Foreign Language, Spanish Workbooks, Flash Cards, Classroom Decorations, ESL Materials

Language learning involves reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Various educational materials are available to help foreign language learners gain practice in each of these areas. Reading and Writing: Foreign Language Dictionaries, Workbooks, and Readers Educational Insights offers English/Foreign Language Dictionaries to assist students with learning vocabulary words and translating brief passages. These and other dictionaries, such as those by Merriam Webster and Houghton Mifflin, get frequent use as supplements to other foreign language learning materials.

Learning vocabulary words is the starting point for structured language learning. Grammar, syntax, an understanding of cultural norms, and other foreign language masteries follow as students progress through a course of study. Themed bilingual board books by Teacher Created provide vocabulary learning opportunities through photos and text. Carson Dellosa offers workbooks for elementary, middle school, and high school students in Spanish or French. There are foreign language workbooks and readers available for all grade levels to develop foreign language comprehension, with vocabulary and skills that build as students progress through the levels.

Reading and writing helps students memorize vocabulary and practice forming sentences using the grammar conventions of the language they are learning. Some language courses begin by focusing on reading and writing because it allows students to work at their own pace more than engaging in verbal exchanges does. Understanding a passage in a foreign language can take longer than understanding one in a native language, just as writing a sentence in a foreign language can require more time. Especially at early stages of language learning, interpreting information and composing texts can require more time as students are translating word by word or deliberately thinking about each grammar rule they apply. Listening and speaking activities are usually included in a language learning course as well, and the focus may turn to these activities as the course progresses.

Listening and Speaking: CDs, DVDs, and Software Reading and writing helps students memorize vocabulary and practice forming sentences using the grammar conventions of the language they are learning. Listening and speaking also helps them do these things as well as to develop an ear for the foreign language. Perhaps most importantly, it can ultimately enable students to communicate directly with others in a way that can be used to authentically interact with others in the foreign language.

CDs, DVDs, and software are language learning tools that allow students to practice listening and speaking – or singing. Teacher Created Resources offers CDs with songs related to educational subjects to engage language learners, encourage repetition of words and concepts, and to address specific topics. Other musical offerings are available in DVD form Rock N’ Learn. Also great for focusing on foreign language in short but effective bursts, a series of book and CD-ROM combinations from Bilingual Books offers computer activities and study tools designed to be completed in 10-minutes per day, with its language offerings including Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and Japanese.

-- Classroom Technology: Software, Card-Reader Systems and Game Cartridges Including classroom technology as an educational tool can help students engage with the subject matter and related information. This technology can also have an added benefit of teaching students to use technology. For example, using educational CD-ROMs can inform students about subjects and offer skill practice plus students also gain computer skills such as mastering how to navigate screens, use a mouse, type on a keyboard, or operate a numerical keypad.