Dear Parents and Guardians,

¡Hola! Mi nombre es Colette Smith. The students know me as “Señora Smith” and I am proud to be teaching FLES in grades 1-4 at Hillside elementary school! I have been teaching Spanish for over 13 years and truly enjoy helping others learn such a beautiful, useful language while also teaching about the interesting culture of the countries where Spanish is spoken. 

Each time I meet with your child’s class (twice in a 6 day cycle) I work with them on learning the Spanish language and gaining a knowledge and appreciation of the Spanish/Hispanic culture. We sing, dance, act, play games and have lots of fun! The students are very receptive to the program and are acquiring the language quickly through a variety of means. 

FLES lessons are tailored to meet the needs of all learners and incorporate a variety of visual, auditory, peer and kinesthetic activities. The students practice the language verbally and work on their listening comprehension skills each day. Soon they will begin to concentrate on reading and writing as they progress through the program into the upper grades. 

Please question your child about the vocabulary, songs, etc. that he/she is learning as often as possible. In addition, please check the class webpage on the school website for practice information and to stay informed about what we are doing in class. Feel free to contact me at smithtc@hohschools.org if you have any questions, suggestions or concerns as I would be happy to hear from you! 

Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to a fun, successful year working with your child as we explore the Spanish language together!