Spanish Alphabet & Greetings

Grade Level

3rd Grade

Duration

30 minutes

Unit

Spanish Basics: Alphabet & Greetings (Lesson 1 of 4)

---

Learning Objectives

Aligned with Common Core State Standards & WIDA ELD Standards for English Language Development (supporting dual language learners):

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.3.1
  Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 3 topics and texts.
• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.4.A
  Use sentence-level context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
• WIDA ELD Standard 1: Social and Instructional Language
  Students will engage in simple greetings and use familiar vocabulary appropriately.

I Can Statements

• I can say the letters of the Spanish alphabet.
• I can pronounce simple greetings like "Hola" and "Adiós."
• I can use greetings in short dialogues.

Success Criteria

• Student accurately recites at least 15 letters of the Spanish alphabet.
• Student participates confidently in role-play saying “Hola” and “Adiós.”
• Student repeats simple dialogues with correct pronunciation.

---

Materials Needed

• Alphabet chart with Spanish letters and phonetic pronunciation (large, colorful print)
• Flashcards with letters and greetings
• Audio clips of native speakers pronouncing the alphabet and greetings
• Role-play name tags ("Hola," "Adiós")
• Dyslexia-friendly font handout with alphabet and greetings (use sans-serif fonts like OpenDyslexic or Comic Sans)
• Mini whiteboard and marker

---

Lesson Breakdown

1. Warm-Up & Introduction (5 minutes)

• Greet student with "Hola" and model pronunciation clearly.
• Show Spanish alphabet chart and briefly introduce why this alphabet is important.
• Ask: "Have you heard these words before?" to engage prior knowledge.

Differentiation: For dyslexic learner, provide printed alphabet handout with dyslexia-friendly font. For advanced learner, ask them if they recognize any similarities or differences between Spanish and English alphabets.

---

2. Teaching Alphabet & Pronunciation (10 minutes)

• Play audio of native speaker reciting alphabet slowly.
• Teacher models pronunciation, emphasizing sounds unique to Spanish (like ñ).
• Student repeats each letter aloud with gentle correction.
• Use flashcards to visually connect letters and sounds.
• Engage student in a quick alphabet song with clapping rhythm.

Differentiation: For diverse learners, allow extra processing time and repeat alphabet in small chunks (5 letters at a time). For advanced learners, introduce simple phonetics rules like "c" sounding like "k" or "s" depending on the vowel.

---

3. Introducing Greetings & Simple Dialogue (10 minutes)

• Introduce "Hola" (Hello) and "Adiós" (Goodbye) with flashcards and pronunciation drills.
• Demonstrate a simple greeting dialogue:
  • Teacher: "Hola, ¿cómo estás?" (Hello, how are you?)
  • Student: "Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú?" (Good, thank you. And you?)
• Role-play greetings back and forth using name tags “Hola” and “Adiós.”
• Encourage student to create a small dialogue using these phrases.

Differentiation: Provide written scripts for student with dyslexia-friendly text. For advanced learner, challenge them to add “¿Cómo te llamas?” (What is your name?) and respond appropriately.

---

4. Wrap-Up & Assessment (5 minutes)

• Quick alphabet recitation challenge: Student recites letters heard during the lesson.
• Student performs at least one greeting dialogue.
• Provide positive, specific feedback to build confidence.
• Introduce next lesson topic (basic numbers and conversational questions).

---

Differentiation Strategies

• Use multisensory approaches: visual (charts), auditory (audio clips), kinesthetic (clapping, writing letters).
• Provide dyslexia-friendly printed materials and allow oral responses.
• Scaffold tasks by chunking alphabet into smaller parts.
• Allow advanced learners to explore phoneme-grapheme relationships.
• Use positive reinforcement and frequent check-ins to build confidence.

---

Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Write simple Spanish words using the letters learned (e.g., "sol," "pan").
• Practice forming questions with greetings (e.g., “¿Cómo te llamas?”).
• Create their own short greeting dialogues using new vocabulary.

---

Notes for Teachers

• Maintain a relaxed, encouraging environment to reduce anxiety with language learning.
• Model exaggerated mouth movements to help pronunciation.
• Use consistent repetition and positive reinforcement.
• Integrate culturally relevant Spanish music for future lessons to build immersion.

---

This structured approach ensures alignment with Common Core communication standards while making Spanish engaging and accessible for young learners.