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Elementary Spanish Program 1919 14th Street, Suite 421, Boulder, CO 80302303-440-7196 kidsspeakspanish@gmail.com |
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Newsletter - Spring 2011
Register Now for 2011-2012¡Gracias! Thank you for your support of the Elementary Spanish Program (ESP). We appreciate the opportunity to share Spanish with your child and to help him/her begin a journey in becoming a multi-lingual world citizen. All of our classes have followed the “Viva el Español!” or “Español con los Pérez” curriculum; as a result, your child should experience a seamless transition to the next class level. The progression of ESP’s classes is Auditory 1, Auditory 2, Reading and Writing, Advanced Reading and Writing, and Spanish Literature. The only exception is Auditory 1 Old graduates (a first level for older students), who should now register for Reading and Writing. For example, if your child completed Auditory 1 Old or Auditory 2 class, he or she will register for Reading and Writing class for next year. Spanish Literature Level is the culmination of all previous levels and combines the skills acquired in the auditory, and reading and writing levels. Students expand upon this base and are challenged to utilize and apply their knowledge while reading Spanish books. This method allows students to greatly expand their vocabulary, as well as develop a more sophisticated level of sentence structure. Students work on thematic projects in this level and engage in culturally appropriate discussions. Your child should have received a registration form for next year at their end-of-semester Fiesta. Additional registration forms for ESP classes in BVSD, JeffCo, Adams 12, Denver Public Schools, Lyons Elementary, Hygiene Elementary, and private and charter schools are available in the literature display at your child’s school and online. Register by choosing any of the following options:
All St. Vrain Valley School District parents (except Lyons and Hygiene Elementaries) should contact their Community Schools office for registration materials.
We look forward to seeing your child next year. Please contact the ESP office with any questions at 303-440-7196. ¡Hasta pronto! |
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ESP Academic Year 2010-2011
¡Felices Fiestas!
ESP Spanish classes for the academic year will soon be coming to an end. Shortly, you will receive an invitation for the end of the year Fiesta. The children are excited to show you some of the fun activities they enjoy in Spanish class. The Spanish teachers will also give out summer activities and the registration form (with the early registration discount) at that time. It is also a time where many parents ask the question: “Do the ESP classes prepare my daughter/son for language learning in the years to come?”
The answer is simple. Children who start at an early age and continue learning Spanish from K-12th are geared toward success. Pronunciation comes easily with the songs and games, vocabulary builds through interactive activities, continued use of key questions and key answers are the tools for dialogues, and then proper grammar usage completes the circle of language learning. Students are prepared for success in middle and high school, where higher-level application and exploration of the language take place.
In the process of learning a language, patience is a deed. We all know that language learning takes time, consistency and effort. In the ESP program we appeal to different learning styles while we engage the students in age-appropriate activities. Students progress as we add more challenges to the lesson plan.
Several other factors are important when measuring how much an ESP student learns through the year. Great lesson plans, enthusiasm, motivation, support from home, and a well-prepared, fun, and dedicated teacher all lead to a large and lasting foundation, which in unison, inspire a student toward achieving fluency in the language.
As the director, I visit almost all classes during the year. We have awesome students in the program. Despite the fact that Spanish is an extra class added to an already long day, I meet hard working, engaged, and happy students who enjoy learning. I also have the privilege of working with all the teachers during the mandatory summer training, at our monthly professional development days, and on a daily basis. ESP teachers are very special. They are fun, playful, they sing and dance, conjugate verbs, interact in dialogues, direct plays, read stories, and much more in a fun and engaging learning environment with high academic standards.
Students who graduate from the ESP program have a foundation that inspires them to work toward fluency. Successful years of Spanish learning are awaiting and, one thing is certain, they will remember the songs, the poems, and the stories from their ESP classes for the rest of their lives. It is our hope that your child will have fun with the summer activities and we hope to see you for the ESP academic year 2011-2012.
