Hola! Greetings in the Elementary Spanish Classroom

What's the first thing you teach novices? How to say hello and goodbye. Most of my kids already know Hola and Adios but it's a great way to start and immediately inject some intercultural communication as well as get in some culturally responsive teaching. 

I start the year in English in order to make sure that students understand the rules and procedures. One of those procedures is learning my name. Otherwise I would be "Spanish Teacher" or "Spanish!" all year long. We practice how to say it in class. Hola maestra! And how to whisper it and give a "hug from afar" in the hallway. (You cross your fingers and wiggle them at the person you want to hug but can't because you need to stay in line - this also prevents me from being mobbed by kinders in the hall.)

We also practice saying hola to my stuffed dog and cat. At the end of class we say Adios maestra. Adios perro. Adios gato. As the weeks go by I add more and more animals that we greet. It's really helped them learn their names and made it way easier later during our Animals Around Me unit later on. 

Then we talk about how we greet people we know. I use an anchor chart that is laminated (so it can be wiped off and used again for the next class) and I write down their answers.

It's interesting to see what answers I get in kindergarten. Sometimes I have to really lead the conversation because otherwise I´ll ask how do we greet our families and they'll answer "If my mom tells me to do something I should do it" or something even more random. But once I give some examples they are pretty good about coming up with some on their own.

After we talk about how we greet people then we watch this video about how people greet each other around the world. The kids love this video!

In the following classes, I like to watch it a second time and pause and we practice greeting each other in the different ways. We also go over the anchor chart again and practice those greetings with each other too. 

Be sure that the kids ask their partners if it is ok first. It is definitely alright if a kiddo doesn't want to try a greeting.

Next, we talk about how in Spanish-speaking countries they greet each other with an air kiss. I show them this video (which also has a lot of repetitions of Me llamo too!) Be prepared for ewws and gross! but we talk about how it's not gross it's just different. 

Then I pass out stuffed animals and they practice say hola and doing air kisses with the animals first with their partner and then again as we play Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up. The stuffed animals are important because at the same time I am teaching them all of these different greetings they are learning that they need to keep their hands and feet to themselves at school. I do get kissed on the cheek by at least a few students as they leave class though!

I also like this video with it's many repetitions of the greetings. It also includes a few different ones which are good for my heritage speakers to hear.

And finally I this year I will introduce this greeting choice board from Fun for Spanish Teachers. Students will get to choose a greeting as we sing coming in the room.

How do you teach greetings? Share in the comments below!

Elementary Spanish Classroom - Updated!

Every year I make tweaks to my room. See past posts here and here.  This year I kept the same set-up but I spent a lot of time making new flashcards and posters because...and I am not kidding...I was still using flashcards that I had made to use to teach English in Japan ten years ago.

I have maps all over my room including this one from the Parent Teacher Store. The number posters are available HERE. I glued them onto astrobrights and then laminated them. You can also see my fast finisher menu on the right and the stop sign that has student check to make sure their name is on their paper and they have followed all the directions before they put it in the turn in basket.

I've added lamps all over the room from Goodwill so I can turn off half the fluorescent lights. I get less headaches that way and it feels more home-y.

Looking into my room. I have a trapezoid for a room and two doors. Also where that blank space on the wall is where my new smart TV will go but it didn't arrive in time for the start of the school year. The students mostly sit on the carpet at the front of the room and we work at the tables. I have some huge classes this year so I have an overflow carpet and one group that sits at a table. My table toppers are famous Hispanics like Ellen Ochoa, Frida Kahlo, and Sonia Sotomayor.

This map is by the door to the special area hallway so students can check it out as they are waiting to leave the room. It's a huge hit. The pictures on the side are from Fun for Spanish Teachers and they are gorgeous! I don't display all of them as once because it's a little too overwhelming visually so instead I hang them on binder rings and flip to a new country each month and add country facts below.

Right next to the map above are my greetings students can choose as they enter the room. I started these last year but didn't do it with fidelity. I vow to do better this year because the kids love it. They are also from Fun for Spanish Teachers.

On the other side of the door are my self-assessments. Students tap one depending on how they feel at the end of the lesson. I used to do high five hands but that go out of control. Then I made these and it got better but I still had to add the orange dot to emphasize that they should use one finger to tap it rather than their whole hand and slap it. 

Also near the door where students line up is my student work board. It used to be in the back of the room but I realized that the kids never really saw it so now it's in a prime location. The banner says Obras de arte (and yes that is my bitmoji!)

My green screen and flexible seating area! The last two years we have been 1:1 in some grade levels and I have been getting more and more comfortable with it. I'm hoping that kiddos will get to do even more this year on their devices!

The whiteboard on the other side and near my desk area. I keep our supply cards and instruction cards here so I can easily grab them to explain an activity and stay in the TL. You can get your set HERE. 

This is a close up of my whiteboard easel. I used to write and rewrite and rewrite our schedule for each class here and we mark it off as we go. Since I am committed to greeting the kids as they enter I didn't want to waste time writing so I made these activity cards and then put magnets on the back. So far they have been working great! Get your own set HERE!

I posted earlier this year about my calendar board. This year I updated it with seasons posters and clothing labels from my Weather Bear Activity Set. I also added a Persona Especial and will feature a famous Hispanic each month (also from Fun for Spanish Teachers.)

More art just because. I love this mola from Panama that I bought on Ebay and then had framed. The papel picado is from Hobby Lobby.


So that's my room this year! I'm still anxiously awaiting the installation of my new TV but it's my home away from home. What are your favorite spots in your room? Share in the comments below!