Learn Spanish with TPR {An Excelerate SPANISH Review}

Over the years, my children and I have dabbled in basic foreign language studies, but never gotten very far. So, this year, we voted on a language to try to progress in, deciding on Spanish. Around the same time, an opportunity to review Excelerate SPANISH Streaming from Excelerate SPANISH came up.

My daughter, who tends to prefer video programs for such things, and I took a look at the website and introductory video and thought it would be worth giving a try.

Because my own Spanish is super-limited, I liked the idea of the video streaming service with a teacher who speaks more fluently than I do.  I also liked that all of us could use the service together or individually as we wished and that the physical books for the program were said to be optional (since I have at least one child who is not a "book person". )

Further, I was interested in seeing the benefits of TPR (Total Physical Response) unfold and loved the idea that the program aims to delight, is based on solid brain science, and is different than other Spanish programs with a purposeful design. I truly think the research and theory behind the program and how it approaches language acquisition is sound.

So, as I thought about Excelerate SPANISH Streaming, I had visions of my children and I learning, enjoying, and retaining Spanish together and individually using the program and some related Quizlets found online.

When we began our lessons, I got my children excited about the program by chatting with them about how the program will help us learn much like one of our baby friends learn to speak our native language, but at a level more suited for our older selves - starting with listening, then understanding and gesture, then verbal communications as they are ready.

I talked a bit about how the learning would not be a word and its translation and a stilted skit using limited phrases, but that it would:

• present scenes that mimic real-life situations
• avoid rote drills
• give meaningful context
• tap into movement
• and, promise long-term retention.

My children were excited to give the program a go and so was I.  So, together we began to watch the streaming video, and, despite the fact that we were looking forward to quick comprehension, almost immediately, my children's complaints began.

The kids found the sheer amount of vocabulary presented at once in the video lessons overwhelming and, although the corresponding movements definitely helped some with understanding and retention, the fact that the lesson was so long and vocabulary-packed discouraged my children.

Also, all of us wondered why the program is promoted as book-optional one even though the pre-recorded video lessons have significant portions where we, as living room students watching along, were clueless as to what was being taught. We wondered why there were no screenshots of the exercises that the children in the video were doing and no verbal cues that clued us in, either.

However, not to be chagrined, we just worked around those portions of the videos and kept on going.

Then, before our next lesson, I took time to dive more deeply into the excellent tips available on the Excelerate SPANISH website and perused many of the links, including the one for syllabus found at the bottom of the links page.

After doing so, I decided to back up and slow down with our Excelerate SPANISH studies.

With the children's agreement to give the program a fair chance, we enjoyed using Quizlet cards to review vocabulary we had already been presented with by the streaming videos and also clicked over to other websites to do lessons portions suggested in the free Excelerate SPANISH syllabus.

We also began using only 1/2 a video lesson at a time when using the streaming service, pausing often to review words, to have my children catch up on moving along with the video, and to supplement with our own games and improvs using the vocabulary presented.

This improved our experience somewhat, but, still, my children did not favor the program. They wanted to know words like "Hello," and "What's your name?" as it typical in many Spanish programs and just were not getting the program is created to let the language wash over you and that to acquire a language, you need a rich diet of the language. They also were not realizing that within the stories presented, there were many high frequency words, such as "va," meaning "goes" and the words for "looks for," "looks at," (which is a different word in Spanish), "where is," "what time is it," "waits for," and so on. We kept persisting, but, my children just did not favor this program, which can work for children ages 7-17 and even for adults, can offer high school credit, and promises long-term retention and understanding.

Thus, although I can see benefits to the program, I am conceding that now that our review period is completed, the streaming service is not the right fit for Spanish for my children right now.

For, although I did some see some progress in my children's passive understanding of Spanish after a handful of weekly lessons and can see how the Excelerate SPANISH has been successful in classroom teaching as well as other people's homeschools, it just is not working for us at this stage in our homeschool experience.

The theory behind the approach is sound and I do believe that for right-fit students, the program, overtime, would prompt and explosion of understanding and communication, much the way a wee child learns a native language, listening before understanding and speaking, but, finally, exploding with fluency, but my children just are not right-fit students with the program as it now stands.

