Tracy Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 A long time ago, I received a degree in Spanish and was almost fluent. Fast forward 20 years. I have only rarely used Spanish and am no longer even close to fluent. Dd's chance to learn a foreign language during that window of time that it is easiest will be soon passing me by. I want to teach dd conversational Spanish. I don't want to use a curriculum with her, because I don't want it to be school work. But I may need a curriculum to guide me. Consequently, I don't want to spend a lot of money on it. I need something that will refresh my memory for vocabulary and give me a scope and sequence for what to introduce first. It would be nice if I could find something that would suggest some games that we could play. Any recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyhappypeople Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Have you thought of enrolling yourself in Livemocha's spanish course and teaching her what you're relearning? It's free, so you don't have anything to lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Have you thought of enrolling yourself in Livemocha's spanish course and teaching her what you're relearning? It's free, so you don't have anything to lose. That sounds really complicated. The only thing that I need to relearn is vocabulary, so any class that I would take that would teach more than a word list I think would be overkill. :tongue_smilie: I was hoping to have something where I could see a list of vocabulary words and grammar skills to be worked on. Maybe some activity suggestions. It would be okay if it were a curriculum for children that came with workbooks or whatever--I just wouldn't use it all. All I need is something that says "Teach X today and Y tomorrow"--something that gives me an appropriate starting point and order in which to teach things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Have you looked at Getting Started with Spanish? It might offer enough review for you. Check to see if your library has Muzzy DVDs. The set includes a vocabulary DVD. Also look at the Spanish language picture books. My library has quite a few of these. The Let's Learn Spanish Coloring Book is inexpensive on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ariston Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 This is not what you are looking for as far as a curriculum goes, but it is really helpful in terms of conversational Spanish: Kids Stuff Spanish It basically has everything you'd ever say to your child. (Time to get up; Did you make your bed?; you're so sweet; etc. etc.) I was also more fluent when I was younger, and this book helped tremendously as far as speaking to my kids goes. We also use the Usborne First 1000 words in Spanish book. (There is also a first 100 words if you are looking for something more basic.) My kids like going through and looking at the pictures, finding the pato in each one, etc. I am actually in the process of putting a website together with all of the things that I've found helpful--I spend so much time looking these things up I figured I might as well share what I've found. I will post back when its published. As far as games go, we play the 2 classics of FLL--a lot of bingo with vocab, and simon says with action words and parts of the body (toca la nariz, por ejemplo.) There are lots more games we play, but those are the two staples. I'll post back when I have more time! Elena Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 (edited) Check your library. Ours has kid books (like board books and such intended for preschoolers) in Spanish. For lots, they have them in a big Ziploc bag thing with the book in Spanish, the exact same book in English, as well as a list of suggested activities, and sometimes extra things that go along to enhance the story. You may have to ask the librarian - ours are in a back room not open to the public, so that the pieces don't separated. They are available for checkout, they just aren't advertised. I think they are usually used by teachers. Edited February 4, 2011 by MeganW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristinannie Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Check out this website: http://www.sube.com/beginner-spanish-video-tutorial It is a curriculum, but it is mostly conversation based and looks like a lot of fun. I am planning on using it with DS5. They include the descriptions you can use. There are also games and art projects to do. There is a workbook, but you don't have to use it. If you have questions, you can call the lady and she is extremely helpful! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELaurie Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 La Clase Divertida Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieD Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 What about the programs at http://www.allbilingual.com? I've been seriously looking at Espanol para chicos y grandes. Actually I'd love your opinion on it since you certainly have more Spanish background than I have. They also have Espanol para los chiquitos for children who aren't reading well yet. I was looking at this to help with conversational practice. Julie D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Random Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Try this website: http://www.uni.edu/becker/Spanish3.html#vocabulary It's like a clearinghouse of sites, and hopefully, you can find something there. You could easily spend weeks going through the links. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Our stories are very similar. I also was once fluent in Spanish, but haven't really used it since quitting my job 7 years ago to stay home with my daughter. I am teaching my dd Spanish with a very relaxed conversational/basic vocabulary approach. This is what I use: http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Them-Spanish-Winnie-Waltzer-Hackett/dp/0742401960/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296848985&sr=1-1 It has a lesson outline in the back of the book, worksheets for the student to reinforce what you are learning, a book list for each topic of Spanish books that you can check out from your library to reinforce what you are learning, fun songs and games to help remember phrases or vocab. My dd's absolute favorite part is when we put that conversational Spanish to use. We have lots of mock conversations together based on the phrases and vocab we have learned. This series (it starts in K and goes to 5th grade) is what I recommend for anyone who has a general Spanish language background that wants to introduce their young child to Spanish in an easy, gentle way. When she gets to high school, we will do a more formal, rigorous approach. Good luck in your search! