Spanish Books

As the world becomes more interconnected, educators increasingly teach native Spanish-speaking students and students learning second languages. Offering Spanish-language and bilingual resources will help you meet the literacy goals of native Spanish speakers and instruct English and Spanish language learners. 

Build a strong literacy foundation for Spanish speakers.
Students who read in their native language are likelier to build strong literacy skills, such as grammar, vocabulary, and fluency. Providing Spanish-speaking students with Spanish-language books makes it easier to engage with a story and understand its themes, construction, and nuances of style and grammar. Popular types of Spanish-language books include:

• Decodable Books: Spanish-language decodable texts help beginning readers develop grapheme-phoneme correspondence, allowing them to correctly verbalize letters and words and read more confidently.
• Hi-Lo Books: Hi-Lo books pair high-interest topics with low-reading-level text, engaging striving readers in subjects they’re interested in while boosting their reading comprehension and confidence.
• Graphic Novels: Graphic novels are highly popular with students, drawing in even reluctant readers with stories that reflect their experiences.

Support bilingual education.
Studies have shown that learning multiple languages helps students become better learners overall, improving critical thinking skills, creativity, mental flexibility, and cultural awareness. Use these resources to support your students’ bilingual education: 

• Bilingual Books: English-Spanish books pair each page with its translation, enabling students to learn a new language as they read favorite stories. 

Encourage family engagement.
Educational researchers have consistently found what most educators know through experience: Parental involvement significantly influences students’ academic success. When native Spanish-speaking students learn in English, it can create a barrier for their parents to be involved in their education. Offering Spanish-language books to native Spanish speakers helps break that barrier, enabling parents who primarily speak Spanish to become more active in their children’s studies.