My youngest child, nine, said:

I don't really like this program, because I don't like the approach. I am more of a simple, first words kind of kid. Instead of telling a whole story about a bus stop, I like to start with things like "hello" and "What's your name?"

I learned "hola" and "gracias" in a different program right away. Here, I learned things like "ay, ay, ay"  "autobus", and "estupido". I cannot really remember much after the lessons, because there are too many words each lesson. The program uses exposure and movement first. I like speaking. 

This program might work for school students and people not like me.

My oldest son, 13, said:

This program is hard for me to follow because of the teaching style.

The style involves a woman writing on a white board saying a litany of Spanish words and their meanings. Then, she speaks the words and makes you do a motion with each. Then, she tests you by speaking quick sentences and having you make hand motions.

After that, the woman tests the kids in her videod classroom with exercises in a book. This portion of the videos is completely useless if you do not have the book, because the woman does not speak the questions, and the questions are not shown on screen. So, you just hear lots of A's and B's and answers that don't make sense to you. So, we usually skip that part. 

Then, you have to perform a weird skit that you don't act out naturally. Instead, you do the hand motions the woman taught. 

I am not learning how to speak words and phrases such as "hello", "What is your name?" and other everyday words I might use when conversing with people who speak Spanish. Instead, I am learning about fishing hooks, taxis, and "estupido". 

To make this program better, I would suggest using fewer, more common words per lesson and making it more engaging. It would also help to use editing in the videos to show words on the screen, show skits and example photographs and video clips of the words, etc. As it is now, it just seems like I am watching a bunch of kids at school get taught a foreign language.

My daughter, 12, said:

I liked the gestures, but, too often, there were pictures of things that you pointed to and that did not help me, because so many things ere just things you pointed to and that doesn't help ME the way it is supposed to help. 

The other gestures did help me, though. 

We used it together and I liked that, because we were able to do some game with the words we learned. The games were ones we made up.

I also liked the Quizlets.

I thought the teacher was okay, but I did not understand why the videos were so long and part of the videos we could not even use because it was for the workbook.  I don't understand why they put that in the videos.  Maybe they could have out that in a separate videos.

I feel like Excelerate SPANISH is a good program to use as a supporting program, maybe, not doing it all the time, because it has A LOT of words to learn for each session  Like 26 words in 30'-60' is a lot for me, but I think it would be okay for certain kids.

I would like to use it sometimes, but to use a different program as our main program.

I think my children's assessments of how the program worked and didn't work for them and suggestions for improvements are fair given our experience.

However, I would like to add that these assessments are just our own.  Other people are finding success with the program, and, I believe Excelerate SPANISH does have merit and could work well for the right students.

There is sound research behind the program's approach, obvious passion in the creator's delivery, and true demonstrated success in the videoed students. So, just because the streaming service was not the right fit for right now for my crew of kids does not mean it would not be for yours.

Every student and home is different. So, if you would like to hear from those who are finding success with Excelerate SPANISH, do be sure to click through to read other reviews from Homeschool Review Crew families.

Rad all the reviews!

Excelerate SPANISH has the potential to work as a way to help your whole family learn Spanish, with younger students gaining fluency, high school students earning credits with the completion of some additional work as suggested in the free syllabus, and parents gaining retention, too. That potential is not being realized in my home, but it may be in yours.

You can also connect with Excelerate SPANISH via social media:

• Facebook 
• Twitter
• Pinterest

What a Flexible, Fun Immersion Approach to Learning Spanish!

I wasn't looking for a new foreign language program when the opportunity to review the Educator's Spanish Collection by Whistlefritz came up.  However, after watching the video below about its immersion method and also the intro video (which follows), I knew my children would benefit from the program.





Thus, I showed my children the Whistlefritz website and watched some videos about the program with them.  As expected, they immediately asked if we could try the language-learning collection.

What Makes Whistlefritz Unique

When our package from Whistlefritz came in, my children and I were excited and got straight to watching the videos in it. Later, we began using the lesson book and cards together, and, then, the CD's when my oldest - who has an aversion to music lately - was not around.  In doing so, we realized that whileWhistlefritz uses many of the same components as other language programs - videos, playing cards, lesson plans, CD's - it does so in a different way.  Each component of the collection compliments another, but can be used on its own, too.  This means that at home or on the go, of one learning style or another, your child can benefit from an immersion approach to learning a foreign language that is as flexible as it is fun!Components to the program are:

• 5 Spanish for Kids DVD's:  These DVD's immerse children in language learning as native Spanish-speaking adults and children speak in fun, fast-paced, clearly pronounced language with plenty of repetition. 
  
