Something like First Form Latin only for Spanish?

[EndOfOrdinary]

Does anyone know of a highly grammatical Spanish text like First Form Latin?  Or any Form Latin for that matter?

 

It does not have to progress into multiple books nor does it have to be for middle school.  A high school text would be fine.  Just looking for something similar to the style of First Form.

 

Thanks!

[chiguirre]

I'm not sure anything like that exists because Spanish doesn't have as complex a grammar as Latin. Nouns aren't declined, their use in the sentence is marked by their position like it is in English. That's also true of the other romance languages.

 

The main goal in studying Latin is to read it, you don't have to worry about your accent or aural comprehension. But, for a living language, those skills are critical and books spend a lot of time on them. You need to build automaticity with vocabulary and grammar structures so that you can say something, not just decode text. T and I loved FFL, but that style of text wouldn't work for Spanish. You'd know the nuts and bolts of conjugations and only have 150 vocabulary words. You wouldn't be able to say much of anything even after a year of work.

 

You might want to try Madrigal's Magic Key to Spanish. It takes a unique approach that might appeal to you. It's all in one simple to use book. The only caution is that the teacher should speak at least some Spanish and, preferably, be sure of their pronunciation.

 

http://smile.amazon.com/Madrigals-Magic-Key-Spanish-Creative/dp/0385410956/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1401367883&sr=8-1&keywords=madrigal%27s+magic+key+to+spanish

[JadeOrchidSong]

What age is Madrigal's geared to? It looks pretty dense.

[SilverMoon]

You might look at Spanish for Children too. CAP puts a good dose of grammar in all their "for Children" programs.

 

Madrigal's book is a good one to have on your shelf no matter what you go with. I bought it for a reference text to go with my highschooler's main Spanish program. My 8yo can pick it up and read through it, but she and I just play with it orally. (She has a couple years of Latin and a high interest in Spanish.)

[RootAnn]

While Spanish for Children gives a grammar base, there is nowhere near enough practice (esp. compared to the Form series). It is also throws a bunch of things at you in the vocab that they don't explain for several lessons and many times throw a few 'exception' type-things (stem-changing-verbs) together in one lesson. We had high hopes for SfC and it wasn't for us being that Mom doesn't have a Spanish base (just French - which I think is much easier!), there wasn't enough practice (even adding in Memoria Press-type exercises & Quizlet), and it got confusing about halfway in with all the things they throw at you each lesson.  :crying:

[JadeOrchidSong]

I bought Latin for Children and sold it without using it. That's why I avoided Spanish for Children. I am still looking for a working Spanish program for dc. We are done with Getting Started with Spanish a few months ago. Now I have them do the second half of the book and translate first from Spanish to English, then English back to Spanish. But the speaking is lacking.

[crazyforlatin]

I think I understand what you want, as I tend to want intense and organized grammar lessons.

 

Breaking the Barrier is grammar-focused, but as the author admits, you have to supplement it; there's not enough practice, but there is a CD. Practice Makes Perfect workbooks are good in that regard. Actually these workbooks, if you get the specific ones such as verbs or advanced verbs, are heavy on grammar. I find that the explanations are quite good.

 

DD is good at translating Spanish on paper due to studying Latin, but what she lacks is the ability to converse proficiently. We're working on that now with a tutor. So all those books I got amount to nothing compared to what she is learning with a tutor, but I'm glad I have them, as it makes it easier on the tutor. Not everyone wants to teach advance grammar to a kid.

[Woodland Mist Academy]

I think I understand what you want, as I tend to want intense and organized grammar lessons.

 

Breaking the Barrier is grammar-focused, but as the author admits, you have to supplement it; there's not enough practice, but there is a CD. Practice Makes Perfect workbooks are good in that regard. Actually these workbooks, if you get the specific ones such as verbs or advanced verbs, are heavy on grammar. I find that the explanations are quite good.

 

I am considering switching to Breaking the Barrier. Which Practice Makes Perfect workbook would you recommend to use as a supplement? I was considering Basic Spanish. Would you recommend the specific ones instead?

[crazyforlatin]

I am considering switching to Breaking the Barrier. Which Practice Makes Perfect workbook would you recommend to use as a supplement? I was considering Basic Spanish. Would you recommend the specific ones instead?

Well, I tend to overbuy. I bought Basic and Verbs, http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Perfect-Spanish-Tenses-Edition/dp/0071639306

 

Verbs assumes knowledge (or some knowledge) from Basic. Because BtB jumps straight into verbs after a couple of chapters, you would have to buy both to get the appropriate practice. The good thing is that these workbooks are cheap and do have answers on the back. And, the publisher, McGraw, has recordings of the words for the higher level books, not for Basic however. I glanced at it once, but since we have a tutor, we don't really need it.

 

ETA: fixed link

[Woodland Mist Academy]

Well, I tend to overbuy. I bought Basic and Verbs, http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Perfect-Spanish-Tenses-Edition/dp/0071639306. Verbs assumes knowledge (or some knowledge) from Basic. Because BtB jumps straight into verbs after a couple of chapters, you would have to buy both to get the appropriate practice. The good thing is that these workbooks are cheap and do have answers on the back. And, the publisher, McGraw, has recordings of the words for the higher level books, not for Basic however. I glanced at it once, but since we have a tutor, we don't really need it.

 

Thanks! I couldn't get the link to work...

[crazyforlatin]

Maybe the period got caught inside.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Perfect-Spanish-Tenses-Edition/dp/0071639306

[SarahW]

Nursing....

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1940282217?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1940282217&linkCode=xm2&tag=histcultciv-20

[EndOfOrdinary]

I think I understand what you want, as I tend to want intense and organized grammar lessons.

Breaking the Barrier is grammar-focused, but as the author admits, you have to supplement it; there's not enough practice, but there is a CD. Practice Makes Perfect workbooks are good in that regard. Actually these workbooks, if you get the specific ones such as verbs or advanced verbs, are heavy on grammar. I find that the explanations are quite good.

  

Well, I tend to overbuy. I bought Basic and Verbs, http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Perfect-Spanish-Tenses-Edition/dp/0071639306

 

Intense organized grammar lessons is so very much my son. Fantastic description. He likes the old school, straight up, grammar based texts like were used pre 1970. Breaking the Barrier looks great and so do the extra workbooks. Thank you so much for the recommendation.