Reading in Spanish is an important skill in Language Acquisition. Reading helps children develop speaking, writing and listening skills.

When children are exposed to Spanish reading books, short stories and passages, they get to see a variety of vocabulary words used in context, correct grammar usage and sentence structure. Reading in Spanish also exposes children to the correct use of language, helping them acquire it faster than when exposed to oral language only. 

Reading in Spanish may be frustrating at the beginning. But if a child develops the habit of reading everyday, they will acquire the language faster than those who don’t read. It’s important to choose appropriate books that match your students’ ability and level. Starting with comic or picture books is always the best idea. The images provide visual clues which help support comprehension.

Comprehending, meaning the ability to understand what they are reading, is crucial, and it doesn’t happen naturally once children start reading. Spanish reading comprehension must be taught. Students need to be able to read fluently and develop reading comprehension strategies.

Key Spanish Reading Comprehension Strategies

Predicting 

This is a very important strategy when working reading comprehension. Predicting happens when a child uses the information from the text to anticipate what may happen next. They rely on text clues and prior knowledge. We use predicting everyday with our novel study. When a child is continually predicting while reading, they are monitoring and examining their comprehension. Since most students won’t stop to think while reading, it’s important to model the correct way to make predictions. You can do that by starting to analyze the cover and title, and formulate predictions using that information. While you read, stop and ask questions about what’s being read. Use thinking prompts to discuss students’ predictions and write them down. Before reading another chapter, model how to use the chapter’s title, character’s behavior, events from the previous chapter to make predictions. Predictions need to be logical and make sense. 

Build background knowledge

It’s very important to set the tone when reading a novel or text. Depending on the time and place when and where the story was written, students may not understand the circumstances around it. That’s why it’s important to build background knowledge when you first start reading a book. Explaining the time, place, customs will have a positive impact on students’ learning. I like using images to help them build the connections within the story. 

Read aloud to enhance Spanish reading comprehension 

When using this strategy, you model the correct pronunciation and tone while students follow along. It helps create a connection between what they are listening to and what they are reading. I use this strategy mostly at the beginning of each chapter, and then give the opportunity to read out loud taking turns. 

Incorporate visual aids

This strategy has saved me a lot of work. Most children, when they don’t understand a word of phrase, tend to Google the translation. This is a big mistake, since translating doesn’t give them the opportunity to internalize the language as it is. The ultimate goal when teaching Spanish, is for children to think, speak, and write in Spanish. So, I use images to explain what they don’t understand. I previously read the book and prepared a PowerPoint presentation, flashcards or real-life objects, with the words and phrases that I anticipate my students won’t understand. This has been a life saver in class. 

Teach vocabulary in context 

This goes hand in hand with the previous strategy. Teaching vocabulary in context is one of the most important strategies you can use to improve your children’s ability to acquire the Spanish language. Teaching the vocabulary in context makes sense, because the word comes alive in children’s minds, making it easier to remember and use it in the future. 

Use audio-books 

This is a must for those independent reading moments. It gives students the opportunity to train their hearing while listening to the correct pronunciation of words. I like to provide both the audio book and the written version, so students can follow along.  

Use TPR to discuss content 

Total Physical Response (TPR) is the combination of language and movement. It’s a great strategy to keep students engaged and help them make connections in the Spanish language. It has been proven that using TPR to teach Spanish has multiple benefits for students. Check out this post to learn more about it. 

Retell Spanish Reading Content with pictures

We already discuss the importance of using pictures when teaching Spanish. Images help children acquire new vocabulary words faster and in a meaningful way. They get to connect new words and phrases with what they see. And that’s one of the reasons why using pictures to discuss content makes sense. Children feel more confident and relax, and are able to visualize what they want to talk about. 

Find text evidence using color coding 

Using colors to find evidence in a text has a positive impact on learning Spanish. It helps children organize and visualize the information, making it easier to ingrain it in their long-term memory. 

Use graphic organizers to strengthen Spanish Reading Comprehension

Using graphic organizers helps children perceive the language in a more organized way. Graphic organizers provide a visual representation of ideas, content, and vocabulary. The use of images is essential when learning Spanish. It encourages children to connect the word or phrase to something they can see, transforming an abstract concept into a concrete one. Graphic organizers help make that connection when learning Spanish. It also allows me, as a teacher, to assess, monitor, and support Spanish reading comprehension.

 

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