An Elementary Spanish Reader

by Earl Stanley Harrison

"An Elementary Spanish Reader" by Earl Stanley Harrison is a collection of adapted narratives and fables designed to facilitate the study of Spanish as a foreign language, likely written in the early 20th century. The text aims to present Spanish in an accessible way for high school and college students, featuring simplified language that encourages early reading comprehension. This reader includes various selections that focus on common themes, useful vocabulary, and basic sentence structures, enabling learners to build a foundational understanding of the language. At the start of the reader, an introductory prefatory note outlines the necessity of such a text amidst the growing interest in Spanish in educational institutions. The opening selections feature engaging stories like “El cuento del pollo,” where a chicken believes the sky has fallen and sets off to inform the king, accompanied by other animals. This humorous tale showcases the use of repetition and familiar vocabulary while highlighting essential elements of storytelling, which will assist learners in their language acquisition process.