Many schools offer bilingual or dual language programs in Spanish. In order to be faithful to the philosophy of both bilingual education and First Steps in Music, some inclusion of Spanish language song material is beneficial. This session will provide both examples of and experience with songs collected by the presenter as well as ideas and a framework for making your own collection of Spanish language folk songs for use in First Steps in Music for bilingual classes.

Participants will consider the benefits of including Spanish language folk songs for use with bilingual and dual language classes.

Participants will gain exposure to and experience with categorizing folk songs by type (simple songs, fingerplays, action songs, etc.)


Participants will learn a finger wiggle, a simple song, an action song, and a circle game in Spanish.


Participants will consider various ways to collect, organize, and implement Spanish folk songs within the framework of First Steps in Music.

Carolyn Sharpe has been teaching music for 22 years at every level from prekindergarten to post graduate music education. She is currently a public school music specialist in Woodstock, Illinois where she teaches kindergarten through fifth grade regular education and dual language classes. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Bethel University in Saint Paul Minnesota as well as a master’s degree from Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. There she achieved her certification in Conversational Solfege. Her First Steps in Music certification is from Silver Lake College in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.