Literably Spanish: Coming this FALL!

COMING THIS FALL: Spanish Version of Literably Assessment Platform

An estimated 3.7 million native Spanish speaking children in the U.S. public school system are learning the English language.¹ Educators are challenged to develop literacy curriculums tailored to the individual needs of all students in today’s highly diverse classrooms.

What is the best literacy education method among first language “other” students? Many language experts now agree – a multilingual approach to literacy education can highly benefit English proficiency. Students' knowledge of Spanish can be leveraged to help them learn English, better and faster.

“Children have a tremendous capacity for language. Far from being an impediment to learning English, their first language is a foundation to build on for learning additional languages.” – Marie Bahl, multilingual education technology expert, and Vice President of Marketing at Literably.

We've developed Literably Spanish to help teachers gauge students’ fluency in their native language as part of their literacy lesson planning. Using Literably Spanish and the inherent structure of romance languages, teachers can better identify a students’ capacity for Spanish and leverage that understanding as they teach them English. The Spanish frame of reference provides a strong foundation to recognize the differences between the two different language structures.

Given two-thirds of students are learning both Spanish and English, educators need support to keep their literacy curriculums moving forward. Here are some the the ways Literably Spanish supports a multilingual classroom curriculum:

• Build on Phonics: Letter sounds are very similar in Spanish and English.
• Increase Cognitive Dexterity and Problem-Solving Skills: Research shows a significant link between speaking multiple languages and improved cognitive flexibility. It is also shown to improve attention span and mental alertness.²
• Embrace Cultural Awareness and Diversity Empowerment: A connection between bilingualism and empathy has been widely noted by researchers. People often develop more of a global mindset when they have experienced feeling “different.”²
• Strengthen Self-Perception and Identity: Encourage and embrace diverse cultures in the classroom where everyone’s background is important.

Interested in learning more about Literably Spanish? Watch the conversation here or connect with a sales representative by emailing katie@literably.com

Sources: The British Academy