show what they know.

Along with our unit vocab, 1st graders have been practicing all of their language acquisition skills: speaking, listening, writing, and reading. We start class every day by doing an activity that is centered around one of these crucial skills. Our goal is to become language learners that are ready to use Spanish in all four of these areas!

Señora Cordel