Enseñar (To show/To teach)

Toys and Games: Students/Adults can play a game of charades with a bowl of paper slips with different actions, animals, emotions, etc. on it and they can pick a slip at random. Based on what their paper slip says, one player can instruct the other e.g. “Enseñame comer!” (Show me eating!). “Enseñame como se ve triste!” (Show me what sad looks like!) and the other player can act it out.

Examples of Verbs and Emotions in Spanish:

• Example 1
• Example 2

Here are some suggested books on YouTube that can assist in teaching the core word:

• Nuestra Clase Es Una Familia By Shannon Olsen
  • This book in Spanish is about the way teachers build a community in their classrooms that is like a family, where students can feel safe and included. It talks about the classroom being a place where it's safe to be yourself, it's okay to make mistakes, and it's important to be a friend to others.

• Alma y como obtuvo su nombre By Juana Martinez
  • This is a book in Spanish about a girl named Alma who doesn’t understand why her name is so long. The story follows her father teaching her about each of her names and last names, the history of her family, and why it is important for her to remember her roots and be proud of them.

Social Interaction

Students can use the core word when helping a peer with something or when asking if they can help someone e.g. “¿Te puedo enseñar como abrir la pluma?” (Can I show you how to open the pen?). Adults can also model the core word in this way when asking a student if they can help them.

Students can use the core word when requesting help learning how to do something they have seen someone else do or if they want to learn a new skill e.g. “¿Me enseñas como hacer eso?” (Can you teach me how to do that?). When its time to switch roles students can say “Es mi turno de enseñar” (It’s my turn to teach).

Video Modeling

Verb of the day: ENSEÑAR

Adults can lead a game of ‘Simon Says’ in Spanish, modified to include the core word. For example, saying “Simon says, show me ____” (Simon dice, enseñame ___) or “Simon dice, enseñame girar” (Simon says, show me spin).

• This resource is in English but includes instructions and ideas for this activity modified for students with different abilities
• This free resource in Spanish contains a slideshow with visuals for different Simon Says actions that students can do

Kinetic Sand activity: Students can search through different kinetic sand sensory bins with different small objects such as blocks, animals, letters, etc. A peer or adult can ask the student to show them a certain item or color, e.g. “Enseñame un animal rojo” (Show me a red animal). Students can also ask peers which item they should show next e.g. “Cual objeto enseño ahora?” (Which item should I show now?)

Enseña y Cuenta (Show and Tell): Students can bring in an item of their choice from home or school that they would like to share with the class. Each student can share about their item, describing what it is and why they like it on their own communication system e.g. “Hoy voy a enseñar y contar sobre my peluche favorito” (Today I am going to show and tell about my favorite stuffed animal) or Adults can model e.g. “Ahora vamos a hacer enseña y cuenta! Quien quiere ir primero?” (Now we are going to do show and tell! Who would like to go first?).

Culture Sharing: Adults can create an activity around the book “Todo el mundo cabe aquí” by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanna Kaufman. This book is about everyone being welcomed at school with open arms and their different backgrounds, abilities, and traditions are celebrated. After reading this book, students can prepare a small presentation or excerpt to teach other students about their own culture and family e.g “Voy a enseñar sobre la cultura Mexicana” (I am going to teach about Mexican culture).

• Plaza Sésamo: El Musical del Maestro de Karate
  • This is animated short in Spanish from Sesame Street about Elmo teaching his friends karate through a musical.

• Colors in Spanish | Language Learners
  • This is an educational video in Spanish and English that teaches about colors. Adults can model the core word by talking about how the women is going to teach about each color e.g. “La maestra va a enseñar el color rojo, verde, etc.”

Show Me Cards: Adults and Students can work together to create cards with different ideas of art projects to create or things to draw. For example, a card could say “Enseñame una flor rosa” (Show me a pink flower). Then, during art time or free time, students can select a card and let it guide their activity. 

Science Presentation: Students can put together a quick presentation or lesson on a science topic of their interest and teach the class about it, for example, about animals, seasons of the year, planets, etc. Students can use the core word to tell others they will be the one teaching that day e.g. “Hoy yo voy a enseñar” (Today I am going to teach), or “Voy a enseñar sobre el leon” (I am going to teach about lions).

FlipHTML5 – Online Book Creator: This is an online book creator that can be changed in the language section to include Spanish. Adults can create a story about being a teacher and a teacher’s daily life. 

My Storybook – Online Book creator: This is an online book creator in English, you are able to add any text you want 
to include Spanish and create a story using the core word. Adults can create a story about teaching a certain skill like washing your hands.

Book Creator: This website is an online book creator where the user is able to create a story. It is available in Spanish. Adults can create a story about show and tell.

WORD WALL:  Create a WordWall and add ‘Enseñar’ to the list.

READING and the Word Wall: Sound out the letters together. Have the students find the word on the AAC system.

WRITING and the Word Wall: Using a pencil or alternative pencil, have students try to type the word on the keyboard or write the word together.