At Pasadena High School, World Language teacher Carolina Marquez-Villasenor used a PEF Teacher Grant to grow her Spanish classroom library, giving students a wider selection of books that reflect diverse experiences, cultures, and interests. The expanded collection is helping students discover the confidence that comes from finding a story they genuinely want to read.
“Many of my students don’t always feel confident in the language, but when they find a book that piques their interest, they build real confidence reading in Spanish. I want the books to offer authentic, inclusive stories where every student can see themselves represented.”
Carolina Marquez-Villasenor
Marquez-Villasenor’s classes bring together a wide range of learners, from students new to Spanish to heritage speakers reconnecting with the language of their families. With this grant, she added fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, drama, and many other genres representing diverse voices and cultures from across the Spanish-speaking world, giving every student more opportunities to find a book that speaks to them. Students read independently through Free Voluntary Reading (FVR), an instructional approach that encourages reading for enjoyment at each student’s own pace and reading level.
With the wider selection of books matching a variety of interests, students became invested not only in the stories they were reading, but also in the culture, food, music, and real-world issues connected to them. Classes also gathered for weekly “book talks” to reflect on what they had read and recommend books to one another.
As students expanded their reading horizons, they strengthened their reading comprehension, writing, listening, and speaking skills. Reading books in Spanish provided consistent exposure to authentic vocabulary, grammar structures, and cultural context, helping the language feel more approachable and meaningful. Marquez-Villasenor will continue to build the classroom library as a lasting resource that will benefit students for years to come.
You can support the work of teachers like Marquez-Villasenor by donating to our Teacher Grants.
