Professional Biography

Dr. Montoya is originally from Spain and holds a Ph.D. in Educational Theory and Community Development. He also earned a Master’s in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language to broaden his skills. He started teaching Spanish at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, supported by the Government of Spain, and at Truman College. Inspired by the mission of Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Dr. Montoya joined CPS as an ESL and Spanish teacher. Today, he teaches Spanish full-time, bringing a global perspective and a genuine passion for education to his classroom every day.

Practice Spanish at Home with Your Child

You do not need to speak Spanish to help your child. These free resources will guide you step by step with games, stories, and simple activities you can enjoy together. All links open in a new tab.

How to use these resources

Choose 10–15 minutes, 3 times a week, for “Spanish Time”.
Sit next to your child, click on the activities, and encourage them to repeat words out loud.
It is OK if you do not understand everything. Your job is to press play, read the short instructions in English, and have fun with your child.

Games and videos

https://pbskids.org/games/spanish – Fun, free games in Spanish with familiar PBS characters. Great for short daily practice.
https://studycat.com/es/spanish-for-kids/ – Colorful games and activities. Start with the free content and let your child explore with you.
https://www.pbs.org/es/parents – Ideas in English for how to support your child’s learning, with links to Spanish activities and videos.
https://www.pandatree.com/FreeLearningSpanishResources – Free videos, games, and practice sheets to support kids learning Spanish.
https://rockalingua.com/ – Music-based Spanish learning with some free songs and videos that children love.

Stories and reading together

https://www.thefablecottage.com/free-stories/spanish – Free bilingual Spanish–English stories with audio. Your child listens to the Spanish while you follow the English if you want.
https://www.thespanishexperiment.com/learn-spanish – Short stories and beginner lessons with clear audio. Listen together and try repeating some words or sentences.

Extra ideas and free printables

https://www.spanish.academy/blog/7-affordable-ways-to-teach-spanish-for-stay-at-home-moms/ – Simple tips (in English) on how to add small Spanish moments at home, even if you are just starting.
https://studycat.com/products/spanish/ – More details on Studycat activities (free trial available).
https://llamitasspanish.com/free-spanish-learning-resources-kids/ – Free printable cards, songs, and activities for young children.
https://trufluencykids.com/best-free-spanish-resources-for-kids/ – A collection of websites, songs, games, and ideas to keep Spanish fun at home.

Bonus: Practice ASL too!

Some courses are learning American Sign Language (ASL) at the same time they are learning Spanish. They learn vocabulary on how to say it in Spanish and ASL. You can practice ASL with your sons at home. It will be fine!
Example: https://gallaudet.edu/asl-connect/topics/ – Free ASL videos by topic (animals, colors, family, sports, etc.) from Gallaudet University.
There are many resources on YouTube to learn Spanish and ASL together – just search “Spanish ASL for kids” or “ASL Spanish vocabulary” for short, fun videos.

Want to learn Spanish yourself?

Parents that want to learn Spanish and looking for places in the neighborhood: you have the opportunity to learn Spanish in CCC Truman College. They have Spanish courses in the evenings.
If you want to learn online, you can use for example classes online with italki.

Name: Jose Montoya
Position: Spanish Teacher