Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions of
students and parents.
- How do I contact you?
- What things are allowed at school?
- Who participates in the Spanish program?
- How often does the Spanish class meet?
- Is there a DVD or CD ROM that you would recommend?
- What else can I do to help my child learn Spanish? (I'm not bilingual.)
- My child comes home singing in Spanish. Where can I buy these songs?
How do I contact you?
Email is the preferred way to contact me.
jenright@msd38.org
PLEASE no forwarded jokes, stories, videos, etc. Our district mailboxes have
limited storage, and a 4 megabyte video will displace important messages.
Pictures should be small (400Kbytes or less.)
You can call me at 602-664-7800 x7805 but NOT DURING CLASS HOURS.
I check messages every morning around 7:15 and every evening around 5:00.
The school address is:
7150 N. 22nd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85020
What things are allowed at school?
See the Madison Heights student handbook for complete information.
Just got back from Mexico and want to share that wonderful souvenir? Sorry.
There is no show-and-tell in my class, no matter how much your child begs.
It goes without saying that toys, candy and money are distractions in a
school. Leave them at home.
Who participates in the Spanish program?
All students who meet math and reading benchmarks participate in the Spanish
classes. Those students who are behind in math or reading use that time to
catch up in basic skills. The Heights homeroom teachers are committed to
making sure each student learns, and they plan lessons to meet the specific
needs of students who are behind. Parent feedback from these intervention
students is terrific! Parents are very glad to see their children getting
specific support in math or reading. After the students are back on grade
level, they are welcomed back into the Spanish program.
Students who are not attending Spanish class can look on my teacherweb site
for vocabulary lists. Also look in the "links" section for games and
activities that will help you practice the vocabulary.
How often does the Spanish class meet?
Madison Heights has a 6-day "week." Students attend Spanish class 3 times
each 6-day rotation. In other words, approximately every other day. Each
class is 40 mins.
Preschool...as of August 2011, preschool students are back on the regular schedule,
with classes held in the Spanish room during regular school hours!
(Last year, we improvised after hours.)
Is there a DVD or CD ROM that you would recommend?
Languages are best learned by interacting with other people in
meaningful settings.
The Heights Spanish program is a terrific opportunity to learn another
language in an engaging setting (school!)
Workbooks and CD software are good for practicing and retaining grammar and
vocabulary after they are learned correctly.
Interested in supplementing your Spanish with online Rosetta Stone software?
Please contact your homeroom teacher or Mr. Enright. I'll need your child's
full name and the homeroom teacher's name.
Heights has Rosetta
Stone accounts available for students beginning in kindergarten.
You'll need a computer with internet access and a
headset with microphone. (Some computers have built-in microphones
that will work well in a quiet room.)
What else can I do to help my child learn Spanish? (I'm not bilingual.)
Mainly, you should show your child that you value being bilingual. When the
relatives come over, make sure to tell them (within earshot of your young one)
that you are so proud he/she can speak Spanish. Ask your child to tell you
what he/she has been learning, and show interest. Your child will be excited
to teach you something new.
Do a google search for online Spanish games and activities. Key words:
Spanish, online, practice, vocabulary, games,...
Can't afford that spring break trip to Mexico? We are so lucky to live in
Arizona! (No passport required.)
-Go to Ranch Market (N.E. corner 16th St. and Roosevelt.) Eat inside the
grocery store(for cheap, picnic-style lunch) or the sit-down
restaurant/marketplace (west side.) See how many new words you can learn.
-Go through your kitchen cupboard with your child and pull out all the
packages that have Spanish/English translations. See which words you
recognize. Look up other ones at wordreference.com .
-Go to a Mexican swap meet. Practice haggling a price in Spanish.
Besides buying and selling goods (car parts, boots, pinatas, cowboy hats,
fruit...,) they have hot food, live music, and haircuts.
El Gran Mercado
1820 S. 35th Ave.
Sat. and Sun. from 7 a.m.
(small charge for parking)
My child comes home singing in Spanish. Where can I buy these songs?
Jose Luis Orozco is a popular singer for children learning Spanish. He has
published several
albums. They are widely available in shops and on the internet. Topics
include days of the week,
numbers, seasons, vowels, holidays, etc.