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An atmosphere of faith and love.

Spanish

SES nurtures the development of each student to achieve their spiritual, intellectual, physical and social potential. Catholic values matter!

Learning the language will help students understand the culture.

St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School students enter the world of foreign language at the PreKindergarten level. PreK students have class once a week, Kindergarten through Grade 4 students meet five times a week, and fifth through eighth-grade students have three Spanish classes weekly. With each consecutive year, their Spanish language skills increase cumulatively in a dynamic, interactive, and meaningful way. At all levels, careful attention is given to practicing all five skills identified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages as essential to learning a foreign language: speaking, listening, reading, writing, and cultural awareness.

Our core curriculum, Teach Them Spanish, provides a coherent framework of vocabulary and grammatical structures from K through fourth-grade. Videos, music, projects, guest presentations, and books by prominent authors expand upon these core skills, enhancing each child’s ability to comprehend and communicate in Spanish.

Our core curriculum, Realidades Level 1, is based on the belief that the purpose of learning Spanish is to communicate with the people who speak it and to understand their cultures. Realidades Level 1 presents a fresh, exciting approach to Spanish by making language learning real for today’s students. Also, Realidades Realidades Level 1 will help students develop the competencies delineated in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Communication, Culture, Connections, Comparisons and Communities.

Pre-K

The Pre-Kindergarten program provides a gradual development of linguistic skills that include: the alphabet, colors, animals, shapes, greetings, sizes, identification of family members and holidays. Using games, worksheets and songs.

Grade 1

Our first-grade students have Spanish class five times a week. Their themes and exercises come from two programs designed specifically for young learners: Rockalingua.com and Teach Them Spanish by Winnie Waltzer-Hackett. First-graders also participate in a variety of games, projects, and role-plays to reinforce prior knowledge and introduce new material. Educational films, music, and picture books help us bring Hispanic culture, history, and geography to life in the classroom.

Grade 2

Our second-grade students have Spanish class five times a week. Second-graders expand upon themes, structures, and vocabulary introduced in the Rockalingua.com and Teach Them Spanish programs. A variety of games, projects, songs, picture books, and role-plays give all learners a chance to participate. Educational videos, library books, and traditional music also expand our world view in Spanish class.

Grade 3

Our third-grade students have Spanish class five times a week. One day a week, they meet in small groups and participate in various online Spanish apps using their iPads. At the end of each week, students meet in small groups during Spanish centers and the teacher uses this time to meet one on one with each student while they practice reading in Spanish. Third-graders review and expand upon themes, structures, and vocabulary introduced in the Rockalingua.com and Teach Them Spanish programs. Educational videos, library books, and traditional music are other “windows” through which they learn about the history, geography, and culture of Spanish-speaking countries.

Grade 4

Our fourth-grade students have Spanish class five times a week. One day per week, they meet in small groups and participate in various online Spanish apps using their iPads. At the end of each week, students meet in small groups during Spanish centers and the teacher uses this time to meet one on one with each student while they practice reading in Spanish. Fourth-graders review and expand upon themes, structures, and vocabulary introduced in the Rockalingua.com and Teach Them Spanish programs. Educational videos, library books, and traditional music are other “windows” through which they learn about the history, geography, and culture of Spanish-speaking countries. Fourth-graders also learn more about Hispanic culture through educational videos and traditional music.

Grade 5

Our fifth-grade students have Spanish class three times a week. Fifth-graders are introduced in the Realidades Level 1 curricula. They work through through the book, Realidades, which introduces them to vocabulary and basic Spanish grammar, as well as cultural differences in the Spanish-speaking world. Educational videos, research, and role-plays provide additional opportunities to learn more about Spanish language and Hispanic cultures.

Middle School

Spanish continues to be a core subject in our Middle School with the goal of completing Realidades level 1 high school Spanish by 8th grade.