Please help with Spanish I and II credits; (Spanish I in 8th; II in 9th)

[Sweet Home Alabama]

This really might not be a good idea, but in Alabama, we can take Spanish I in 8th for high school credit. I'd like to try to find a way to make this work if possible. This is our situation:

 

 

My dd has been working through Rosetta Stone Spanish. It's the 3-year version. We have NOT been doing the grammar sheets that came with the program.... only the computer part. Next year, in 8th grade, she'll be on the 3rd year. We usually do a little bit of Spanish during the summer.

 

During 8th grade could I count the 3rd year of Rosetta Stone plus Getting Started with Spanish as Spanish I for a high school credit in Spanish? I guess we would have to do the grammar pages??? I'm just not sure. If so, what would I have to do to make this official on her transcript?

 

If that were our Spanish I, what would be our Spanish II that we would take in 9th grade? (Would we be ready for a Spanish II book?)

 

DD isn't really interested in languages. We would prefer the easiest way to get these foreign language requirements out of the way.

[AngieW in Texas]

I'm using Visual Link Spanish with my dd. Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More left her completely lost and confused.

 

I know that NARHS accepts each level of Visual Link as a full year high school credit. I don't think each level is actually worth a full credit, but each level is definitely worth a half-credit. My dd is using levels I and II this year as Spanish I. Next year she'll take Spanish at the cc to finish off her foreign language credits. She will probably just take Spanish I and II there, but she may also take Spanish III.

 

http://www.visuallinkspanish.com

[Brindee]

I'm using Visual Link Spanish with my dd. Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More left her completely lost and confused.

 

I know that NARHS accepts each level of Visual Link as a full year high school credit. I don't think each level is actually worth a full credit, but each level is definitely worth a half-credit. My dd is using levels I and II this year as Spanish I. Next year she'll take Spanish at the cc to finish off her foreign language credits. She will probably just take Spanish I and II there, but she may also take Spanish III.

 

www.visuallinkspanish.com

:iagree: That's what we're doing as well. This is the curriculum that really "clicked" with dd and got her moving through Spanish. She's enjoyed it and has learned a lot!

 

And yes, to get the credit, I'd think you'd HAVE to do the grammar pages or you're not learning it well enough to get credit for it.

[Maverick]

I can't help with the Spanish curriculum questions, but in general it is accepted to have some "early high school credits" listed on the transcript. My older son has Algebra I and Biology with lab listed there, for example. I didn't actually count the credits because he didn't need them, or the grades toward his gpa, they were there more as a "fyi" for anyone looking at the transcript.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Thanks, everyone.

 

I have heard that many like Visual Link. I have also heard of Breaking the Spanish Barrier. A home school group in my area uses Alpha Omega Spanish. I really don't know anything about that one.

 

What makes VL better than BtSB or vise versa?

 

What is the "easiest" way (curriculum) for us to fulfill this credit? Dd isn't planning on continuing a language past what is required for graduation requirements.

 

Rosetta Stone has not been very successful here. My kids have learned a lot of vocabulary, but RS didn't teach grammar in a way that worked for my dc.

[Jeanne in MN]

Thanks, everyone.

 

I have heard that many like Visual Link. I have also heard of Breaking the Spanish Barrier. A home school group in my area uses Alpha Omega Spanish. I really don't know anything about that one.

 

What makes VL better than BtSB or vise versa?

What is the "easiest" way (curriculum) for us to fulfill this credit? Dd isn't planning on continuing a language past what is required for graduation requirements.

 

Rosetta Stone has not been very successful here. My kids have learned a lot of vocabulary, but RS didn't teach grammar in a way that worked for my dc.

 

Do a search on this board for "Spanish". There have been a few threads on this in very recent months and they compare Visual Link with BtB and RS and so on. I'd look for you, but it's late and I need to get going! Good luck! We just bought VL ourselves.

[flyingiguana]

You might try Destinos:

http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html

The videos are free and the text isn't too expensive, if you get it used. There are also workbooks that don't run too much (if you get them used.) Even if you go with another program, Destinos is good for supplementation.

 

Somewhere on the web someone put up the audio tapes, which is a big help.

 

Pimsleur, if you can check it out of the library, is also good.

