When progress is slow…isn’t it time to check your ABC ‘tools’?
Do they fit kindergarteners from Spanish-speaking homes?
B is for barco/BOAT |
E is for elefante/ELEPHANT |
P is for pera/PEAR |
![](letters/letters-B-302x112.jpg) |
![](letters/letters-E-302x112.jpg) |
![](letters/letters-P-302x112.jpg) |
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When progress is slow…isn’t it time to check your ABC ‘tools’?
Do they fit kindergarteners from Spanish-speaking homes?
Currently, Latino kindergartners from Spanish-speaking homes are caught a language mix-up between ESL and the ABCs. English ABC examples, B is for BEAR/oso, have an inherent delay factor. Teachers justify their use because, “They’ve got to learn English. They have to grow into it”. Whereas with Cognates, B is for BICYCLE/Bicicleta, there is no time delay factor hampering effectiveness. Cognates work immediately.
There exists an actual non-fit between kindergartners from Spanish-speaking homes and English-only picture clues. For it will take a while for kindergartners to consistently identify English images and their beginning sounds.
Latino names do reflect many English letter sounds: Maria, Ramon, etc. Make no mistake, HISPANIC kindergarteners already have one foot in the ABC process. |
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