The Freire-UDL Spanish Literacy Program

Freire-UDL Spanish Literacy Program - Un Programa de Alfabetización para SIFE

DID YOU KNOW that Spanish-speaking SIFE can learn to read In Spanish in 40 hours or less? DID YOU KNOW that reading in the native language first is the best way for these students to access and have success with English literacy?

What Is the Freire-UDL Alfabetización Method?

The Freire-UDL Literacy is a research-based method to teach reading and writing that combines Freire’s method with the UDL Framework. This was the outcome of the author’s doctoral dissertation research.

Why is it Important to Teach Literacy in Spanish

Literacy is Language-Based: Spanish-speaking SIFE learn to read BEST through Spanish, their native language of communication. Spanish-speaking SIFE do not learn to read through a language they do not yet understand. Learning to Read Only Happens Once: Spanish-speaking SIFE transfer their acquired reading skills in Spanish (L1) to English (L2). Reading in the native language first is the best way for these students to access and have success with English literacy.

Program Mission

To eradicate literacy among school-age, nonliterate, Spanish-speaking students.

Sixteen detailed lesson plans that cover the sixteen “Generative Words”—the heart and soul of the method.

These Generative Words come from the students’ vocabulary universe—thus being emotionally and culturally relevant to them.

These Generative Words encompass all of the phonemes of the Spanish language.

Integrates Paulo Freire’s method of Alfabetización and Concientización with the UDL Framework

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The Benefits of the Freire-UDL Spanish Literacy Program

It provides an alternative method of enabling Spanish-speaking SIFE/SLIFE to learn to read in their native Spanish language in a short amount of time.

It provides teachers with both an effective method and adequate resources to teach their Spanish SIFE how to read in forty hours.

It teaches students to learn to associate a language sound with its representation through letters and syllables in pre-selected words—Generative Words—that are emotionally and culturally relevant to them.

It goes beyond the traditional mechanical way of teaching students the skills of beginning reading and writing (literacy), empowering them to think for themselves at different levels through the use of Bloom’s Taxonomy and the Habits of Mind.

Testimonials

“I have only done about 10 hours of instruction so far so I am still in the beginning part of the program but I am liking it so far and the kids seem to be really enjoying it as well. The 4th graders are doing really well with it and are making rapid progress. I also feel like all of the kids are benefiting from the conversation part of the curriculum and are getting a confidence boost just from having the opportunity to use their native language in a school setting.”

Kelli Silva, Minnesota

“I have taught students between the ages of 8 and 17 how to read using this program. It worked for them because it uses words and ideas that are totally familiar and comprehensible without being too childish. Prior to finding this curriculum, I had to use preschool age workbooks, which are a hard sell to middle or high schoolers. The ability to read in Spanish has been life changing for all of these newcomer students, some of whom had never attended school and others who had missed crucial literacy instruction due to pandemic closures. In almost all the cases, the confidence of having literacy in their L1 (Spanish) quickly translated to increased confidence and ability in their L2 (English). I highly recommend it!