Toddler, Preschool and Kindergarten Spanish Classes Celebrate Spring

Over the past few months, toddlers and younger preschoolers in our Montessori-based Toddler and Bridging classes have been immersed in language about the season. They have learned about la primavera (spring), las flores (flowers), las mariposas (butterflies), la mariquita (the ladybug) and la araña (the spider). Integrating music whenever they can, the children have also been learning a new song, “la araña pequeñita“ (the little spider). It’s been fun watching them perform!

Learning Spanish in Preschool and Kindergarten

Three-, four- and five-year-old students in Inly’s preschool and kindergarten program have also been building their Spanish vocabularies this spring. Along with covering primavera (spring) and las flores (flowers), students have been reviewing colores, numeros and frutas.

Preschool Spanish class at Inly School:
Learning with the Hungry Caterpillar!

Watch this video of the “Hungry Caterpillar” sampling frutas in a Children’s House classroom at Inly to get a sense of how hands-on activities make learning languages fun.

Inly Spanish Curriculum in Toddler House, Children’s House Preschool and Kindergarten

At Inly, the Spanish program is designed to enable students to speak and write their basic thoughts and questions in a second language. The curriculum utilizes a combination of speaking, writing, and activities that are often based on music, art or Total Physical Response. Students learn to express themselves in a second language environment that promotes confidence and creativity.

What is Total Physical Response (TPR)?

Developed by Dr. James Asher, TPR is based on the premise that the human brain has a biological program for acquiring any natural language on earth. Designed for use with languages as well as math and science, the teaching method uses hands-on, kinesthetic activities to make learning stick.

Dr. Asher based the TPR program on 30 years of laboratory research. He observed that many months before even speaking, the child develops a “language-body conversation” with the parent, internalizing the patterns and sounds of the target language—and imprinting a linguistic map of how the language works. Read more at What is Total Physical Response?

Spanish Curriculum for Toddlers through Kindergarten

Toddler and Bridging Classes: Spanish Curriculum

• Numbers
• Body parts
• Songs
• Animals

Preschool and Kindergarten Classes: Spanish Curriculum

• Vocabulary
• Numbers
• Games and songs
• Questions and answers

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