Celebrating National Poetry Month in Spanish Class with Diego Ojeda
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Diego is a passionate Spanish teacher and accomplished presenter. He works hard to share his ideas, perspectives, and practices with other world language teachers! Today, I wanted to highlight the resources he has available for Celebrating National Poetry Month in Spanish Class.
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Connect with Diego Ojeda for Celebrating National Poetry Month
Diego is very active both online and in person in supporting the professional development of language teachers! He has some amazing ideas and resources available to support us. Click the links below to see the resources he shares.
Comprehensible Poetry for Spanish Students
Diego has several readers designed for language learners that use comprehensible poetry to address a variety of themes. Check out his video below where he introduces us to his latest book!
More of Diego’s poetry:
Corazón sin borrador emphasizes the themes of friendship and relationships. It’s best for levels 1 and 2.
Acuerdo Natural features poems about nature and earth (perfect for April and Earth Day!). Each poem is an invitation to keep loving and taking care of our environment. He recommends it for levels 2, 3, 4 and AP.
Nostalgia migrante is about the topics of immigration and emigration. Each poem reflects the author’s experience as an immigrant. Recommended levels: 2, 3, 4, AP and Heritage
Salida 8 is a combination of prose and poetry. It tells the story of IsaÃas, an immigrant who learns how to survive in the U.S. day by day. IsaÃas loves poetry and each chapter finishes with a poetic view of his experiences. This book was written by Jennifer Degenhardt and Diego Ojeda and is recommended for levels 1 and 2.
Sample Poem
Diego was kind enough to share one of his poems with me so I could share it here with you!
I love how clear it is. Your novices could easily understand it and pick up on the vocabulary they recognize and understand meaning. It could also turn into an extension writing activity with students creating their own lines to add for other subject areas. See more of his poetry here!
Resources for Celebrating National Poetry Month in Spanish Class from Diego Ojeda
- His books & with detailed descriptions on his site
- Blog post: Celebrating National Poetry Month in Spanish and French Classes
- Blog post: A poem in three languages to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day!
(while World Down Syndrome Day is Mar 21, I wanted to take this opportunity to share more of his poetry!)
Fresh Ways to Bring Poetry into Your Spanish Class
If you’ve ever felt a little unsure about how to introduce poetry to your Spanish students, you are definitely not alone. The great news is that National Poetry Month in Spanish class is the perfect time to experiment with creative, low-pressure ways to engage your students with language. And the best part is, it does not need to be complicated.
One poem can do a lot. Try something simple and meaningful like a classroom poetry walk. Choose a short poem from Diego Ojeda’s collection, print the verses on separate pages, and tape them around your room. Let students walk through the space and read silently while jotting down words or lines that speak to them. Afterward, gather as a class to share favorite lines, explore key vocabulary, or discuss the feeling of the poem.
Even beginners can participate in this kind of activity, especially when the poem is clear and written with language learners in mind, just like Diego’s work.
Let Your Students Write and Shine
After students have explored a few poems, flip the script and encourage them to write their own. This does not have to be intimidating. Give them a simple structure to follow or offer a few sentence starters in Spanish. They can write about their pets, favorite foods, seasons, or even a made-up world.
Some teachers like to turn these into poetry mini books or hallway displays. Others record audio or video to create a class collection. However you choose to celebrate, giving students a chance to express themselves builds confidence and deepens their connection with the language.
Poetry is not just for advanced learners or literature buffs. It can be playful, heartfelt, and a beautiful part of your National Poetry Month in Spanish class celebration.
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