About Mrs. Ines Kosteski

¡Hola, bienvenidos! I am Señora Inés Kosteski. I am a native of Argentina, holding a Bachelor of General Studies from Texas A&M University and a Master of Arts in Spanish literature, culture, linguistics, and language teaching methodology from the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB). I am certified to teach EC-6 Generalist; Bilingual Target Language Spanish; and Reading, Early Childhood–Grade 6. In addition, I successfully completed the Texas Reading Academies (K-5),by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

As a dedicated elementary Spanish educator concentrated in evidence-based language acquisition, I blend the Science of Teaching Reading with communicative foreign language methodologies. This allows me to design explicit, foundational literacy and oral language experiences that fast-track how young minds process, decode, and retain a second language. In the classroom, I point out the natural bridges between English and Spanish, making the foreign language feel less "foreign" and helping students utilize their existing language skills to acquire Spanish faster.

Furthermore, language acquisition cannot be separated from culture. That is why I intentionally connect foundational literacy skills with cultural exploration to meet the needs of our diverse student population, inspiring students to find their intrinsic motivation. For students who are native English speakers (L1), discovering Spanish traditions breaks down stereotypes early and expands their worldview. It teaches young minds to look at cultural differences not as "strange," but as fascinating concepts to be discovered, building deep empathy and critical thinking as they compare their own traditions to those from Spanish-speaking countries.

Simultaneously, this cultural focus creates a deeply validating space for students from multilingual households—whether they speak another language at home or have grandparents who pass down a heritage language. They quickly realize that their unique linguistic background is an academic superpower, giving them the confidence to share their heritage and proudly see themselves as natural, lifelong language learners. In this way, combining cognitive language bridges with rich cultural exploration turns the classroom into an adventure, fostering a lifelong curiosity and a genuine love for learning a new language.

My time at St. Patrick has been such a blessing, and I am deeply grateful for this wonderful community. I am so excited to continue this journey and look forward to everything the future holds for us right here. ¡Gracias!