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Learn About the Caribbean Islands: Write Your Own Poem

In today’s lesson, we will introduce you to some fun poems from the Caribbean islands from Jamaican poet James Berry.

James Berry brings musical quality to his poems that celebrate what he calls “everyday” music – bird calls, tropical storms, the chatter of family and friends, and traditional songs and stories. They bring you the sounds, sights, and smells of James’ Jamaican childhood. You can listen to a poem written and read aloud by James Berry in English titled, “Childhood Tracks”. You can also hear him read aloud a poem in Creole or Patois, which is a Jamaican dialect here: Trick a Duppy.

Next, try to write your own poem in honor of Earth Day! Using “list poem” guidelines, think about the things you see and love about the Earth to create your own poem. What do you love and wish to protect about our planet?

TAGS

Animals
Art
Customs
Food
Geography
History
Music & Dance

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Ask a Bilingual Expert

Raising a bilingual child? On this page, our very own Director of Learning Design and Efficacy, Sophia Espinoza, addresses some of the most common questions, concerns, and curiosities around the benefits of bilingualism. Get the scoop below!

Sophia Espinoza is a career educator and curriculum designer with seven years of experience teaching in private and independent schools across the country. She is an expert in 21st-century education, including technologically-powered personalization, multilingual and multicultural curriculums, and social-emotional learning.

Sophia began teaching in Chicago Public Schools through Chicago Teaching Fellows, learning to support both English Language Learners and students with neurodiverse needs. Among her proudest accomplishments is launching the AltSchool Spanish Immersion Program, with the mission of creating bilingual global citizens who are socially conscious and environmentally aware. Sophia holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and M.A.Ed. from Dominican University.

Benefits of Bilingualism (FAQs):

Any advice on managing two Spanish dialects in the household? Does this cause confusion for kids?

What do you recommend if I’m not completely fluent and my child’s school doesn’t have an immersion class?

Do you recommend teaching different subjects in different languages? For example, the solar system in English and the days of the week in Spanish? Or is it better for kids to try to learn in both languages all the time?

We speak Spanish and English in our home but my child almost always answers or talks back in English. How can I go about encouraging her to respond and speak more in Spanish?

Should I set aside time or create activities for each language or is it okay to mix them both together?

Any advice for households where one parent speaks Spanish and the other English? Can this be confusing for children?

How can my child learn language through play?

What are the social and cultural benefits of bilingualism?

What are some of the cognitive benefits of bilingualism?

What are some strategies for raising bilingual children?

What are some common misconceptions about raising bilingual children?

What are some of the cognitive benefits of bilingualism?