 

At one point, someone here suggested Getting Started with Spanish. I got this from the library when my kids had done a few chapters of Destinos and about 12 lessons of Pimsleur. They were already WAY beyond Getting Started in Spanish even though they hadn't done much yet. That seemed to be not even a full first year.

 

My kids did not get much out of RS or Tell Me More. We also had a look at Breaking the Barrier and they weren't impressed. I can't quite recall what they didn't like about it. Either it was too easy or they couldn't imagine spending all their time just memorizing verb forms. They do better learning the grammar after they've dealt with the language for a bit. It makes more sense and sticks better.

[Julie in MN]

During 8th grade could I count the 3rd year of Rosetta Stone plus Getting Started with Spanish as Spanish I for a high school credit in Spanish? I guess we would have to do the grammar pages??? I'm just not sure. If so, what would I have to do to make this official on her transcript?

 

If that were our Spanish I, what would be our Spanish II that we would take in 9th grade? (Would we be ready for a Spanish II book?)

 

I personally think Rosetta could easily be equivalent to high school Spanish I, which is first semester college Spanish. You could skim back through all levels and get more depth, or just concentrate on the year 3 that you have. Then add in some other experiences with the language.

 

There *is* grammar in the RS lessons. I haven't heard good things about their worksheets, but those are an option, especially if you have a kid who does well with worksheets. An inexpensive grammar workbook is Barron's E-Z series - I used that with my older dd in French and a French teacher approved her for passing French II at home and ready for French III in ps. (She only did about half or 2/3 of that book for French II.)

 

I would be leery of getting a language textbook, since the teacher materials are usually all written in that language by year 2.

 

To me, working with the language diligently every day and finding some kind of an interest related to the language will take you farther than the materials you use, IMHO.

 

Julie

[Brilliant]

...

My dd has been working through Rosetta Stone Spanish. It's the 3-year version. We have NOT been doing the grammar sheets that came with the program.... only the computer part. Next year, in 8th grade, she'll be on the 3rd year. We usually do a little bit of Spanish during the summer.

 

During 8th grade could I count the 3rd year of Rosetta Stone plus Getting Started with Spanish as Spanish I for a high school credit in Spanish?

 

I don't know about the Getting Started with Spanish. But based on our experience w/ Rosetta Stone German, I wouldn't count RS alone as Spanish One. RS worked great for us as conversation basics but I don't see it as a high school stand-alone program.

[distancia]

I personally think Rosetta could easily be equivalent to high school Spanish I, which is first semester college Spanish.

Julie

 

Sorry, I have to respectfully disagree. My dd took high school Spanish (for high school credit) in 8th grade public school, and it was an in-depth class. She used a textbook series called Paso a Paso. It is a good series, it's not difficult, and it is thorough. Also, dd had a great Spanish teacher and she made those students work! dd learned quite a lot.

 

As a h/s freshman she took 2nd year Spanish (supposedly, the second semester of college Spanish) and she used Realidades, which is a bad textbook series and has scathing reviews on Amazon. She learned very little from this book and the mediocre teacher.

 

As a sophomore she took no Spanish, but that summer we spent a month+ in Central America, so dd absorbed a lot.

 

As a junior we began homeschooling and dd enrolled in College Spanish. It was a rigorous course! She was expected to spend at least 4 hours a week in the language lab, in addition to spending 4 hours a week in class, and time doing homework. Yes, the material is "somewhat" the same as h/s Spanish 1--starting with the alphabet, days of the week--but even though it is called Spanish 1 or Intro to Spanish in college, they don't mess around...they assume that the incoming student knows something of Spanish, and if not, well then, buckle down.

 

During the second semester of college Spanish our dd had moved far beyond what she had learned in her high school 2nd year Spanish class. In both segments she used the ¡Arriba! series, which included workbooks and online access to a language lab.

 

Now she's in Intermediate Spanish, and she has just learned subjunctive verb tenses. She's getting into difficult grammar, and she spends at least 1.5 hours a day on her Spanish, sometimes more...reading, watching videos and audio labs, writing essays. Her exams--6 per semester--are 90 minutes in length and average 7 pages, 2 of which are "write 3 paragraphs describing where you would travel if you won a trip to anywhere in the world" kind of thing. She uses Vistas, which is the most popular program in colleges today.

