Dear Parent/Guardian,

I am very much looking forward to working with your son/daughter this year. Please take some time to check out my website frequently during the year to see what your child is learning. There are many ways you can help your child with learning a foreign language....here are a few!

1) Ask your child to share what they are learning in Spanish class.

2) If you know the language, practice with your child regularly.

3) Every day I will be teaching your child a "cool" word in Spanish...ask him/her what was the "cool" word of the day.

4)Visit my website frequently, or better yet, have your child give you a "guided tour," showing you the major "attractions!" Encourage your child to use this resource regularly.

5) Ask your child to point out the Spanish signs at virually all of our local large stores...Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, Kohl's, Best Buy, Panera, etc.

6) Encourage your child to make flashcards to learn new vocabulary, or better yet, use the online vocabulary flashcards available on my website (under "Enlaces/Links).

7) Ask your child what the Spanish "Joke of the Day" was...every joke incorporates a new Spanish vocabulary word. (Click on my "Spanish Joke of the Day" for some samples!)

8) Encourage your child to watch his favorite DVD, setting either the audio or subtitles to Spanish!

9) If you or your your have a question, just email me by clicking on the EMAIL icon on my homepage.

10) If your child needs to know how to say something in Spanish, tell them to just ask him/her to "look it up" using the free Spanish dictonary on my website.

I hope this website is helpful to you and your child. let me know your thoughts! You can email me at tsferes@biddschools.org or click on the EMAIL ("mailbox") icon on my homepage.

I hope to make this a fun and productive year in Spanish for your child!

Tom Sferes, B.A., M.A. (Spanish; University of Connecticut)), Ed.M. (Teaching Methodology; Teachers College, Columbia University)), Ed.D. (Educational Leadership; Vanderbilt University)