Provo, UT – January 19, 2016 – Imagine Learning announces its latest product update for Imagine Learning Español, a language and literacy software product for children learning to read in Spanish.
Unlike many Spanish-language software products, Imagine Learning Español v2.2 offers authentic, original content that’s not translated from English. Young students learn letters and sounds strategically, and also listen to multiple Spanish accents for a more nuanced, meaningful experience.
“At Imagine Learning, we recognize that lower reading scores may reflect larger demographic changes across the country,” says Joe Swenson, CEO of Imagine Learning. “Virtually every state is seeing an influx of students who don’t speak English as their primary language.
Swenson adds, “The data also show that the Latino population is the fastest growing demographic in our schools, totaling more than a quarter of the population in public schools alone. Many—if not most—of these kids are enrolled in bilingual and dual-language programs. Unfortunately, a high number of these children don’t have the academic skills they need to succeed in Spanish or English.
“It’s important that we provide tools to help these students succeed. With that goal in mind, our Imagine Learning Español update includes even more strategies to help these students build their confidence along with their literacy and language skills.”
In order to reach even more students across the country, Imagine Learning Español v2.2 addresses the needs of pre-K through first grade students with its enriched content, new and culturally relevant activities, and additional academic language.
In addition, students have more opportunities to build their Spanish vocabulary and reading skills. For example, the new cognates learning suite teaches students the similarities between Spanish words and their English equivalents. Likewise, students are introduced to more authentic text via learning suites on fiction and non-fiction texts. Meanwhile, the program still features culturally authentic content so that students can learn about multiple Spanish-speaking cultures and traditions.
Version 2.2 also showcases more academic content. For example, students learn new comprehension strategies in the form of the ‘Story Map’ (Mapa de cuentos) suite. Through story map activities, students can track the most important elements in any story and better comprehend what they read.
One of the most important features of Imagine Learning Español v2.2 is its emphasis on key repetition via thematic units.
Rossana Camacho, Instructional Design Manager at Imagine Learning, further explains, “In this update,Imagine Learning Español adds thematic units that continually reinforce the concepts and strategies first graders are learning. For example, the ‘El mar’ unit includes fiction and non-fiction books on ocean life, while other subject areas such as phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary repeat thematic concepts and words. As students participate in a range of activities, their language and literacy skills grow significantly.”
“Our Imagine Learning Español v2.2 update helps kids gain the confidence they need to build literacy and language skills in Spanish before they transition to English,” says Joe Swenson. “Once they gain those skills, they’re prepared to succeed, not just in school, but in life.”
