If you've embarked on the exciting journey of raising a bilingual child, you know just how much (and sometimes conflicting) information there is on this topic. Nadia Granados, BA, MA, PhD, and Briana Santiago, BA, MA — who are sisters and founders of LinguaLearner, an engaging Spanish and English preschool curriculum that you can do with your child at home — describe three common myths and what parents need to know in today's eye-opening episode.  You can learn more about LinguaLearner at www.LinguaLearner.com. Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and s ..read more

Research shows that kids who grow up in homes with books have better academic success and life outcomes. In today’s episode, we speak with Rebecca Cohen, co-founder of Brooklyn Book Bodega, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase the number of 100+ book homes in Brooklyn.  She explains why it’s so important to have books kids can call their own at home, gives tips for building your own home library, and has great insight on how to get involved — whether you’re looking for free books for your own home library or want to help other families get access to books. You can learn more at ..read more

Reading comprehension is a critical building block of learning, whether your child is reading in their native language or a new language!  In today's episode of the In Plain Language podcast, Spanish teacher Erin Coleman of The Engaged Spanish Classroom gives tangible tips and activities for gauging and boosting your child's reading comprehension. You can visit her blog and shop here for more resources: www.TheEngagedSpanishClassroom.com. Support the In Plain Language podcast to continue bringing free language and speech resources to families by clicking "Support" here: https://anchor.fm ..read more

What skills do kids need to have when they enter kindergarten? Should they know how to read, or how to count? What can you do if their preschool has been closed and they've been watching Frozen on repeat for the past four months? Not to worry: Carrie Shrier, an early childhood educator at Michigan State University Extension, has straightforward tips and strategies to get your child ready this summer (no cramming required).  To keep your child learning at home, shop Malty the Blue Tiger bilingual books & audiobooks at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com or on Amazon now! These are the teacher-re ..read more

Over the past few months, many children (and adults) have moved completely online for virtual learning and work. But how is this affecting language — and is it possible it’ll have long-term effects on how we communicate with each other? In today’s episode, we talk about the linguistic impact of the past few months, and hear insight on how video chat specifically may change language from Kristen Syrett, associate professor of linguistics at Rutgers University.  To keep your child learning at home, shop Malty the Blue Tiger teacher-recommended bilingual books & audiobooks at www.MaltyTh ..read more

When your child is learning a new language, making mistakes along the way is a natural (and important!) part of the journey.  In today’s episode, you'll hear from Lauren Stengele, a non-native Spanish speaker, language teacher, and bilingual homeschooling mom, about helping kids get comfortable with learning language and making mistakes along the way. Plus, she'll touch on how to not be too hard on yourself through each season of raising bilingual children.  To help others on their bilingual journey, Lauren writes seasonal plans designed to help families speak more Spanish at home. T ..read more

Hi Malty friends — it's your host, Kelsey! Want to raise an incredible writer? As the author of Malty the Blue Tiger and a former journalist, I'm excited to share with you my favorite writing activities for kids, and how they can help inspire a love of writing in today's youngest authors. If you're helping your child learn at home right now, be sure to check out our teacher-recommended bilingual books & audiobooks! (Psst: You can take an extra 15% off your order with the code PODCAST at www.MaltyTheBlueTiger.com.) You can also find our bilingual children's books on Amazon! These are the re ..read more

Many schools across the country are closed right now due to COVID-19. If your family is in this situation, we’re here to help with tangible, useful tips for keeping your kids learning at home — and tricks for when you feel overwhelmed. We spoke to two homeschooling parents who have been doing this for a while: Julia Mederich, a mom of two (a 1-year-old and a 4-year-old) and the founder of Northwoods Children Homeschool Blog, and Syeda Sanjeda, a mom of two (a 9-year-old and a 10-year-old) and co-founder of Homeschool Panda. They have great tips for helping your kids think, grow, and learn from ..read more

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