BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Twenty-nine local children ages 5-12 are spending this week learning about the Spanish/Hispanic culture and receiving Spanish language instruction through games, music, arts and crafts and other fun activities. The children are all participants in the UAB Spanish Summer Camp, which is sponsored by the UAB Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures.

As the Spanish-speaking population continues to rise in the United States, it’s important for children to learn Spanish not only to communicate with the Spanish-speaking population, but also to prepare themselves for the competitive job market, camp organizers said.
Camp instructors include UAB professors and students from the UAB Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, said UAB Assistant Professor Krista Chambless, Ph.D., the UAB Spanish Camp director. The instructors lead all of the classes and activities in Spanish and in English so that the children can become immersed in the language. Campers are taught Spanish words and phrases, and the instructors present popular children’s books that have been translated into Spanish.

The children also participate in workshops where they learn about the culture in various Spanish-speaking countries such as Spain and Mexico. So far this week the children have sampled authentic Spanish food, learned about the tradition of bull fighting, tried their hand at painting like Picasso and received instruction about the ancient Mayan civilization. At the end of camp, a Parents’ Day presentation will be held in which the children will demonstrate what they have learned at camp.

UAB Spanish Camp is held in the UAB Hulsey Center for the Arts and Humanities, Room 312, 950 13th St. S. For more details, contact the UAB Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at 205-934-4652