If you teach in the United States, chances are you either have heard or are using the Common Core State Standards. While some schools have officially started implementing them, others are waiting to do so really-really soon.
Before I moved to a dual language classroom, I taught at an arts based school and we were already using the Common Core Standards in the year 2011-2012. Now, this year I am not only teaching in both languages but I am also teaching a new grade level. All the work I had done with the Common Core in the past surely relate in a way to 4th grade, but you have to remember that this time I have to look at them from a Spanish perspective.
In fourth grade, 60% of our curriculum is in Spanish and 40% in English; therefore, Common Core is taking a whole new meaning (or so). One thing for sure, I was lucky to have found a website that has translated all the CCSS to Spanish and has done so really well (I am usually not too fond of some translations available out there, but this one does not disappoint).
Common Core in My Classroom
The standards can be very hard to read and understand for some of my students (I even find myself struggling to put them in ‘child friendly’ words sometimes), for this reason I create ‘I’ statements where the goal of the standards is written in kid-friendly language. Once the language makes sense, I create headers for my students so they can place them inside their reading/or writing journals. The headers serve my students as a reminder of WHAT we are learning and what the GOALS of the standard are – what they should be able to do once I present and give them focused practice.
Here is an example of the standard we are currently working on in reading:
 |
| The header is placed at the top with a clear description of the standard |
 |
| Then, after gluing, students take notes on the standard and what it means before we dive into deep study |
So, how do you approach the Common Core in the dual language classroom with the limited resources there are out there in Spanish? Where do you get your non-fiction passages or articles for students to practice? I would love to hear.
Related Posts
Reading Informational Text with a Purpose (Part II)/Leyendo textos informativos (segunda parte)
Teaching Main Idea Using Informational Books in Spanish/Encontrando la idea principal usando textos informativos
Non-Fiction Text Features Unit (Spanish)/Características de textos informativos
Common Core Resources in Spanish
Accountable (Spanish) Talk in the Math Classroom
Spanish Graphic organizers / Organizadores gráficos
Hi Kelly,
I teach in a 2nd Grade 1-way Dual Language program (native speakers… going from the TBE to DL for biliteracy). The language allocation is 50/50. I also struggle with finding rich text for my kids in Spanish for use during Language Arts and Social Studies and Science. When I need pieces of text for lessons I use Reading A-Z texts. I also use the Spanish versions of my Scholastic News subscriptions. The magazines come to us in English but their online resources offer Spanish translation which I can print and project on the whiteboard. Like many of you, I also find myself translating pieces of text. I always worry about losing something in the translations but I work hard on making sure that I get the general message of the passage and that it lends itself to the skill being taught. And of course, when I find good books and workbooks at the teachers' stores or online I purchase them. I am fortunate to be able to travel to Spain yearly and when I'm there I try to buy language arts and reading comprehension books so I can use at home with my daughters or in my classroom.
I always tell my husband that I'm going to have to work for a publisher in the States that will allow me to choose and write curriculum for Spanish speakers, or to translate. There's a need for good, Spanish-language passages for the CCSS at all grade levels.
Best of luck in your classroom, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
Thank you so much for your comment and feedback.
And how cool that you get to travel to Spain and bring back resources. I spent a couple of weeks in Italy and I was SOOOOOO excited to find that most of the museums I visited carried SPANISH versions of many books targeted to children….I went crazy.
And yes…we NEED good Spanish resources out there. Update me when you get to work for a publisher…(seriously….I am serious….would love to see what you are able to create).
Abrazos,
Kelly
Gracia's Kelly for your wonderful information.