STATEN ISLAND, NY - ELTINGVILLE -- If you ask students at Eltingville Lutheran School "Habla Espanol?" even the littlest will reply "Si."
The school recently received a $3,000 grant from the Richmond County Savings Foundation that has allowed it to continue its popular language-education program. The grant is being used to cover expenses related to providing Spanish-language education to children from pre-kindergarten age through fifth-grade. Older students already receive foreign language instruction.
"We are a small school that prides itself on offering an extensive curriculum that provides our students with a well-rounded education," explained Principal Janet Schieper.
"During these difficult fiscal times, schools, like other businesses, are looking at ways to trim the budget. We were hoping that cuts would not have to be made to our program offerings, and this grant means we will not have to go down that road," she said.
As an educator Mrs. Schieper said she's convinced the most successful means of teaching languages to children is to start at a very young age.
The school's program teaches Spanish language as well as related Hispanic and Latin American culture.
"The children seem to pick up the language so easily at a young age," she observed.
Spanish teacher Isabel Delgado said she's always on the look-out for innovative ways to teach her young charges vocabulary words and promote conversation in the language.
"As a teacher, I know that all children adore music, so I tap into this natural affinity to get them hooked on foreign language learning. I use songbooks with original melodies that teach basic Spanish vocabulary and expressions in a fresh, exciting way," she explained.
Instead of trying to memorize greetings, numbers, colors, days and months, students learn them as they are put to music. While singing "Los Meses Del Ano" (The Months of the Year), for example, the younger children learn new words to easily remember tunes and rhythms.
Older students learn vocabulary and culture through projects. Fifth-graders, for example, made "passports" to travel through 21 Latin American countries.
"I believe that immersion is the most effective way to learn a language. I like to engage the children in play and fun activities, and these are planned at the different grade levels Pre-K through fifth-grade," Mrs. Delgado said.
Fifth-graders who have learned Spanish from Mrs. Delgado since kindergarten, said they find the lessons enjoyable and have learned a lot from the classes.
"It's easier to learn when you are little because, then when you get older you'll know more," said fifth-grader Salvatore Henrique."
"It's good to learn a different language besides English," said classmate Lindsay Birstler.