2022
Bilingual Books –Double the Fun and Learning!
With the release of our latest book in Spanish Schoolhouse’s series, Las Aventuras de Periquito Azul, we have a perfect opportunity to dive into the benefits of reading with your child and see how bilingual books can enhance your child’s learning even more!
The Comfort of a Reading Routine
In our fast-paced world, one of the joys of parenting is slowing down and snuggling up with our toddlers and preschoolers to read together. Even before you get to the words or illustrations on a page, the simple, familiar routines of story time can form a bonding experience that makes children feel loved and secure. This comfy environment creates a positive association with books that can lead to a lifelong interest in reading. It’s all in the routines!
What’s in a Bilingual Book?
Content in bilingual books provides new vocabulary and gives children a window to the world around them, boosting their general knowledge. But when you read together, you can also:
- Build your child’s comprehension skills- Ask them to recap what’s happened so far!
- Encourage them to be inquisitive- Have them guess what might be coming up next.
- Foster their creativity-Have them imagine a different ending or story line.
- Point out new vocabulary and language patterns-The word/object association gets even deeper when children see the written letters depicting this.
Periquito Azul Takes Flight!
Now Spanish Schoolhouse parents can incorporate our new book, in their story time routine! Our students know and LOVE their mascot, Periquito Azul. Did you know we have Periquito Azul plush toys for sale at our schools? You can purchase one in the front office at any of our locations! Your child snuggling with their buddy Periquito Azul and our new book would be a FUN experience for you and your child!
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of reading this book at home:
- Look for What’s Familiar
Bring the story to life by relating it to your child’s experiences. When Periquito goes on his trip, ask your child to recall a family vacation. If he or she mentions a plane, suitcase, mountains etc., have them find those images in the book, and point out both the English and Spanish words as they search.
- Learn with Side-by-Side Text
Like many bilingual books, our series pairs single images with side-by-side language text to help children absorb two languages at one time. This reinforces the idea that you can use two different languages to refer to the same thing (or person, place, action etc.)
- Don’t be Shy
If you’re an English speaker, don’t worry about teaching your child the wrong pronunciation. You may be more comfortable reading aloud in your native language but follow the parallel text to look for and point out words you recognize in the second language. For example, when Periquito meets a new friend, point out the words “friend” and “amigo” so your child sees they both represent the same thing (bilingual books often have a glossary so you can brush up on your vocab at any time.)
Taking it Further and keeping it FUN!
Smile as you read aloud. Facial gestures and the use of different voices for different characters will give a positive and reassuring tone to your voice and make it fun for your child! Regardless of the language, keep story time relaxed, fun, and engaging. The goal is not to finish a book, or even a chapter. It’s to spend quality time together and encourage listening skills, focus, comprehension, and conversation. For both parents and children, this can be a win-win experience (and with bilingual books, you’ll even improve your Spanish in the process!) Find a copy of our latest book La Búsqueda del Tesoro (The Treasure Hunt) on Amazon!