Author: Margarita Pérez García
-
How to support Struggling Readers with Visual Glossaries and Glossary Cards
When I’m reading with beginners or students with reading difficulties, I try to create what I call a “single-page reading experience.” Students should have as much support as possible right where they are reading, to never have to leave the page to check a glossary. In my books, I already use controlled vocabulary, introduced gradually…
-
Digital Reading Marathons: A Classroom Strategy to Inspire Language Learners to Read More
Not all students come to class with a natural love for reading. Many struggle, especially at the beginning of their language learning journey. As teachers, we know that developing a habit of reading is essential, but we also know it is not always easy. Sometimes an external motivator helps. A Reading Marathon can provide that…
-
How One-Pagers Help Students Engage More Deeply With Books
I spent last week at the 7th Extensive Reading World Congress in Sapporo, Hokkaido. Organized by the Extensive Reading Foundation, the event brought together about 400 educators from around the world at Hokusei Gakuen University. It was not only my first time at the congress but also my first time in Japan, which made the…
-
Tonia Patagonia: A Magical Adventure in Easy Spanish
After more than two years in the making, Patri and I did it again. Our second collaboration is here: Tonia Patagonia y la caja mágica. This beautiful book is very special. Funny and full of heart, it is not only a great story for your Spanish classroom library, but also an illustrated Spanish reader designed…
-
Arroz con Cosas: Teacher’s Guide
Patricia and I are happy to say: habemus guía. Arroz con cosas now has a Teacher’s Guide, and it is a great one. You can get it from your favourite comprehensible books distributors: CPLI, VOCES Unplugged, and Bryce Hedstrom. What is Arroz con cosas about Arroz con cosas is a comprehensible novel for beginner Spanish…
-
Still Here for You: Why My Feed Suddenly Vanished and How We Can Stay Connected
On Sunday 13 July I posted a short classroom video on Instagram to let fellow teachers know I had recorded five complete Level 3 French lessons, which I would present for observation at this year’s Conference in the Cloud 2025. I was proud of that work and eager to share it. That turned out to…
-
Song-Based Story-Listening: “Rosa, ¡qué linda eres!”
I created a short story inspired by the song “Rosa” by Colombian DJ Fabi Hernández and singer Mathieu Ruz. This upbeat, catchy song is perfect for beginners to sing and dance to their heart’s content. There is a lyric video with translations to sing along, plus a fantastic line dance choreography by French dancers Marlon…
-
Super Super Easy: Meet Curiosa, My First Ultra-Beginner Reader
I began the school year with three guiding questions. First, if reading is developed rather than simply acquired, what do I need to adjust in my teaching to foster that development? Second, can I weave print–sound work across the programme so students build decoding and read-aloud skills while working in a comprehension-based environment? Third, how…
-
Spanish Teachers: Talk to Your Students About Venezuela Now!
El rey del fraude: Slides, Text, and Recording. On July 28, 2024, Venezuelans went to the polls with the hope of change. We knew it would be difficult to make our voices heard, as only 69,000 out of millions of Venezuelans abroad were allowed to vote. The government has made sure that voting from abroad…
-
Must-Have Word Posters for Intermediate Spanish Students
In comprehension-based language teaching, word walls are a constant reference, helping students recall vocabulary without memorization. They eliminate the need to repeatedly write down commonly used words in class. Among the various types of word walls, none are more important in the beginning classroom than question word posters and verb charts with the “Super 7”…