  Each video has its own theme and target vocabulary and lasts about 24-30 minutes, which can be watched all in one go, or in briefer segments, particularly when paired as a supplement to specific lessons from the lesson plan book.
  
  Videos can be watched in any order based on children's interests, however a recommended order for children three and under is included with program materials.
  Some portions of the DVD's are "humans only" while others are animated.  Throughout every video, an animated mouse called "Fritzi" makes appearances that - if my children's reactions are anything to go by - keep children engaged and laughing.
  For those that like translations even when using an immersion program, translation guides are available as pdf's online, too.
  
  
  

  

• Spanish Matching Cards: A deck of 50 laminated matching cards contains pairs of playfully illustrated images and accompanying Spanish action words.  Children can play Memory, Go Fish, and other games with these to reinforce learning through play. (My younger two, especially, liked doing this.)
  
  

  

• Spanish Lesson Plans for Kids:  A 277-page softcover book includes 40 lesson plans for teaching Spanish to young children, including lessons with cross-curricula connections. 
  
  Sample lessons plans show exactly how each lesson is formatted with a clear lesson description, objective, goal, materials list, key vocabulary, time estimate, focus and review, teacher input, guided practice, independent practice, closure, and extension activities.  All necessary printables are included in the lesson plan book as well.
  
  As written, each lesson typically takes about 30-40 minutes.  However, since each is so concisely organized, parents can easily adapt lessons for briefer time frames or extend them beyond 40 minutes.
  
  Because my youngest child is on the older side for the age group that Whistlefritz is aimed at and his older siblings tend to be audio-visual and interpersonal learners, more often than not, I adapted lessons to our strengths and needs by keying into the key vocabulary and picking and choosing which printables and activities I felt would work best with my children.  The ease of doing so - and doing it on-the-spot, proved a godsend for me when a rather immediate and long medical appointment came up for my daughter. 
  
  The day of my daughter's appointment, I tossed the lesson plan book into my bag, planning to look ahead in it during inevitable down time at the specialist's office.  As soon as we were brought to the first patient room that my daughter spent time in that day, she saw the book in my bag and asked to work with it while we waited for her doctor.  So, I quickly accessed lessons to review and kept my daughter engaged in Spanish fun until the doctor game, and, again, later in the day in each of the three different patient rooms we ended up in. 
  
  The ease of using the Whistlefritz lesson plans to present impromptu Spanish activities with my daughter sure helped make what would have otherwise been long, nerve-wracking waits into fun foreign language learning.  Now, my daughter wants me to bring the book to her next appointment, too!  Undoubtedly, I will.  I might also finally print out and use the FREE stand alone lessons available for download online.

• 3 Spanish for Kids CD's:  Three CD's accompany the DVD's and lesson plans offering upbeat, Latin rhythm songs to get children on their feet and practicing new vocabulary when listened to at home or keep them thinking and chair dancing in the car.  My daughter enjoyed these with Daddy and me while stuck in traffic on the way to and from several appointments.

The Children's Thoughts 

Even though this program is geared for children between the ages of one and seven, all of my children (ages 6-11) enjoyed it. 
My 11-year old liked the video portions best.  He said:

"Whistlefritz was good. I liked how parts of he video were in full cartoon, parts were in partial cartoon and partial real...

and parts of it were in just real.

I learned some words, and I cannot wait to watch it again and again until I learn more."

My almost-seven year old also appreciated the program.  He said:

"I liked it. I liked the videos and the cards the best. A video part I liked was the weather one...

I liked that you can play more than just memory with the cards, too - like Go Fish."

My youngest also commented to me that he doesn't feel like he's learning Spanish. He's just having fun. To me, that says a lot.  Learning that does not feel like learning is the best kind in my book!

In fact, for my just-turned-ten year old daughter, the fun and flexibility of the program is what makes it so ideal for us right now.  She said:

"I liked Whistlefritz - the book, the movies, the CD's, and the cards.


