Elementary Spanish - how did you schedule?

[Satori]

For those that use Elementary Spanish, how did you schedule it? For the Grades 1-2, it says each year has 50 lessons, for a total of 100 lessons total. If we watch two videos a week, then I think we'll finish both grades in our first year.

[Satori]

One more little bump. This program is very hard to find the videos sequentially!

 

So I went ahead and listed all the lessons for grades 1-2 (100 total), as well as the URL to find the videos. I entered this in Homeschool Skedtrack, so if anyone plans to use Elementary Spanish on Discovery Streaming, and just so happens to use Homeschool Skedtrack, let me know and I'll share it to World. This took me ALL DAY so I'd be happy to save someone some time. :) I could also export to another spreadsheet type probably.

[Rivka]

We haven't managed to get this scheduled yet, but I was planning to introduce a new video every week and have my child watch it twice. I think the extra exposure will be helpful in making the vocabulary stick.

[Haiku]

We watch a lesson Monday, do the activity sheet on Tuesday, and review on Thursday.

 

Tara

[mama27]

I need to add this to my content on UE also. I am using grades 3/4 and 5/6 though. It is a pain to locate them each day. So, I'm bumping in case anyone else has this. lol

[christine in al]

So, do I google skedtrack, or is there a link I'm missing in this post? ahh, maybe it's my inability to use this computer thingy that's the problem.

 

Oh I did buy the hard copy of the worksheets, that was worth it.

 

Anyway, if someone has a link, or an addy or a clue for the clueless, I'd love to know how to use this program more effectively, ( we are using 3/4 until he's done with this workbook, then bumping to 5/6)

 

 

~christine in al.

[Satori]

Here's the link to Homeschool Skedtrack. It's a free online homeschool scheduler. I published the schedule with links to World, if you're logged in, it's on the Import page, right now it's the last link.

 

Thanks for sharing how you all use the program! It makes me think that two videos a week is too fast. :)

[Jennefer@SSA]

As for finding the videos, what I do is find one in the unit I want and then type the name in the search bar EXACTLY like it is on DS. Honestly there is not much continuity between how they label the units so it is important to list it just like they do. Unit One might be listed as "Elementary Spanish 1/2: Unit 1" (using the numeral) and Unit Two might be listed as "Elementary Spanish 1/2: Unit Two" (using the word). It makes a huge difference in what your search results turn up like. I still don't get the exact videos I want but it is usually closer than just searching the whole kaboodle!

 

I make a folders in my bookmarks bar like this:

 

Elementary Spanish 1/2 - Unit 1

Elementary Spanish 1/2 - Unit 2

and so on

 

I get them all bookmarked in one day and they are there for the year! I also go ahead and download each Teacher's Guide and print the activity pages at the same time and file them away in our Spanish binder.

 

As for scheduling, it will depend on your goals. For the first few years (1st and 2nd grade) we planned 2 lessons per week but it was usually the first thing to go if our day was busy or we were behind. He pretty much finished those first 100 lessons in the 2 years. Then for the 3/4 unit we started working at an accelerated pace because I want my children to be completely fluent and although I love this program the pace is pretty slow, imo (at least for me and what I want). He finished the entire 3/4 unit in 3rd grade doing a lesson a day 4x a week. This year in 4th he will finish the entire 5/6 unit doing the same schedule. We supplement with Spanish tv and lots of Spanish books and games.

 

If you want just a basic introduction to Spanish and exposure, not fluency, is a goal then 2 lessons a week will be fine, imo.

[Satori]

When I gathered all my links, I kept one page open, with "Related Content" tab open. That's a list of all the videos in order! I then copied all the URLs so I never have to search again. Now, let's hope those URLs don't change their format! :)

 

I printed out Grade 1-2 yesterday and had to go for a paper run to print out the bulletin board stuff if we need any of it.

 

I'd love to work toward fluency. I have a Spanish degree, but I forgot it all due to not using it. So it's my goal to regain that as well as for my daughter. I used to go to the Concordia Language Villages for summer camp (Japanese and Spanish), so psyched they have a family program! Or, she can go alone when she's 7.

 

We attended a Spanish immersion class right when she turned 4, and she caught on quickly. I love the idea of watching Spanish videos, reading books, games, etc...