Visit: www.kidsspeakspanish.org for further information about curriculum, lesson plans, and extracurricular activities or give us a call.
¡Saludos y buenas vacaciones y nos vemos en septiembre!
Spotlight on Ana Maria Botero
The Elementary Spanish Program is fortunate to have a large cadre of very talented teachers both inside and outside the classroom. This spring, ESP is excited to put the spotlight on Ana Maria Botero.
Ana Maria has taught ESP’s advanced level Spanish classes in St. Vrain Valley schools for the last two years. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, Ana Maria immigrated to the U.S. 10 years ago with her husband, Hans, and her three sons, Juan, Santiago, and Andrés. She learned English while working as an architect in the Florida firm Vigneault, Hoos. Five years ago, Ana Maria and her family relocated to Longmont.
Now retired from architecture, Ana Maria has found her true calling – painting. She is an accomplished abstract artist with showings in galleries in Niwot (Osmosis), Denver (Translation), Longmont (Muse), and Louisville (Creative Frame). She has also illustrated numerous ESP teaching materials and the Summer Activities worksheet.
We encourage you to learn more about Ana Maria’s life and art by visiting her website: www.abotero.com.
The Imperial City of Cusco, a UNESCO World Heritage SiteThe word “Cusco” means “belly button of the world”, and was founded around the year 1200 A.D. The city is located in the valley of the Huatanay river, in the southwestern Andes of Perú, where the natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna. Because of its beautiful unique contrast of the native heritage and, European influence; the city has been recognized as the “Archeological Capital City of South America”. Of the first, it preserves impressive vestiges, walls of meticulously cut granite, rectilinear streets running within the walls, or ruins of the Sun Temple. Of the viceroyalty period, there remain the freshly whitewashed squat houses, the palace and the marvelous Baroque churches which achieved the impossible fusion of the Mudejar or Churrigueresco styles with that of the Imperial Inca tradition. Cusco nowadays is a very is a very modern and cosmopolitan city with a very high rate of visitors from all over the world. The city has places that every tourist must: The Principal Square from where you can see the majestic architecture of the Cathedral and “La Compañía” with paintings and art from the seventeen century; the neighborhood of “San Blas” and its bohemian life style full of music and art workshops is one of the most picturesque of the city. Its streets are steep and narrow with old houses built by the Spanish over important Inca foundations; finally, the “Qoricancha” or Temple of the Sun and the Convent of Santo Domingo within which we can find the most important collection of paintings from the unique and famous “Escuela Cusqueña”. The most important place you can visit, however, is not inside the city. Machu Picchu (Old Mountain) stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. You might want to wake up early and take some pictures from the “Puerta del Sol” in Macchu Picchu. If you dare, you also have opportunity to climb the mysterious Wayna Picchu (Young Mountain) or trek along the Inca Trail, Peru's most popular hike! |
The Elementary Spanish Program offers 2 different language packages. Aside from the before- and after-school program, we also work with public and private schools to help them succeed with their Spanish language program. ESP offers a complete package for Spanish learning K-8th, where we provide curriculum, supplementary materials, fully trained teachers, and support. Cherry Creek Academy, Denver, Excel Academy, Arvada, and Bixby Elementary in Boulder have successfully implemented Spanish learning with the help from ESP. Please call the office for further information. |
Spanish Summer Activities (sent home with the children at the Fiesta)
Activity 1
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Activity 2 Vocabulary List
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Activity 3
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Activity 4
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We appreciate your support
The Elementary Spanish Program is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization. Your donation will be highly appreciated and is tax-deductible! ESP thanks its many volunteers and donors whose generosity makes it possible to keep our tuition affordable. In particular, we’d like to recognize: Parent Volunteers ESP Computer Maintenance & Repair - Joe Barger ESP Web site Design, Maintenance, and Upgrades - Dean Garyet Principals and School Staff ESP Board Members Wish List
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Please send comments or suggestions to Elementary Spanish Program at kidsspeakspanish@gmail.com.