Fifth-Graders Learn World Languages From HS Seniors

senior Salma Abed El Magid had the full attention of the fifth grade class at as she led them through an entire song, all in Italian. Across the hall, another set of fifth graders repeated all the days of the week, numbers and more, all in Italian, as seniors Veronica Terrana and Erik Kloepping led the lesson.

These high school seniors, all fourth level students of Italian, have been teaching the fifth grade students each Wednesday for the past three weeks.  The lessons will continue for one more week and then the fifth graders will spend another four weeks learning Spanish from another set of high school seniors. The same lessons are being taught at as well. Currently Lincoln School fifth graders are learning Spanish and will begin Italian next.

Steve Forte, high school principal, said the idea behind the program is to give the younger students a chance to learn a language, something that isn’t offered at the elementary level while also giving the high school seniors an opportunity to explore their interest in teaching.

Antoinette Washburn, high school Italian teacher, says the fifth grade students really absorb the language easily. Their minds are like a sponge at this age, she said.

Washburn said the fifth grade students have picked up so much of the language in such a short time.  They have learned the Italian words for numbers, days of the week and other phrases. They sing along well in Italian and the students chose songs the children could relate to make the class enjoyable and fun.