College, grade school students collaborate in Spanish instruction
By Joanne Fox Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, December 04, 2007
McKenna Bricker, left, looks on as classmate Lauren Page answers a question while working on the days of the week during a Spanish class at Sunnyside Elementary School. The class, held twice a week, is taught by Western Iowa Tech Community College Spanish students. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
The classrooms at Sunnyside Elementary School had pupils long before school started. All were ready to learn a foreign language on their own time.
The instruction has been a collaboration between students in the Spanish classes at Western Iowa Tech Community College and the Morningside grade school for at least eight years, explained Sunnyside principal Karen Hess.
"It started before I came on board, but I thought it was a great idea," said Hess, who has been the Sunnyside principal for five years. "At this age the kids can pick up a language and learn it far quicker than if their introduction to it is in middle or even high school."
The WIT students -- Michael Gentry, Angela Morrow, Carrie Sands and Jennifer VanderVeen -- are compensated with a $200 stipend, said Bea Houston, Spanish instructor in the WIT Humanities Department. The stipend is paid at the conclusion of the classes. Students receive no college credit or grade for their participation. The classes are held at Sunnyside in the fall and Joy Elementary School in the spring, Houston said.
The grade school PTA oversees the program, available to third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students. Parents pay $20 per student to take the six-week class, said Tonya Vakulskas, PTA president.
"We saw it as giving the kids a head start in a foreign language," Vakulskas said. "I think that any extra skill they can get at this level will benefit them later in school."
Houston helps the WIT students with the curriculum, primarily based on an appreciation for the spoken language rather than written skills.
That was evident from the level of participation in the Sunnyside classrooms.
One room had all the particulars of Fruit Basket Upset, but eliminated the fruit, and added colors.
Angela Morrow called out rojo, amarillo, blanco (red, yellow and white for non-Spanish speakers). Students frantically looked around the room for anything in that color and ran to touch, raise or point it out.
"Good morning ladies," Carrie Sands said to the nine girls in the classroom as she called class to order in her room.
"It's time for attendance," she continued. "How do you say 'here'?"
"Aqui, aqui, aqui," was echoed among the young pupils.
Just four students were in the classroom with Bea Houston. All the conversation from Houston was in Spanish. The students thoughtfully formed their replies and luckily, an occasional English word came out of their mouths, helpful for someone having no Spanish background.
Jennifer VanderVeen was the Vanna White in another classroom as students played hangman, trying to discern the Spanish word from a picture she displayed.
Jorden Hansen, a fourth-grader, previously participated in the Spanish class and decided she had so much fun last year, she would do it again.
"My dad speaks Spanish really well," said the daughter of Michael and Abby Hansen. "I like talking to him and it's really funny when we speak Spanish and my brother questions us with, "What did you say?' We laugh about it."
This is Rachel Kitrell's first time with the Spanish class and it was her dad who also encouraged her to participate.
"I knew some words already, like I could count from one to 10," said the daughter of Jesse and Shelly Kitrell. "I know my colors now, so I'll probably do this again."
Morrow, a journalism student who is enrolled in a WIT Spanish class, said she signed up for the experience because "it sounded fun and I've worked with kids before and enjoyed that."
The biggest surprise for her was the speed at which the pupils caught on to the material.
"They catch on really fast," Morrow observed. "They can pick up in a half hour, what it might take our adult class twice as long to process."
The instruction has been a collaboration between students in the Spanish classes at Western Iowa Tech Community College and the Morningside grade school for at least eight years, explained Sunnyside principal Karen Hess.
"It started before I came on board, but I thought it was a great idea," said Hess, who has been the Sunnyside principal for five years. "At this age the kids can pick up a language and learn it far quicker than if their introduction to it is in middle or even high school."
The WIT students -- Michael Gentry, Angela Morrow, Carrie Sands and Jennifer VanderVeen -- are compensated with a $200 stipend, said Bea Houston, Spanish instructor in the WIT Humanities Department. The stipend is paid at the conclusion of the classes. Students receive no college credit or grade for their participation. The classes are held at Sunnyside in the fall and Joy Elementary School in the spring, Houston said.
The grade school PTA oversees the program, available to third-, fourth- and fifth-grade students. Parents pay $20 per student to take the six-week class, said Tonya Vakulskas, PTA president.
"We saw it as giving the kids a head start in a foreign language," Vakulskas said. "I think that any extra skill they can get at this level will benefit them later in school."
Houston helps the WIT students with the curriculum, primarily based on an appreciation for the spoken language rather than written skills.
That was evident from the level of participation in the Sunnyside classrooms.
One room had all the particulars of Fruit Basket Upset, but eliminated the fruit, and added colors.
Angela Morrow called out rojo, amarillo, blanco (red, yellow and white for non-Spanish speakers). Students frantically looked around the room for anything in that color and ran to touch, raise or point it out.
"Good morning ladies," Carrie Sands said to the nine girls in the classroom as she called class to order in her room.
"It's time for attendance," she continued. "How do you say 'here'?"
"Aqui, aqui, aqui," was echoed among the young pupils.
Just four students were in the classroom with Bea Houston. All the conversation from Houston was in Spanish. The students thoughtfully formed their replies and luckily, an occasional English word came out of their mouths, helpful for someone having no Spanish background.
Jennifer VanderVeen was the Vanna White in another classroom as students played hangman, trying to discern the Spanish word from a picture she displayed.
Jorden Hansen, a fourth-grader, previously participated in the Spanish class and decided she had so much fun last year, she would do it again.
"My dad speaks Spanish really well," said the daughter of Michael and Abby Hansen. "I like talking to him and it's really funny when we speak Spanish and my brother questions us with, "What did you say?' We laugh about it."
This is Rachel Kitrell's first time with the Spanish class and it was her dad who also encouraged her to participate.
"I knew some words already, like I could count from one to 10," said the daughter of Jesse and Shelly Kitrell. "I know my colors now, so I'll probably do this again."
Morrow, a journalism student who is enrolled in a WIT Spanish class, said she signed up for the experience because "it sounded fun and I've worked with kids before and enjoyed that."
The biggest surprise for her was the speed at which the pupils caught on to the material.
"They catch on really fast," Morrow observed. "They can pick up in a half hour, what it might take our adult class twice as long to process."
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I agree wrote on Dec 4, 2007 6:31 PM:
Great! wrote on Dec 4, 2007 10:36 AM: