When a man learns that his wife or partner is expecting, his life changes completely. Recently a student of mine, a 30-year old woman, announced, in shock, in class, that she was pregnant. What she said, and how she said it, almost in agony, brought me back to my early manhood and prompted me to […]
Thanks to some hints you have detected, your child does not seem to be too fond of Spanish. The inkling you have on this is based on reality: your child tends to use English more than Spanish. He does not say so in so many words, but you gather that Spanish is not his cup […]
Is your child embarrassed by your Spanish, Cuban, Mexican or Puerto Rican accent? Young people do not want to be different. Youngsters wish to belong, especially to the country and to the culture they were born into or have adopted. They are true conformists and their parents and grandparents who do not have fluency and […]
Every year, Christmas starts earlier and earlier. Come the 20th of November and stores, malls and shopping centers all begin decking windows and streets with lights, Merry Christmas signs, and music. Traditional carols or villancicos, are heard everywhere, reminding us that the season to be jolly is not just around the corner, it’s almost on […]
For all the advantages they have, bilingual kids—or their parents, perhaps—must contend with a lot of myths about their ability to speak two or more languages. Those of you who have read some of my writings—and I thank you—know that I am sold on language-learning and bilingualism, and that I never tire of expounding their […]
Singalongs are a great way for kids to learn Spanish. Strolling about town, watching traffic jams, skirting bicycles and skateboarders on sidewalks, I often catch myself humming. Waiting for a traffic light to change, fellow pedestrians raise their eyes from their cell phone screens and stare at me as if I were a weirdo. But […]
If you happen to speak so-called “American English” and travel to the land of the English, England, you will soon discover that the language is the same but that some words are different or have a different meaning that might cause embarrassment. In professional jargon this is tagged as polysemy: having multiple meanings.
Spanish and English are spoken in so many different countries and have so many varieties, that often the questions arise: which variety is the best? Which type of English or Spanish should I teach my child? The point is very tenable because most people are confused, and rightly so, when they are confronted with a […]
We were spending the summer at a gated community, outside the city, and my son Oscar was about four years old. Children had the run of the place and were having a blast. He had made many friends his age, and spent all day cycling, swimming, and playing soccer. One day I was strolling along […]