Description
“Names/Nombres” by Julia Álvarez is a powerful personal essay in which Alvarez reflects on her family’s early years as Dominican immigrants in the United States. Through memories of school, language, and identity, the essay explores what it means to belong while holding onto one’s cultural roots.
Alvarez describes her reactions to the mispronunciation of her family members’ names and her desire to fit in at school. In an effort to assimilate, she allows herself to be called Americanized names and nicknames. Although she is proud of her heritage and native language, young Alvarez struggles with the emotional tension between cultural pride and acceptance.
The essay highlights the layered challenges of immigration, emphasizing that adjustment involves not only learning a new language, but also navigating an entirely new culture. These themes make the text highly relatable and meaningful for students, especially when discussing identity, language, and belonging.
“Names/Nombres” is an excellent choice for Hispanic Heritage Month and for units focused on memoir, personal essay, and cultural identity.
This resource includes a suggested lesson procedure for teachers, a before-reading word sort activity, group discussion questions, and a vocabulary graphic organizer to build background knowledge. Students also receive background information on Julia Álvarez, reading comprehension questions, and an after-reading journal prompt that connects the essay to themes from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Answer keys are included for all components.
You’ll receive a teacher guide and answer keys in PDF format, student activity pages in both print-ready PDF and editable Word documents, and a PowerPoint presentation with vocabulary and author background information. Perfect for middle school and high school ELA, this lesson supports close reading, cultural exploration, and thoughtful student reflection.