The population of the United States grows more diverse every year as people from all over the world choose to make a new home in this country. It naturally follows that, as the country becomes more diverse, that our classrooms have become more diverse as well. Today’s students have the opportunity to learn in an environment rich with culture, to experience diversity firsthand, and to develop as culturally competent, open-minded individuals.

But the diversity we see in our classrooms presents challenges as well. Perhaps the most significant obstacle for teachers and students is the language barrier that can exist in a culturally diverse classroom. Over the last decade, the number of English-language learners in US elementary classrooms has increased by around ten percent. Educators, most of whom are native English speakers, may have five or more different native languages spoken by students in their classrooms in a given year. After English, the most Spanish prevalent language in US classrooms is Spanish. Spanish is the native language of about thirteen percent (41 million people) of the population of the United States.

Another 12 million residents are bilingual. More than fifteen percent of the population (and US classrooms) are more comfortable speaking Spanish than
English, and that number is only projected to rise. By 2050, it is estimated that there will be over 130 million native Spanish speakers living and learning in the United States.

Numerous studies have shown that children experience the greatest gains in literacy and cognitive development when they have access to resources in their native languages. Children who speak Spanish as their native language must have access to Spanish leveled readers to support their learning and strengthen their skills in both English and Spanish. While reading at home is important for
student success, children also need to be able to read in their native languages at school. It is crucial, especially in the elementary years, for a Spanish-speaking student to have access to Spanish texts in the classroom.

At Kaeden Publishing, we are thrilled to support diverse classrooms with a wide variety of Spanish leveled readers. We have developed a unique translation process that is sensitive to the many dialects that exist in the Spanish-speaking world. Through this process, we have translated hundreds of beloved Kaeden books into Spanish leveled readers that are accessible to native speakers
from dozens of Spanish-speaking countries. Best of all, teachers and students can use our paired collections (English and Spanish copies of the same titles) to learn together and build literacy skills in two languages.

Our English and Spanish leveled readers are availableas ebooks at ebooks. kaeden.com and in print at www.kaeden.com. Both formats offer a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction leveled for readers in Pre-K through grade three.  Choose single titles to create your own collections, or browse convenient prebuilt collections based on the interests of your young readers. Start building your dual-language library with Kaeden leveled readers today!