Overview

 

 Welcome to Murdock’s Spanish program!  Thanks to the voluntary financial efforts of our families, Murdock was able to make Spanish available to every grade this year, making Murdock one of a very few elementary schools to be able to incorporate a foreign language into our students’ regular curriculum.  Last year, during the pilot program for K-1st grades, we employed Adrianna Curry as our Spanish instructor.  This year, we retained Sra. Curry for K-1st and were fortunate to add a second seasoned Spanish instructor, Giannina Gotuzzo to teach 2nd - 5th grades.  As luck would have it, Sra. Gotuzzo, in addition to being an exceptional Spanish teacher, is also the mother of a Murdock student.  This team of two is amazing.  Students are talking in Spanish to each other in the halls, parents are talking about how excited their children are and the energy behind this program is powerful.  If you get the chance, you are more than welcome to sit in on your child’s class and see for yourself all of the fun in learning your children are experiencing.

 

Benefits

 Research shows a number of cognitive benefits to learning a second language at an early age:

· Children who study foreign language show higher cognitive performance in overall basic skills in elementary school.

· According to the College Entrance Examination Board, they go on to score higher on SAT’s.

· Children who learn a foreign language at a young age also exhibit better problem solving skills, enhanced spatial relations, and heightened creativity.

· Learning a second language early on encourages flexible thinking and communication skills, helping children consider issues from more than one perspective.

 

 If you would like to provide your child opportunities to reinforce what they are learning in class check out the online resources we have listed for you.  We also have a list of books recommended for your child.  A few of them are available at the Murdock library; others you might find at the public library.  Click on the booklist link for details.

 

 Thank you, again, to those who have made this program possible this year.  It is only through your donations that this program exists.  We hope that you will find this a valuable enrichment to your child’s curriculum and that you will see to it that we can offer Spanish instruction next year and for many years to come.

 

 

 

Spanish Program

Curriculum / Program Guidelines / Booklist / Online Resources

Teacher Bios

MESF

 Murdock Elementary

 School Foundation, Inc.

Educate, Equip, Excel

Established 2004

How Will My Child Benefit?

 

Cognitive Skills

• Increases intellectual growth & overall school performance.
• Standardized test scores are higher.
• Enhances problem solving skills and creativity.

 

Communication Skills

• Improves and accelerates a child's understanding of their native language and in developing math skills.
• Gives a child the ability to communicate with people s/he would otherwise not have the chance to know.

 

Personal Benefits

• Improved self-concept and sense of achievement at school.
• Helps a child understand and appreciate people from other countries.