 

There have been discussions elsewhere on this board about the quality of instruction using RS and if it merits high school credit. You may want to do a bit more research in this area.

 

Good luck.

Edited April 24, 2011 by distancia

[Julie in MN]

Sorry, I have to respectfully disagree.

...

There have been discussions elsewhere on this board about the quality of instruction using RS and if it merits high school credit. You may want to do a bit more research in this area.

 

Good luck.

 

Distancia,

I don't know if you are directing all of this to me, but I have been in various discussions elsewhere on this board. I'm not sure what research you want me to do -- my 3 children took languages, I took college Spanish back in the day, I've had a French exchange student stay with me, etc. My experience is that there is a great range of high school credits out there, from my oldest son's German teacher who couldn't control the class and eventually quit, to my dd's French teacher who fought for college-in-the-schools credit. It seems like your dd's high school experience was similar, with a range in quality of teachers. I'm not sure what your point is there. Your dd received credit, either way, didn't she? Credit can obviously be earned in a range of ways, and there are a variety of factors that might or might not be included.

 

The point some of us have made on other threads is that folks have done all the most difficult worksheets and the tests, and they don't necessarily retain the language any more than those using less textbooky methods. I suspect what it may come down to is diligence, paying attention, and really some kind of real interest or passion for knowing what is being said in the other language. That's my experience with the exchange students who came here after many years of English - most would hardly speak a word in English, but the one student at our house spoke fluently because she had a passion for watching American movies. It's kinda like any other homeschool learning - using ps materials doesn't *necessarily* mean high quality learning to me.

 

But secondly, RS does include the things you mention -- "reading, watching videos and audio labs, writing essays" -- well in level I it's more like sentences, but I assume it will progress -- plus pesky verb tenses. This year, my youngest is using RS French. He works with the language in a variety of ways, every day. I am very pleased.

 

Then, on other threads (maybe those you are talking about), some of us were talking about how we add the cultural component and other ways of experiencing the language so our kids don't just use the one program. And as the years go on, I will be keeping tabs and adding where I see a need (someone to talk French, maybe the E-Z workbook I used before, maybe reading the Little Prince, which is typical for level 3). If needed, I will consult the MFW family that recommends this program, since they are pleased with Rosetta and have children fluent in Russian (have been interpreters etc). But RS is providing me a lot of resources, all coordinated, and I do not have a problem providing full credit for French I this year, and foresee no problem with the RS materials I have here for level 2 meriting hs credit.

 

I've said before that RS is not college credit. But I stand by my belief that it can be high school credit.

 

Obviously your dd went to college to get a college-level course, and your are satisfied with that. But implying that a high school level course doesn't merit high school credit because it's not as many worksheets as the college level doesn't make sense to me. My dd did French II at home using a variety of library materials and a short grammar book, and she went on to French III and IV in the schools. Her class had the opportunity to apply hs French IV to college credit (1st semester Intermediate French, so somewhere in there the high school pace is slower than the college pace). However, some, like my dd, didn't go that route. That's another example of the fact that even when students used the same materials, they don't all want or get the same things out of them.

 

It's good to share a variety of experiences, I'm sure. Because there is not just one experience or one method.

Julie

[distancia]

Distancia, I don't know if you are directing all of this to me...Julie

 

No, I was directing it to SweetHomeAlabama.

 

Elsewhere I posted about our local high school using RS for a German class. Yes, the students are getting high school credit. But are they learning any German? No, not really, according to the students in the class, as well as the parents of those students. They feel RS has not been successful.

 

Of course, if it is a matter of granting high school credit, than yes, by all means, it can (and is) done; as I said, it is done at our local high school.

 

But if a student is going to spend anywhere from 40 minutes to an hour a day learning a foreign language, and the parent is going to spend money on the curriculum, then it seems reasonable to go with the best program for the least amount of money. And at the price that RS is being "rented"--remember, the purchaser cannot resell--the results don't merit the expenditure.

 

Also, if SHA is intending to send her child to college, most schools require at least one year foreign language study. The better equipped the child is for college, the easier the transition to college-level work.

 

:iagree:..... different methods for different students--and thank goodness we have so many options available to us.

Edited April 25, 2011 by distancia