CLASSES NOW FORMING FOR FALL 2009!  SEE BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION.

pío pío introduces young children to Spanish is a way that is welcoming and fun.  Children are not "called on" or forced to speak, yet soon find themselves doing just that as they sing, chant, repeat, "correct" the teacher, and play games in the language.   We also know that different children learn in different ways, and engage them in a wide array of activities that involve the mind, the body, the eyes, the ears and the hands.

Knowing that practice makes perfect, we also provide teachers and parents with online resources including recordings of the songs and chants we are doing in class, as well as lyrics, translations, and recommended links and resources.  This way parents and educators can sing, dance and play in Spanish along with the children between lessons!

At the beginning of the program, children will be introduced to a new puppet friend, Juanito (Johnny), from Mexico.  Throughout the year, Johnny and his sister, parents, and grandmother will share their lives with the children.  Each unit will focus on a different part of Juanito's life: His family, pets, the farm where he lives, the community he lives in, his daily life, and his travels in the Spanish-speaking world where children accompany him to the city, the rainforest, and the ocean.  Every class will be full of play, music, movement, and games.  Vocabulary, phrases, and structures the children will use include:  greetings, body parts and associated actions, expressing feelings and emotions, common actions and activities, common household vocabulary and activities, colors, shapes, numbers, a variety of animals and foods, and common expressions.  Culture:  children will experience authentic music and games from the Spanish-speaking world, and learn about traditional celebrations in different Spanish-speaking countries that are both similar to and different from our own.  Over the course of the year, there will be a few special events in which students engage in an authentic craft or cooking activity to celebrate a holiday or season.

Children crave routine, ritual and predictable events because it gives them confidence and a feeling of mastery of the world around them.  They also love novelty, tricks and humor!  Every lesson blends familiar with new, and generally follows this sequence:

1) Greetings and hellos
2) The "Hello" song or a previously learned song to begin the class
3) An introduction to a new animal, object, game, or activity
4) Dance and music:  Depending on the class, either a structured activity or a 2-3 minute "break" where children listen to culturally authentic music and are allowed to play freely with musical instruments, puppets, or animals
5) A conversation with a puppet or animal and/or a puppet show
6) A short board book or story (sometimes a familiar book most kids know, sometimes a children's story from the Spanish-speaking world)
7) A "goodbye" song and words or farewell