In this week's episode of the Get Lit Minute, your weekly poetry podcast, we spotlight the life and work of poet, Alma Flor Ada. She has devoted her life to advocacy for peace by promoting a pedagogy oriented to personal realization and social jus\xadtice. Alma Flor\u2019s numerous children\u2019s books of poetry, narrative, folklore, and non-fiction have received prestigious awards. Her professional books for educators, include: A Magical Encounter: Latino Children\u2019s Lit\xaderature in the Classroom and, co-authored with F. Isabel Campoy: Authors in the Classroom: A Transformative Education Process, Initial Spanish Literacy: Strategies for Young Learners and Est\xe1 linda la mar: Para comprender y usar la poes\xeda en la clase. Source
This episode includes a reading of her poem, \u201cBilingual\u201d\xa0 featured in our 2022-23 Get Lit Anthology.
\u201cBilingual\u201d
Because I speak Spanish \xa0
I can listen to my grandmother\u2019s stories\xa0
and say familia, madre, amor.\xa0
Because I speak English\xa0
I can learn from my teacher \xa0
and say I love school.\xa0
\xa0
Because I am bilingual\xa0
I can read libros and books,\xa0
I have amigos and friends,\xa0
I enjoy canciones and songs,\xa0
juegos and games,\xa0
and have twice as much fun.\xa0
\xa0
And someday,\xa0
because I speak two languages,\xa0
I will be able to do twice as much,\xa0
to help twice as many people\xa0
and be twice as good in what I do.
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