Are you looking to help your students take their writing to the next level by using Spanish transition words for opinion writing?
Opinion writing is an essential part of language arts instruction, and it becomes even more important for bilingual students who need to develop strong writing skills in two languages. When it comes to Spanish opinion writing, one of the most effective ways to improve the quality of your students’ work is by teaching them how to use transition words.
Transition words are words or phrases that connect ideas and provide coherence to a text. In opinion writing, they help to make the writer’s argument more persuasive by making the flow of ideas more logical and clear.
So what opinion transition words should you teach to your dual language students?
Your Go-To Spanish Transition Words for Opinion Writing
Primero, primero que nada: First, first of all
These transition words are used to introduce the first point or argument in an opinion piece. For example, “Primero, creo que es importante reciclar para proteger el medio ambiente” (First, I believe that it is important to recycle to protect the environment).
En segundo lugar: Second
This phrase is used to introduce the second point or argument in an opinion piece. For example, “En segundo lugar, es necesario reducir el uso de plásticos de un solo uso” (Second, it is necessary to reduce the use of single-use plastics).
Por otro lado: On the other hand
This phrase is used to introduce a contrasting point or argument. For example, “Creo que el reciclaje es importante, pero por otro lado, también es importante reducir el consumo de energía” (I believe recycling is important, but on the other hand, it is also important to reduce energy consumption).
Además: Furthermore, Moreover
These transition words are used to add supporting details or arguments. For example, “Además, el reciclaje no solo protege el medio ambiente, sino que también ayuda a conservar los recursos naturales” (Furthermore, recycling not only protects the environment but also helps conserve natural resources).
En conclusión: In conclusion
This phrase is used to signal the end of an opinion piece and summarize the main arguments. For example, “En conclusión, es importante tomar medidas para proteger el medio ambiente, incluyendo el reciclaje y la reducción del consumo de energía y plásticos de un solo uso” (In conclusion, it is important to take measures to protect the environment, including recycling and reducing energy consumption and single-use plastics).
Get your Spanish Transition Words for Opinion Writing for Free!
These are just a few examples of the many Spanish opinion writing transition words that students can use to improve the quality of their writing. You can introduce these transition words to students in the context of a lesson or writing assignment and encourage them to use them in their own writing.
If you’re looking for more, download the free Spanish opinion transition words bookmarks and posters or click the image below.
How do you teach them?
To reinforce the use of these transition words, you can provide sentence frames for students to complete using the transition words. For example, “En primer lugar, creo que ____ porque ____” (First, I believe that ____ because ____). This will help students practice using the transition words in context and develop their own arguments and opinions.
In conclusion, teaching Spanish opinion writing transition words is a valuable strategy to improve your bilingual students’ writing skills. By using these words and phrases, your students can create more persuasive and coherent argumentative texts, which will help them succeed in school and in their future careers.