We brought the book to the doctor's office and my mom used ideas from the lessons. She used the Spanish colors like rojo and cafe, and I had to find them in room, and my dad was wearing cafe pants!

I liked to watch the movies, too. I watched them all at least once, sometimes when I first woke up.  My favorite is the ones with the food and a lot of songs.

I like CD's and how there were pretty much a ton of songs. We listened to them in the car when I was with just Mommy and Daddy.

I also like playing Go Fish and Memory Match with the cards.

I have learned Spanish. I can say most of the colors, most of the numbers up to 10, how are you, what's your name, good, not so good, okay... and more. I really cannot wait to watch the movies again so I can learn even more words"

Truly, of all my children, my daughter has been enjoying this program the most and is our most eager learner with it.  During our review period, she often asked if she could watch he DVD's when she awoke before her brothers and wanted to do something quiet.  Also, as previously discussed, she loved passing the time at recent medical appointments by reviewing and adapting lessons.  It's been a joy to watch her get excited about this program and to see her brothers learning, too.

Learn More

Whistlefritz offers both an Educator's Spanish Collection and an Educator's French Collection.  Both currently sell for 20% off their regular prices, with the Spanish collection selling for the current discounted rate of $165 and the French one for $115.

Forty-five homeschool review crew families reviewed either the Spanish or French collection and have shared loads of pictures and thoughts in their reviews. 

I encourage you to go take a peak at the other reviews to get an even fuller picture of how flexible Whistlefritz is. 

With the DVD's, CD's, cards, lesson plan book, and extra materials at the Whistlefritz website, the language program is so easy to adapt to different ages and styles. 

Hands-on learners can cut, paste, color, and craft.  Audio  and kinesthetic learners can listen and move to the CD's.  Visual learners an enjoy the DVD's.  Interpersonal and kinesthetic learners and can enjoy the playing cards and other games described in the lesson plans. On-the-go families like mine can take the deck of cards, CD's or lesson book with them when off to appointments and enjoy the DVD's back home. Families that are at home more can enjoy the MANY hands-on activities described in the lessons plans. 

Truly, flexibility while increasing Spanish exposure and learning was a key reason I wanted to try Whistlefritz and it is exactly why I like and would recommend the Educator's Spanish Collection to others.  I wondered if the program would prove "too young" to engage each of my children, but it has not.  Instead, it has proven to be a flexible, family-friendly way to easily add Spanish learning to our lives even when life throws curve balls.

You can find Whistlefritz on social media on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.  

If you're looking for fun, flexible, immersion-based Spanish or French for toddlers to early elmentary-aged children (and even pre-teens in my home!), do consider Whistlefritz.

Learn Spanish The Fast and Fun Way!

 

{Disclaimer:  Because we have been enjoying our time learning Spanish together so much, I have become an affiliate for Foreign Language for Kids.}

I had been planning to revisit a stalled study of Latin with my children this summer and fall, but, when an opportunity to review the Starter Set 1 from Foreign Language for Kids came up, I changed my mind.  As I was checking out the Foreign Language for Kids, one of my children looked over my shoulder and said,"That looks fun.  I want to try it."  So, it was that we decided to take the review.  I am glad we did. 

With three children at different levels and not enough of Mom to go around for 1:1 time in many subjects, I love learning that we can approach as a family.  The homeschool Spanish Starter Set 1 is exactly that kind of thing!

In the set are:

• a DVD with videos for Levels 1-3 Spanish for kids:  According to the lesson plans, you are to watch small timed segments of the DVD over a number of daily lessons.  We rarely do things daily around here, so, instead, we watched the entire Level 1 portion of the video on Day One and, then, watched it again in its entirety, on other days, too.
  
  In all honesty, I had planned to watch only the brief timed segment of Level 1's video segment that was suggested in the lesson plans, but the children asked to watch the rest.  They were enjoying it so much - and we had time that day - so I said, "sure," to their request.  With that, our family's precedent was set:  When using the video, we watch an entire level at once, with my children laughing and talking back to the video the entire time.

• 3 Parent-Teacher Guides:  Each Level of the program comes with its own Teacher Guide that contains detailed lesson plans, a suggested DVD viewing schedule, and a variety of supplemental and hands-on activities to choose from which reinforce material taught in the videos. 
  
