Inquiry Topic: Spanish Education in the Elementary School

Starting Spanish Education in the elementary school has countless benefits. Young students begin to learn to communicate with people from different countries and backgrounds. They can explore diverse cultures. Furthermore, the cognitive benefits include enhanced critical thinking skills and acute listening skills as well as greater creativity and imagination!

Process: See Spanish Education i-chart

Findings:

The most common Spanish education programs in the elementary school include FLEX- exploratory programs possibly only in a few grades, and FLES- a sequential language learning experience. The benefits of learning a foreign language include enhanced cognitive abilities, greater English proficiency, learning about another people and culture, and using language in the world of work. Teachers need to inform parents, administrators, and the community of the program and students' achievements.   Show the results and benefits of language learning! The sources I found are wonderful tools for language educators and provide information on about every topic I could imagine.   I will continue to search them and learn about early language learning. Spanish education is a tremendous topic that I will continue to learn about as I teach Spanish in my classroom.   For now, I can learn more about teaching strategies and curriculum materials.

(2006, May). ACTFL board approved position statements . Retrieved February 6, 2007, from American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Web site: http://www.actfl.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=4368

            The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages is one of the top professional organizations for teachers of foreign languages.   The purpose of this specific part of their website is to inform those people interested in their organization of their particular position statements on foreign language education programs- goals, specific programs, when to start, establishing a program, etc.   Their Web site contains general information about the organization, professional development resources, information about their publications, current language news, and more.   There is no specific author for this Web page; the information I used was compiled by the executive officers of the organization.   The Web site is published by ACTFL and provides content regarding nearly every aspect of foreign language education with coverage similar to other professional organizations such as the Center for Applied Linguistics or the National Network for Early Language Learning.   I could not locate any information on awards that the Web site has won.   However, I greatly enjoy using ACTFL's Web site because of its content coverage and ease of use.   The categories and subheadings allow quick and functional links and there is a search finder for anything in the site.   I am a student member of ACTFL and would highly recommend this site to any teachers interested in foreign language education. ( 214 words )

(2007). Resources: Publications: Informational brochures. Retrieved February 6, 2007, from Center for Applied Linguistics Web site: http://www.cal.org/resources/pubs/brochures.html

            This Web site is published by the Center for Applied Linguistics- a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to research, communication, and education dealing with language and culture.   The purpose of the informational brochures that I used as a source is to inform and educate parents, teachers, and school administrators of foreign language education.   The content of these Web pages covers topics such as the benefits of learning a second language, programs available for language education, programs for native Spanish speakers, and how parents, teachers, and school administrators can become involved in foreign language education.   The content coverage was impressive and very similar to that of other language learning organizations such as ACTFL or NNELL.   I am not aware of any awards that this specific site has won.   However, it is very accessible and easy to use because of the well-formatted Web design.   The quick links and organized sub headings make navigating the Web page very user friendly.   Overall, the Center for Applied Linguistics site is a wonderful educational tool with a wealth of information relating to communication, language, and research.   I know I will use it in the future for further study. ( 191 words )

Redmond, M. L. (1998). Attention! Are you seeking a position with excellent long-term benefits? Be an advocate! Learning Languages , 4 , Retrieved February 8, 2007, from http://nnell.org/pdfs/journal/BeAnAdvocate.pdf

This source is a journal article from a publication of the National Network for Early Language Learning.   The author is Mary Lynn Redmond, a credible associate professor of education at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.   The content of the article focuses on ten strategies for language educators to advocate for foreign language education programs.   Strategies range from showing parents and the community the skills attained and the purposes of the language learned to networking with colleagues or using state conferences to organize advocacy efforts.   The topics cover similar points that I have seen from educational organizations and the author cites many professional organizations in her work.   I am unaware of any awards that Professor Redmond or this specific article has won.   However, it is formatted in a very understandable and useable way.   All the specific strategies along with meaningful quotes are highlighted in the text and stand out to the reader's eye.   I easily found the link to the article on the publication page of NNELL's Web site- which is also organized and formatted in a user-friendly way.   I would recommend this article and NNELL's Web site to other teachers, school administrators, or even parents for its usability in foreign language education. ( 203 words )