Volunteer readers Kristin Nealon and Beth Anderson pose with English teacher Valeria Gonzalez, center, and a class of first graders at School No.31 in Montevideo.
As part of a number of activities carried out by the U.S.
Embassy Montevideo to celebrate International Education Week,
the Embassy's Public Affairs Section launched on November
16, a Storybook Reading initiative for local public elementary
schools that participate in the National English Immersion
Program.
The initiative was an immediate success
as students and teachers welcomed the volunteers who offered
readings in English to classrooms of eagerly attentive 6
to 9 year olds. Hearing the English words they learn in
class pronounced by a native speaker motivated the students
to sing songs and recite children's stories in English,
proving that they are in fact getting excellent instruction by their
teachers.
The second storybook reading session took
place November 21 at the elementary school No.31 in Montevideo.
Two volunteers from the U.S. Embassy, Kristin Nealon and
Beth Anderson, read to two classes of first graders taught
by English teacher Valeria Gonzalez. The U.S. Embassy donated
books and school supplies.
The U.S. Embassy Montevideo is planning further readings for other English immersion schools throughout Uruguay.
First graders at Public School No.31 in Montevideo listen to a storybook reading by Beth Anderson, November 21, 2005. Also pictured in the photo on the left, are Kristin Nealon sitting at the desk, school principal Alfredo Yarzabal, right, and English teacher Valeria Gonzalez, left, sitting on the floor with the students.
Kristin Nealon asks "how do dinosaurs say good night?" as she reads from a storybook to first graders at Public School No.31 in Montevideo. The storybook reading program was an immediate success as students and teachers welcomed the initiative.
A group of schoolchildren coached by their English teacher Valeria Gonzalez perform "Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?" during a storybook reading at School No.31 in Montevideo.
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>Click to enlarge photo