  I almost never follow prescribed lessons to a "T" - not even close - but I do appreciate having them, since they give me a framework from which to personalize my family's approach to a specific resource.  These guides did that beautifully!  Unlike some teacher guides, they are short, thorough, well-organized, and easy-to-navigate.  Thus, I could easily find vocabulary lists of Spanish words and their translations; hone in on Geography tie-ins, select games and activities that would appeal to my children to practice key concepts, etc. (In fact, in the photo above, the Level 1 Teacher's Guide is laying open, because, as my children watched the video, I was quickly deciding which activities to try next.)
  
  
  

• Flashcards and Card Games for Levels 1 to 3:  Picture cards and word cards for each level of the program made it easy to play review games described in the lesson plans as well as to play games we made up ourselves.  The pictures are basically still shots from the DVD's and handy key cards are included to help jog children's and Momma's memories should any of the images not immediately bring key Spanish words, phrases, and sentences to mind.

• Workbooks for Levels 1-3:  The DVD program is framed as "in-flight movies" while you are on your way to several different Spanish-speaking destinations, and the workbooks, then, become your "in-flight magazines", filled with crosswords, word searches, country information, grammar, facts, and more. Since the workbooks are geared, I'd say, for children at grade levels three and up to complete independently, but my child at that level does not like written work, i opted to use only parts of the workbooks and to use them orally with all three of my children in a "cozy on the couch" situation before or after watching the DVD.  This worked well for us.

• Stickers for Levels 1-3: Key vocabulary is written big and bold on stickers your children can place around the house to remind them of the Spanish they've been learning.  The stickers are not ones that are easily removed, though, so in our home, we stuck them to sticky notes which the children took turns putting on different objects (and people!) in our home.  They enjoyed doing this (and I enjoyed knowing that stickers could easily be removed that way.)

Teach Spanish in Minutes a Day (Or Longer When the Kids Say "More!")

I truly appreciate learning resources that I can use with all of my children at once, quickly and easily, without worrying about an online subscription or a ton of materials to wade through and keep track of, and that is exactly what Foreign Language for Kids has been for us!

I keep all of our Spanish Starter Kit materials on our learning shelves in the mailing envelope they came in.  Then, when we want to use the program, I simply take the envelope down, grab the materials we want to use on that given day, have at it, and return everything to the shelf. 

(Well, that is everything but the stickers the children leave up around our home.)

Then, the next time we want to continue our Spanish studies, we do the same thing -- popping in the DVD, breaking out the vocabulary game cards, referencing the teacher's guides or workbooks, or having the children put stickers on sticky notes and run about our house to place the stickers in relevant places. 

Easy, fun, and flexible, Foreign Language for Kids is perfect for us, since we can use it for ten minutes on a busy day or much, much longer on other days without any additional prep time and with super-easy clean up.  Indeed, the program, of us, is truly one we an take out of its envelope, learn and enjoy with, and then put back its in the envelope and onto our shelves without fuss.

The Learning Sticks

Another thing that I appreciate about learning Spanish with Foreign Language for Kids is that it provides gentle learning that sticks.  As we've been using the program, it's been fun to have my children pepper our everyday conversations with the Spanish words they've been learning.



The combination of an enjoyable immersion DVD, corresponding game cards and stickers, and an "in-flight magazine" to guide some of our review seems to be "just right" for igniting my children's interest in learning Spanish.  The ease of using these things makes the program an ideal fit for me, too.   

What the Children Had to Say

My daughter, at nine, was the one who first asked to try Foreign Language for Kids, and she was not disappointed!  She said:

It's fun!  I like how it is not how some programs where they use cartoon people.  I like how they use real people.  I also like how it teaches you simple words right from the first lesson and, then, gets more and more difficult, but not too difficult.

On the video, I like how you have to learn by - well, they don't really say what a word means.  They just use it a lot and you figure it out. 

I like with the stickers when I see them on the huevos, for example, I can say, "Can I cook myself some huevos?" (I like eggs!)  Or, I can say, "Can I read libros?" Or, "Can I have some pan?"

I also like the challenges with the cards.