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 What I do with my dd is I just use children's books that have entertaining stories and I put the vocabulary on note cards, but I mix them up so that they won't be in order of the story. I give her 10 new cards a week. Some of the cards will be just strictly vocabulary words (with the article) other times it will be a phrase that needs to be learned as a whole like "habia una vez". I just do flash card word quizes with her every day and she usually has them mastered by Friday. Then on Friday we have a "beat the clock" race where I set the timer and call out the words and she has to answer them as quickly as she can. I usually do about 4 rounds of that starting with 50 seconds, then 40, then 30 and then 20. If she can beat the clock I give her a prize, usually a piece of candy or 50 cents or something small like that. I just do that every week with new cards until she has mastered all of the vocabulary for that story then I give her the book turned to the page of the story (which she doesn't know beforehand what it will be although sometimes she guesses. ;) ) and I have her read the whole story to me in Spanish and translate it into English for me. She likes it, it's fun for us and it cements the language for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoxcell Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Check out Speekee. My little love it, and it makes a good supplement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Satori Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I was also a Spanish major about 20 years ago, but rarely speak it now. We ended up using Elementary Spanish and are loving it. We also had a native speaker instructor at an early age (started at age 3 or 4), which helped bring back a lot of it for me as well. It sounds like you want to teach Spanish yourself though, and just need some guidance on what to teach and when. I don't have any suggestions for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Our stories are very similar. I also was once fluent in Spanish, but haven't really used it since quitting my job 7 years ago to stay home with my daughter. I am teaching my dd Spanish with a very relaxed conversational/basic vocabulary approach. This is what I use: http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Them-Spanish-Winnie-Waltzer-Hackett/dp/0742401960/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296848985&sr=1-1 It has a lesson outline in the back of the book, worksheets for the student to reinforce what you are learning, a book list for each topic of Spanish books that you can check out from your library to reinforce what you are learning, fun songs and games to help remember phrases or vocab. My dd's absolute favorite part is when we put that conversational Spanish to use. We have lots of mock conversations together based on the phrases and vocab we have learned. This series (it starts in K and goes to 5th grade) is what I recommend for anyone who has a general Spanish language background that wants to introduce their young child to Spanish in an easy, gentle way. When she gets to high school, we will do a more formal, rigorous approach. Good luck in your search! This looks perfect. Just the right price. If I buy it and don't like it, I am only out $10. Which levels have you purchased? Does each level assume mastery of the previous level? I ask because I would normally buy material at the 1st grade level for dd, but we probably need to start with K? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 This looks perfect. Just the right price. If I buy it and don't like it, I am only out $10. Which levels have you purchased? Does each level assume mastery of the previous level? I ask because I would normally buy material at the 1st grade level for dd, but we probably need to start with K? Tracy-- My daughter has used the K book and the 1st grade book as well. It would be no problem starting with the 1st grade book. While the books do build on each other, the 1st grade book does quick reviews of everything learned in K. You could just take a little longer on the review lessons to actually teach it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 Tracy-- My daughter has used the K book and the 1st grade book as well. It would be no problem starting with the 1st grade book. While the books do build on each other, the 1st grade book does quick reviews of everything learned in K. You could just take a little longer on the review lessons to actually teach it. Thanks, Chelli. I found it at the library (only 2nd grade and up), so I will check that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquirrellyMama Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 I was also a Spanish major about 20 years ago, but rarely speak it now. We ended up using Elementary Spanish and are loving it. We also had a native speaker instructor at an early age (started at age 3 or 4), which helped bring back a lot of it for me as well. It sounds like you want to teach Spanish yourself though, and just need some guidance on what to teach and when. I don't have any suggestions for that. Looks like I'm not the only Spanish major who didn't use it enough. I'm also wanting to teach my kids Spanish and was thinking of Elementary Spanish. Is that the SOS Elementary Spanish? Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emilia Posted February 15, 2011 Share Posted February 15, 2011 We just started the Learnables. It's a language immersion program. We started in book one. No writing required. You listen to the cds until you are familiar with the words then listen and look at the pictures. I am using livemocha to stay abreast while I learn with DD. I did not major in Spanish but did take 2 college level courses. I too lost it all for lack of use. She asks frequently, "What's the Spanish word for...?" I figure we should start now while she is interested. I like livemocha because you get feedback and it's free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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