Students start Spanish classes through QUEST
Nancy Horst
Friday, March 14, 2008
Emporia children are quickly picking up a new language during after-school Spanish classes offered at six Emporia elementary schools.
The elementary foreign language program is being offered this spring through a three-year Foreign Language Assistance Program grant awarded to the Emporia district by the U.S. Department of Education. Over the three years, the grant is expected to total $584,000 and the money will be used for teaching personnel, professional development and materials. The first year has been devoted to planning the structure of the program in the elementary schools and hiring staff.
Linda Trujillo, project director, said the district surveyed parents and identified 175 students in first and second grades who were interested in taking Spanish classes.
Classes began last week and are offered twice a week during the regular QUEST after-school program all six elementary schools. This allows students to take advantage of after-school transportation service, Trujillo said. Classes will run for 10 weeks. Summer classes will be held in conjunction with the Migrant Summer Program from June 2 – 20. “Continuation of classes in the summer will ensure that the students have an adequate foundation on which to build in the fall,” she said.
The class may be expanded to include third grade later.
“Many parents provided us information on the survey stating that their children in third grade were interested in learning Spanish, as well,” she said.
The classes were planned by Trujillo with the help of Angel Cornejo, Patty Gilliam, Jack Heinrichs, EHS Spanish teachers; Lisa Comer, ELA teacher at W.A. White; Elaine Rojas, district translator; Juan Ramírez, Lowther South dual language teacher; and Patricia Smiley, director of Integrated Services.
Cornejo, Gilliam and Heinrichs teach Mondays and Wednesdays at Timmerman.
Other teachers on Tuesdays and Thursdays are Rojas, Jill Boyer, Marita Espinoza and Bruna Delgado at Village; Comer at W.A. White; Laura Gunderson at Logan Avenue; Ramirez and Luis Rivera at Riverside; and Ranulfo Cristóbal at Walnut.
Trujillo said the staff is using a multi-sensory approach to teach Spanish. MUZZY, a video-supported program that has wide usage in Europe as well as in the U.S., will serve as the core curriculum. The goals of this program align with the Kansas foreign language standards and are expected to serve as a sound basis for Spanish language development.