TAMIU Professor Part of Team Creating New Book

Macmillan/McGraw-Hill Publishing Company has released a new elementary bilingual school reading series “Tesoros de lectura.” The series was a development of a collaborated team of Bilingual/ELD and education experts across the country including Dr. Gilberto D. Soto, Texas A&M International University professor of Music Education.

“Tesoros de lectura” is a comprehensive K-6 Spanish reading program with a standards-based curriculum that supports all areas of bilingual reading instruction. The series includes research-based strategies that promote reading/language arts instruction, oral language development, vocabulary, and comprehension in Spanish, as well as lessons that focus on intervention and transition from Spanish to English. The series includes flexible grouping options for teachers to mange their classroom settings.

Dr. Soto, a music education bilingual author and researcher, contributed to the series by linking hands-on music activities through the reading program using extension songs, instruments, listening, movement and rhythm.

“The main idea is that these activities will provide additional teaching and learning tools to enhance instructional effectiveness for the lessons and objectives,” said Dr. Soto.

“Tesoros de lectura” series was completed in 2008 and is available this year.

“The State of California has officially adopted this new series for all elementary schools across the state,” commented Soto, “Many other school districts around the country are in the process of adopting it.”

Soto is TAMIU professor of Music Education/Guitar and teaches early childhood bilingual music education courses, supervises the Guitar and Bass studios and is director of the TAMIU Guitar Ensemble.

He is also author of the bilingual music education books “Fiesta de Canciones,” “Music of Our World, Mexico,” and co-author of the ELL book, “Multi-level Strategies for English Language Learners,” and of the national music series “Spotlight on Music.”

Soto holds a B.A. in Education from the Universidad Autónoma del Noreste, B.A. in Music from Abilene Christian University, and a M.M. and Ph.D. in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi.

For more information, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 326.2180, e-mail prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.

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