Conexiones Nuevas: Encouraging Cross-Cultural Connections

Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month

This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.

My Students

My Spanish lessons are not centered around vocabulary lists and grammar rules. We experience the language through music, art, history, and the communities around us - both pen pals across the globe and the rich cultural opportunities in our community.

I teach Spanish in a K-8 school in Southern California.

We are an urban and project-based school, with a diverse student population - both racially, linguistically, and socioeconomically. Some students are exposed to Spanish in their homes and in their families, while others are getting their first glimpses of the language and connected cultures within my classes. Some students cross the border frequently to visit family and relatives, and others have not left the confines of their own neighborhoods. My biggest challenge as a teacher is to provide appropriate lessons and materials across a variety of language levels, from students who know almost no Spanish, students who speak Spanish but have very little reading and writing experience, and students who can read and write fluently in both languages.

My Project

I will use these books for two purposes. First, students research and present about historical or famous figures from Spanish-speaking cultures, using both print and digital resources. To introduce this project, leveled and differentiated reading groups in the classroom will read and share out using these biographies. Students will be exposed to a variety of Hispanic figures and choose someone to research more comprehensively. Secondly, to encourage independent reading in Spanish, students will select books at an appropriate reading level. Low level students will read picture books or bilingual editions, and higher level students will read Spanish books at varying levels. Along with the books already available in my classroom library and the school library, I want to have a variety of books available that focus on Hispanic culture, especially here in the United States. This list of books will allow me to suggest and assign books that are appropriate for each student.

These books will allow all my students to be successful and to grow - no matter what their background or language skills are.

This selection of books will also help students to see the Spanish language as vibrant and alive in the world beyond the classroom - both in the diverse communities here in Southern California and other parts of the United States, and a collection of inspiring writers, artists, and public figures from around the globe.