which type of Spanish?

[MeganW]

I saw some kids using Rosetta Stone Spanish this morning, and WOW! Their language skills were amazing! I went to look at it online, and see that there are several different versions.

 

Are you teaching Latin American Spanish, or Spanish from Spain? Are they really different? Any reason to choose one over the other?

[Ali in OR]

If you live in America, you probably want to learn Latin American Spanish. That's what Spanish-speakers here speak (mostly folks originally from Mexico). There are some differences in vocabulary for some words. Also in Spain they use vosotros for 2nd person plural (you all). Latin American Spanish uses the 3rd person (ustedes) for you all. If you want to learn Spanish to live in Spain, then you would use that version. But if you want to open doors for yourself here by being able to speak to the Spanish-speakers in America, you want to learn the version that they speak.

[Ann.without.an.e]

We love Rosetta Stone.

 

I have a degree in a linguistical field and it is exactly how we were taught to learn language - the immersion method. It rocks and it works.

 

Latin American is best for North Americans. If you are in Europe, Spanish from Spain.

[sagira]

I agree. Latin American if you're North American. Spain is across the Atlantic :)

[redsquirrel]

I learned Spanish from Spain. I even went to spain in college to study more. I looove the sound of Madrid Spain, it is beautiful like nothing else to my ears.

 

But, I will be teaching my own kids Latin American Spanish. It is different enough to make a difference, and I want their Spanish to be practical.

 

Oh, and if you want to hear the most beautiful Madrid accent, check out Gwennyth Paltrow in Glee. She only says a sentence or two but it is with a perfect Madrid accent. I swooned. Really. I kept rewinding, much to my husband's annoyance.

[sagira]

I learned Spanish from Spain. I even went to spain in college to study more. I looove the sound of Madrid Spain, it is beautiful like nothing else to my ears.

 

But, I will be teaching my own kids Latin American Spanish. It is different enough to make a difference, and I want their Spanish to be practical.

 

Oh, and if you want to hear the most beautiful Madrid accent, check out Gwennyth Paltrow in Glee. She only says a sentence or two but it is with a perfect Madrid accent. I swooned. Really. I kept rewinding, much to my husband's annoyance.

 

:D I like the accent too. This is the Spanish I was taught too, as, although we were located just a stone's throw from South America and got Venezuelan cable, our school system was Dutch.

[cmarango]

Since your dc are younger, you may want to check out speekee. I just received an online subscription for review purposes and so far I have been quite impressed. It is also based on immersion and IMHO better for the age of your dc than Rosetta.

[Susan Wise Bauer]

DD10 is using Rosetta Stone Spanish. We also picked Latin American Spanish (she wants to USE it). It's been an excellent choice for us but I think she's right on the lower edge of students who could benefit from it, and she's more verbal than my boys were at the same age. I think I'd use an introductory program of some sort with a student younger than fourth grade.

 

SWB

[MorganClassicalPrep]

Living in the United States, I would think most kids would benefit more from Latin American Spanish. Unless of course they had family from Spain and would actually get to use it.

 

DD will be learning LA Spanish, with an eye towards us living in LA for 6-12 months when she's older.