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Messages in English y en espanol 09/24/2002 | 1:02 pm messages in English y en espanol Yesterday I came home and listened to the messages on my answering machine. Number nine said, "Hi Gramma, give me a call." That was the sweetest thing I could had listened to all day. Yesterday was my Granddaughter's first day of pre-school. She had so much fun, and she had to call all the way from Pennsylvania to tell me all about it. There is notheing quite like the joy of those precious little voices talking to you and saying, "I love you'" plus all the other things they say. This is the true joy of motherhood- making it through to grandmotherhood. Today in first grade we are studying short i. That is probably one of the hardest vowel sounds for children to learn. Many never really master it until second grade, and most Spanish speakers always pronounce it like a long e sound. Oh the trials of the English Language! I taught Spanish speakers for 4 years awhile back. I actually taught in a transitional-bilingual setting. Yes, I do have definite ideas about how these little jumping beans learn. They really need to learn to read and write in the language they learned from their mother...their mother tounge. Then, it is easy to teach them English. Part of the problem in teaching English first or only is that it has so many rules, which are immediately broken, changed, or altered, thus leading to tremendous confusion. After having taught my little chickens, who came to me speaking Spanish, how to read and write in Spanish, they transition very quickly. Then, they are totally bilingual (able to read, write, and speak in two languages fluently) and are oh so much better off. I know many will not agree, but, I have been there, and I have seen the results. Que bueno! hasta...until tomorrow gatosymanzanas en primero grado y en la vida catsnapples in first grade and at life ___________________________________________
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