Do you consider this enough for BJU Spanish 1?

[Samiam]

My DS13 is taking a spanish class at a "homeschool center" (it's not a co-op because parents do not have to help, or even stay, and all teachers are paid, some are professionals and others are just people with backgrounds in a particular subject, they offer several classes, all day, one day a week).

 

The curriculum is BJU Spanish I, which is considered first year high school spanish. The class is 90 minutes, one day a week.

 

The teacher, also a HSing Mom, has several years of public school teaching experience in Spanish, so she should know what she is doing.

 

We were required to have the BJU textbook, but not the activity book. After the first class, I was helping my DS13 study his Spanish, but after looking at the textbook, I realize why he was struggling. There really is not alot of written instruction in the student textbook TO the student. Much of it is oral exercises, that are also pertaining to the activity book. Overall, it really needs to be taught FROM the TM.... a student could not pick up the textbook and self-teach (not that I would want him to).

 

My problem is this 1. There's no syllabus, even though this teacher has had to have known since as least June that she was teaching this class that started in September because I signed my DS up in June for it. So with no syllabus, I am not always exactly sure what is assigned and what isn't as DS doesn't always "remember" the exact pages he's supposed to review. 2. That is all it is, review the pages, because there is no other homework coming home from class in the form of worksheets. 3. Class won't be utilizing the Activity book, as I emailed the teacher after I looked at the textbook and realized how tied in it was to the Activity book, to ask her if we needed the activity book. Her reply was no. I bought it anyway because I feel it is very important to have that writing/thinking it out process in learning the language. Otherwise, it is just simply orally reciting what the book says, without ever actually thinking about what you are saying (because there is very little explanation in the book explaining it). 4. Class seems to be moving at a very slow pace, only in the second lesson, after 4 weeks. Perhaps that is to make up for the lack of at home work, but on the other hand, how will you get through most of the book at this pace, in just 24 weeks?

 

Overall, I wonder how this could be considered a class worthy of high-school credit, with just a 90 minute class time, and really no "assigned homework" other than "review these X amount of pages". Not that it matters to me at this point, as we're only in 8th grade, so wouldn't have counted this as a credit anyway.

 

Are my expectations too high? Is this about right for a high school language course?

[silliness7]

I checked BJU Spanish I (1st edition) out of our homeschool library because I didn't like what I had bought. I like BJU much better. I have the teacher edition and student text but not the activity book or CD's. I don't even have the tests but I would like to get my hands on them. There isn't much in the teacher book except examples on how to run the class and present the material in a way that doesn't require much English. At least, that's what I've gathered so far but we're only in Chapter 2.

 

We do everything orally together and then for "homework" I have my son write out the answers on paper. I also got some books on CD at the library in Spanish for him to listen to and absorb the pronunciation. I'm sure mine is horrible. I am not a Spanish teacher by any stretch. I had 4 years of high school Spanish and tested out of first year Spanish in college. I started 2nd year Spanish but was planning my wedding and got overwhelmed with other stuff and dropped it. I wish I'd kept up with my Spanish better.

 

Anyway. I hope the activity book isn't necessary. I can't afford it. I did not get the impression from what I have that it is necessary. I'm happy with what we are doing but we are doing a chapter a week so it actually is a lot to cover. I would be worried that the class your son is in isn't moving through the material very quickly. But since you aren't in it for the credit maybe it'll be O.K. Still, you hate to waste your money and wonder if he'll be ready for Spanish 2 next year.

 

I'm interested to hear other's experiences with BJU Spanish.

Edited September 28, 2011 by silliness7

[dkholland]

My 2 dss took Spanish I using the BJU material through the Potters school. They met only once per week for 90 min. On the other days, we were expected to do a lot of work. The teacher had a syllabus with the exact pages in the text, activity manual, and listening CD that were to be done each day. It was a lot of work. Plus, each week, they were expected to memorize a verse in Spanish. She supplied extra worksheets to conjuagte those irregular verbs and other material that need it. She highly recommended flashcards for memorizing vocab.

 

Foreign Lang. can be one of those classes a student takes just for exposure if they do not plan on continuing in the language. I guess it depends on what your goals are for your ds. If he will spend more than 120 hrs. on the class, then it's a full credit. Maybe ask the teacher if she plans to get through the whole text and she what she says? BJU is a thoough curriculum if used properly.

 

ETA: the activity manual was for extra practice, but both my boys did every page in it with the Potters School.

[Grace]

Last year, we used BJU Spanish 1 with the Text, Activities manual, and DVD. I personally could not have taught it without the DVD. But that being said, the DVD was a homesat program so some days it moved very slowly with kids asking stupid questions or answering the questions wrong. My girls usually watched it on fastforward when he wasn't directly lecturing.

 

My kids went in knowing a lot of the vocabulary already from other Spanish programs we had done in the elementary years. With that, I think they could have done it with a Spanish speaking teacher in 90 minutes. I do think the activities manual is a good idea though for reinforcement daily. I also liked the tests and quizzes because it broke the learning down into reasonable chunks to study. Learning the verb conjugations was a huge part of Spanish 1

 

Before deciding on the BJU DVD program, I had talked to a teacher at our local homeschool School who was planning on teaching high school spanish. When the class didn't happen, she told me to make sure I got the listening CD's with the BJU program. She felt they were an intricate part of the program. I never did get them though and felt my girls did fine and retained what they learned.

 

They are now doing BJU Spanish 2 with the DVDs.

 

Another resource I have planned to implement for listening practice is

Listen 'N' Learn Spanish with your Favorite Movies. (haven't started it yet though)

http://www.amazon.com/Listen-Learn-Spanish-Favorite-Movies/dp/0071475656/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1317213821&sr=8-1

 

HTH!

Grace

[yinne]

My kids take Spanish at a home school coop, although they are not using BJU. The class is 75 minutes once a week, but there is anywhere from 1-2 hours of homework per day. Without the homework on a daily basis, they would not be learning the material with just the class time. If the kids apply themselves, they do learn the material. The Spanish professors at the university usually know without asking which kids are coming out of the home school coop because they know the material so much better than other students.

 

Yvonne in NE

[Lolly]

90 minutes of Spanish a week is no where near enough. I feel my girls have learned a ton using the dvd's for Spanish 1 and 2 (along with the text and activities manual). I would definitely use them again!