As I Went Walking

How do you teach Kindergarteners to read in two languages? You expose them to both! The Bilingual Bears two-way dual language program at JFK is composed of native English and native Spanish speakers. This gives students the opportunity to be role models in their native language and get support from their peers and teachers in their second language. 

In the Spanish Zone classroom, Victoria DeJesus uses specific strategies to help students build their language skills in Spanish. You will see colorful picture books, repetition and modeling of new words, gestures, visual aids, and meaningful interaction to support students’ positive behaviors.

The class is learning to read with the book” I Went Walking” or Sali De Paseo. The book tells the story of a boy’s walk through the country–he sees a black cat, then a brown horse, a red cow and finally the whole menagerie of animals is behind him. There are catchy phrases and repetitions–each page hints at the next animal which gets students excited for the next page. The book is perfect for Dual Language learners with its concrete structure, and its availability in Spanish and English.

First the class watched a YouTube read-aloud of the book, then they read it together, then they had to circle the colors of each animal in their own paper copies of the book with the same color Crayon: black cat, black Crayon.

“¿Qué animales tenemos aquí?” asked DeJesus.

“Cow?” asked Andrew.

¿Cómo se dice cow en español?

“Vaca!”

“Muy bien Andrew,” said DeJesus.

¿Lincoln, de qué color es el cerdo?

“Rosa?” said Lincoln.

“Muy bien!” said DeJesus.

DeJesus and classroom aide, AnnaKaren Juarez, walked from table to table giving one-on-one instruction to kindergartners, re-explaining the instructions, and reinforcing phrases, words, and ideas. Most importantly, giving positive reinforcement to each student. 

“Bien guys! Bien!” exclaimed DeJesus.