 

When I asked youngest, who turned six while we have been reviewing the program, what he would rate the program on a scale of 1-5, he said "a 2.5 plus 9/10's".  So, that's a 4.4.  He added that he like the stickers and video and laughed as he said:

The funniest part of the video is when the boy took all the pan and says he was hungry. 

Indeed, all of my children laugh every time they see that portion of the video and pretend to be the boy from the video when we have things they particularly like at mealtimes. They also find ways to integrate words from the Spanish stickers they find around our home into our conversation.  It's so cute.

My oldest, at ten, said:

I really liked the movie, because it was funny.  I don't want to say why, because it will spoil it for others. 

The movie helped me learn by introducing me to words.  Then, I used cards to play games to review the words.  The stickers were fun to put on stuff around the house.  Mom tried to use the in-flight magazine with us, but I do not like writing.  So, we only used it out loud and used the cards, stickers, and movie more.

I think this review was pretty worth it.  I want to do the rest of the lessons.  We only finished the first story "Basketballs Aren't for Breakfasts".  Mom has not let us go on yet, because she wants us to master all the words we are learning first.  I am almost there!  I only have one more to go.

I have no doubt my oldest will have that word mastered before the week is out, because he is eager to move onto the next story: The Little Magic House.  I have to admit, I am, too.  It's fun to use this program with my children and I look forward to doing all three levels of it, as well as any more that may be forthcoming.  (Please Foreign Language for Kids make more levels!)

If You Like Ease and Fun, You'll Like This Introductory Spanish Program

As I already described the Spanish Starter Set 1 has proven engaging and easy-to-use for my family.  We literally just take it off our shelf, enjoy, learn, put the materials back on the shelf, and, then, add learned Spanish to our conversations until we take the materials back down to learn more. 

(Adding the language is easy, indeed, when we find it around the house!)

I love how no-fuss the experience is.  There is little prep or clean up involved, and the children have yet to grumble once when it is "Spanish time".   I also appreciate that the program components are physical ones.  No online subscription or streaming videos to fuss with, just a DVD, game cards, and slim teacher guides and workbooks.

If you, like me, appreciate learning that can easily be done together with multiple ages of children, you will likely enjoy Foreign Language for Kids as an introductory Spanish resource.
 
Learn More

Now is a great time to try Foreign Language for Kids.  You can take advantage of a FREE TRIAL, plus kits are currently selling for 15%-25% off, with all domestic shipping only $5 through the end of the month!

You might also enjoy other products from Foreign Language for Kids, like their fun game Dice Off.

You can also visit Foreign Language for Kids on Facebook. 

If you'd like to know what others think of Foreign Language for Kids, you can also click on the banner above, where you will find reviews from 90 Schoolhouse Review Crew families.

Spanish Immersion at Bedtime...{A Middlebury Interactive Languages Review}

One thing I enjoy about reviewing products is that doing so encourages the children and me to make time for studies that we might otherwise push aside in the busyness of life.  Such has been the case since we decided to review six-months of full access to Elementary Spanish 1: Grades 3-5 by Middlebury Interactive Languages.  

What is Middlebury Interactive Languages?

Middlebury Interactive Languages is a leader in digital online world language study for students in grades K-12.  Each of their courses in Spanish, French, Chinese and German can be taken as self-paced, independent study or with the guidance of a certified teacher.  All courses give students age-appropriate opportunities to immerse themselves in language and culture in an interactive online environment.

A New Part of Our Wind Down Time

When we received access to Elementary Spanish 1, the weather was simply too good to stay inside doing lessons during the day.  So, we took full advantage of the ability to learn Spanish anytime with this online program and made Middlebury Interactive Languages a part of our wind down routine on many nights.

In the evenings, my children and I would gather around the kitchen table, on the couch, or in one of the kids' beds with our laptop.  We'd log in to Elementary Spanish 1, move through the online menu bar to see what lesson we were on, and, then, let the program guide us in learning.

Sometimes, the children did this on their own while I tied up a days' loose ends.  More often than not, though, we did it all together and Elementary Spanish 1 proved to be easy peasy, anytime learning for young and old.

The program includes 15 units organized by categories and two review units.

