TAMIU Music Education Professor Provides Teachers ESL Music Activities

Teachers from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Arkansas and Louisiana attended a lecture by Texas A&M International University professor of music education and guitar, Dr. Gilberto D. Soto, at the DLM Summer Institute held in Austin, Texas, in July.

Dr. Soto presented “ESL Music Activities for the Early Childhood Classroom.”

“I presented several hands-on music games, songs and movement activities for ESL / ELL pre-kinder and kindergarten students, as well as early elementary students,” explained Soto.

The DLM Summer Institute provides early childhood and elementary bilingual teachers the latest educational trends.

“Many of these teachers use my bilingual music books, so they were a bit familiar with my publications and music activities,” added Soto.

Soto wrote primary and intermediate versions of “Fiesta de Canciones,” bilingual music books currently in use by 63 percent of the public schools in Texas and more than 50 percent of schools nationwide.

Soto also participated in the opening and closing general session as one of the presenters. He has upcoming in-service training sessions in El Paso and San Antonio.

This fall, MacMillan/McGraw-Hill will release Soto’s arrangements of the bilingual music songs used for their national K-8 math series.

Soto is the author of “Music of Our World, México,” and co-author of “Multilevel Strategies for English Language Learners,” the national music series, “Spotlight on Music” and the national bilingual reading series, “Tesoros.”
He has also written several articles for “Music Express,” reviewed elementary music education textbooks, and co-authored the national reading and mathematics series for Macmillan/McGraw-Hill.

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

Soto teaches, early childhood music classes, supervises the guitar and bass studies and directs the TAMIU Guitar Ensemble.

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

Summer University office hours are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. – noon Friday. The University will revert to the regular schedule Thursday, Aug. 19.

Journalists who need additional information or help with media requests and interviews should contact the Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at prmis@tamiu.edu