Jose's first language supports him in many ways. He has excelled at the English language because of the knowledge of his first language, Spanish. Throughout our conversations, it is clear that Jose likes to read in both English and Spanish. When I listen to him read in English, I point out strange words in his book and ask him if he knows what they are. In one book, he read something about a girl opening her blinds. I asked him if he knew what blinds were, he said "no." When I explained them to him, he said, "Oh yeah, I know what that is. We have those in my house!" I asked him what they call them in Spanish and he said a word that I did not write down. Now, Jose can associate the word "blinds" with his prior knowledge of their name in Spanish. This continuous growth of vocabulary will support him throughout his language journey.
|
CategoriesAuthorHi I'm Felicia, a credential student at SSU. Archives |