Learnables for Spanish? Anyone with experience with this curriculum?

[Tami in CA]

I am interested in The Learnables for Spanish for my 9th grade son. Has anyone used this and could you tell me about it? Both the good and the bad.

 

Thanks,

Tami

[Kareni]

I've no personal experience, but here are a couple of older threads:

 

Learnables?

 

and

 

Learnables - Spanish - anyone use this?

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Margo out of lurking]

The good:

It's easy, it's quick. I was completely sold on the idea of learning a language by listening to it. I bought mine just before the computer option was available, and it was pretty inexpensive. My kids were about 6 and 10 yo. They learned a lot, I could turn it on and get things done while they listened and followed along. We had conversations in Spanish.

 

The bad:

It's boring. All phrases (for the first two levels we covered) were travel related: transportation, medical help, restaurant lingo, emergency vehicles. It's really boring (I'm saying that again because it was really, really boring).

 

We covered the basic, first level in one year. That would take a high schooler about 9 weeks. We stopped because the second level used workbooks to reinforce, and my ds was learning English phonics. I didn't want him to be confused.

 

I'd definitely consider using The Learnables again. I would not purchase the computer CDs or DVDs or whatever they are. That defeats the whole "immersion" theory, imo, and seemed a desperate attempt to compete with Rosetta Stone, the very curriculum I wanted to avoid. (No specific reason, just my own preference.)

[Sandra in FL]

books with dd when she was very young (4+ years old). I think it's a great program to get the sounds/tones of a language. I don't know if I would use it with a 9th grader. The grammar would be lacking even with their grammar component. Maybe you could supplement with Practical Spanish?

 

Have you checked your library for Destinos? I think the videos are available free online (on their website) and maybe you could pick up the text used for cheap on Amazon.

 

HTH,

Sandra

 

I don't recommend Rosetta Stone either - same problem

[siloam]

I am interested in The Learnables for Spanish for my 9th grade son. Has anyone used this and could you tell me about it? Both the good and the bad.

 

Thanks,

Tami

 

I have it on CD, and it isn't thrilling, but it gets the job done. The CD just has the SAME pictures as the book but on the computer with some color. It puts up the picture and says the Spanish word. There are a few games, but they don't change. In other words, once you figure them out they have the same answer each time.

 

The first level is all I have, and given my kids are young we never progressed. Now my oldest is doing Latin instead, but I haven't sold Learnables yet, which says something...

 

Heather

 

[siloam]

I'd definitely consider using The Learnables again. I would not purchase the computer CDs or DVDs or whatever they are. That defeats the whole "immersion" theory, imo, and seemed a desperate attempt to compete with Rosetta Stone, the very curriculum I wanted to avoid. (No specific reason, just my own preference.)

 

 

Not sure why you consider the CD to be so much different. It is just the pictures with the words said. You just don't have to flip the pages. :confused:

 

I have messed with the demo of RS, and it is different. It has you choose between pictures, trying to find the right one. Learnables only shows you the pictures and says the word. The back bone of the Learnables is the writing part, I have been told, with this just being the way to learn vocab.

 

Overall I am told Learnables has a distinct reading focus, where RS, IMO, is focused on learning enough to go on vacation in the area. I think RS is way over priced given you can't even resell it, leagaly.

 

Heather

[Tami in CA]

Thanks to you all who responded. I really appreciate your help.

Tami

[nmoira]

Not sure why you consider the CD to be so much different. It is just the pictures with the words said. You just don't have to flip the pages. :confused:

It's much easier to focus on the pictures when there are only a handful on the screen. The CDROM pictures are larger and better quality, and the current picture is highlighted as well. Since what you get out of The Learnables depends entirely on motivation and focus, every little bit helps.

 

DD the Elder and I are on Level 3 Spanish and are following the program fairly faithfully, except that we are pairing Listening and Basic Structure lessons (rather than finishing the Listening books before moving on to the corresponding Basic Structure book). I would say that if I had to do it again, I would have placed the Grammar Enchancement at the end of Level 2, rather than the beginning.

 

I'd recommend pairing The Learnables with either Visual Link Spanish or Michel Thomas (CD's) to help with speaking and pronunciation skills. The latter in particular was a big help to us.