Spanish afternoons

In previous posts I think we have mentioned that when Alayna is working, I am trying to speak in Spanish with the kids. Some days I do better than others, but most days I speak at least 1-2 hours only in Spanish.

I read in _Raising a Bilingual Child_ that two hours is actually the minimum children need to become bilingual. It sounds like a lot, but then you think they are awake for 10-12 hours a day, so 2 hours is around 20% of the time. On the days I am home in the afternoons, I think I average that amount of time.

Also, the book stated that the best predictor of vocabulary in the second language is not the amount of time talking in the second language (beyond those two hours), but how many hours the child spends reading books (or being read too) in the second language.

This made me feel much better! I read to both Mateo and Natalia in Spanish almost every single day and have since Mateo was born.

It is interesting to see that Mateo's progression in Spanish has followed just like his learning curve in English. First he has started with saying nouns, and then some phrases that he hears frequently and can repeat verbatim. Now he is starting to create two word combinations, and on rare occasions three word combos. He does mix Spanish and English, which is completely normal, but only when he is talking in Spanish. He will insert a word in English to complete is idea, if needed. He can also follow most simple comands in Spanish now and seems to understand what I am saying most of the time.

Today I read him a new, silly book, El Gato de Mil Narices (The cat of a thousand noses) and he just giggled up a storm. This might have explained why he didn't go to sleep after hearing the book, because he wanted me to read it to him again! The amazing thing to me is that he clearly understood the book the first time I read it since he was laughing so much at the story.

For me, I too am learning much Spanish this year! I love my job as a Spanish literacy teacher and at school I spend three hours reading in Spanish every day. Just like with my students, I am learning many new words. This year I have looked up or figured out every single unknown word in every story that I have read! Today I learned the word for compost (abono natural) and disguise (antifraz). Every day I read new words and get to explain them to my students, helping me remember the words! My job is a one year post, and because of my vocabulary in Spanish I was a bit nervous about teaching reading to older kids (I teach up to third grade), but I am really enjoying the year.

Now. . . if only I could find a job where I taught Spanish literacy in the mornings to younger children, mathematics in (English or Spanish) the afternoons to older children and one or two days a week supervised aids or newer teachers . . . That would be my ideal full time job for next year!