Each unit contains six lessons (except the review units, which contain three lessons), and each lesson is further broken into even smaller mini-lessons, which include such activities as:

• Videos:  Animated videos present vocabulary words in the context of cultural stories and myths.
• Interactive Pictures:  Some of these are realistic.  Some are cartoon.  All allow children to click n certain parts to learn and practice more.
• Practice Sessions:  Children click and drag vocabulary words to label items in both cartoon and realistic images.
• Speaking Labs.  Children can record themselves repeating key vocabulary (and giggling wildly, in our home!) and then listen back to it.
• Quizzes:  Multiple choice questions offer children a chance for review and immediate feedback.

The program also has a gradebook feature where parents can check up on how the children do with each unit as well as links to print out pdfs with translations for the vocabulary, stories, and songs included in each unit.  My son really appreciated reading these, so he could fully understand the myths and stories presented by authentic Spanish speakers

We all enjoyed the fact that the program is so simple, yet appealing.  Targeted for children with a Grade 3-5 level, the program focuses mostly on learning key vocabulary words, basic grammar, and distinctive cultural practices through stories, activities, games, songs, etc.  In doing so, it gets children comfortable with the sounds and rhythms of Spanish and gives them a greater understanding of Spanish-speaking culture.

Our Thoughts... 


My nine-year-old quite enjoyed the program, saying that, "It's really fun to record your voice."  However, he was a bit nonplussed by the immersion aspect of the program, saying:

I like listening to the stories and trying to guess what they say, but I wish that the stories would also be said in English so you knew what they were about.  It would be much more educational that way.  I think you should know the English right away instead of waiting to read the English later.  I know that the Spanish stories are trying to teach Spanish but it would work better for me to have the English, too.

Having struggled through language learning myself through middle- and high-school, but, then, making some headway in it when I lived and traveled abroad in my twenties and thirties, I appreciate the immersion concept.  I do much better with a language when surrounded by it in a social context and, when a social context cannot be had, I believe online immersion can provide a next best thing.

My son, however, is less of a social learner.  He likes things concrete or logical.  He also loves stories, but lacks patience.  So, to him, having to figure out the meaning of the stories simply by listening to them and viewing the accompanying animated videos proved less appealing than being given a translation would have done.  Yes, my oldest boy wants to be given his proverbial fish on a platter, it seems.

My eight-year-old, though, simply likes to dip into Spanish waters with delight.  Like her brother, she , too, likes that "you can record your own voice and you get to hear stories".  She is proud of her gains in Spanish, stating:

I am learning how to speak Spanish.  I can say "auntie", "Uncle", "Mommy", "Daddy", "brother", "sister", numbers, greetings and other things.  I like speaking Spanish!

She does wish, though, that there was more built-in review from lesson to lesson.  For while each lesson has a lot of repetition of its target concept, few include review of prior concepts.  She does not like this and says, "One bad things is that the new stories do not review the old stuff each time."  She and her brothers noticed by the time we got to the story that went with the greetings unit that the stories really do not contain language learned in prior lessons.  My children have commented in several  occasions that they wish the repetition and review included in the program would cross unit lines, weaving the content of one unit into the next. 

 

My youngest, at five, did not offer any quotes about the program, but he sure did share a lot of giggles when using the record feature with his siblings and he also could oft be heard saying, "My turn. My turn," when we all cuddled together to do the program activities and quizzes.  Indeed, even though the program is meant for children in grades 3-5, my youngest, a kindergartner, gets things from it, too.

I appreciate that the program:

• appeals to my children through using stories, songs, simple computer activities, and, of course, the most-loved record feature.

• weaves Spanish culture lessons in with Spanish speaking lessons.  As someone who has traveled and lived abroad, I am a big proponent of learning language in the context of culture.

• offers no fuss language learning for homeschool families.  As long as you have high-speed internet, you are good to go.  You do not need to know Spanish yourself.  You do not need to download anything.  You just log in, listen, speak, and learn.

Learn More

• Middlebury Interactive Languages offers Spanish, French, Chinese and German at elementary, middle and high school levels, to include some AP ones.  

• Read what 85 Schoolhouse Review Crew families thought about different Middlebury Interactive Languages programs at each grade-range level. 

• Find Middlebury Interactive Languages on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Google+.

Speaking.  Listening.  Reading.  Writing.  Language.  Culture.  Ease.  I aim for these things when learning world language with my children.  If you do, too, might Middlebury Interactive Languages be an ideal option in your home?