Spanish is NOT going well, son is struggling

[ktgrok]

Everything else on our schedule is going ok. Algebra, History, etc etc. He is also learning Java programming, other fun stuff. Spanish....not so much. Last year we worked with Spanish for Children. He did the workbook, I helped. We didn't finish as in 6th grade it got left for last often.

 

This year I wanted something more indpendent, and with audio, so I we are using Monarch (the online version of Switched on Schoolhouse). I figured he had some introduction already, so we went with Secondary Spanish.(their order is Beginning, Secondary, then Spanish 1).

 

My son is a SMART kid. He has been tested, and is gifted. He has some learning issues (slow processing speed, horrid working memory). He is NOT getting spanish. I think there are a few reasons and need help teasing out what to do, and what the biggest problem is.

 

Part of it, I think, is that this is 7th grade, I've upped the workload a lot, and he can't get by with just reading it once and moving on. He will actually have to study.

 

Part of it is he has no interest in it. I've explained that to go to college he needs a certain number of credits in foreign language.

 

Part of it may be that we didn't cover enough last year, or the same things, so he has gaps that are hurting him. He remembers very little from last year I think. So the curriculum may be expecting more from him than is fair...or that he can do. This worries me the most....

 

Part may be he isn't used to an online program, and it just isn't working well for him.

 

 

For today I printed out the self quiz he took yesterday (and failed). I printed out the assignment it was based on...but he's right, not everything is in that lesson. Most everything is though. And I printed out the answer key. I figure he can look over the lesson again. Then redo the quiz on paper using the answer key as needed. Then retake it online, without the answer key. Does this sound like a good plan?

 

If we need to back up to beginner spanish....that means I'm totally out the 80 bucks or more I spent on Monarch, as there are no returns, and it expires after a certain amount of time, so I couldn't use it next year. I did Monarch instead of Switched on Schoolhouse because he spends time at his father's house, and so the ability to do it from both houses was a huge plus.

 

i'm open to other options...Rosetta Stone did NOT work for him..it was fun but he found it very very frustrating to not have things explained. There is a middle school spanish class once a week locally, at an enrichment center, but I don't think it covers much and once a week for a language seems like a poor idea.

Edited August 31, 2012 by ktgrok

[Entropymama]

Not much help, but Rosetta Stone didn't do it for my kids either. I really think that to learn a foreign language you need someone to talk to.

[Matryoshka]

Not much help, but Rosetta Stone didn't do it for my kids either. I really think that to learn a foreign language you need someone to talk to.

 

:iagree: But also from what I've seen of Spanish for Children it doesn't even come close to a year of Spanish. It's more like a "lite intro" for kids - so that's probably factoring in.

[ktgrok]

:iagree: But also from what I've seen of Spanish for Children it doesn't even come close to a year of Spanish. It's more like a "lite intro" for kids - so that's probably factoring in.

 

hmm...maybe we need to back up then. I'd hoped to get Spanish 1 done in 8th, freeing up more time in high school...but better to go back then fail the course.

[AngieW in Texas]

I like Visual Link Spanish. It worked very well for my middle dd who used it their level I as her high school Spanish I and then took Spanish I and Spanish II at the cc.

 

Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More are both based on immersion. But you don't really get immersion from using a computer program. You have to really be immersed and living the language to learn it by immersion.

 

Visual Link Spanish teaches everything explicitly.

[ktgrok]

I like Visual Link Spanish. It worked very well for my middle dd who used it their level I as her high school Spanish I and then took Spanish I and Spanish II at the cc.

 

Rosetta Stone and Tell Me More are both based on immersion. But you don't really get immersion from using a computer program. You have to really be immersed and living the language to learn it by immersion.

 

Visual Link Spanish teaches everything explicitly.

 

So you think this would be a good approximation of a Spanish 1 class, or a least a good preparation course for Spanish 1?

[Mommy_of_4]

Everything else on our schedule is going ok. Algebra, History, etc etc. He is also learning Java programming, other fun stuff. Spanish....not so much. Last year we worked with Spanish for Children. He did the workbook, I helped. We didn't finish as in 6th grade it got left for last often.

 

This year I wanted something more indpendent, and with audio, so I we are using Monarch (the online version of Switched on Schoolhouse). I figured he had some introduction already, so we went with Secondary Spanish.(their order is Beginning, Secondary, then Spanish 1).

 

My son is a SMART kid. He has been tested, and is gifted. He has some learning issues (slow processing speed, horrid working memory). He is NOT getting spanish. I think there are a few reasons and need help teasing out what to do, and what the biggest problem is.

 

Part of it, I think, is that this is 7th grade, I've upped the workload a lot, and he can't get by with just reading it once and moving on. He will actually have to study.

 

Part of it is he has no interest in it. I've explained that to go to college he needs a certain number of credits in foreign language.

 

Part of it may be that we didn't cover enough last year, or the same things, so he has gaps that are hurting him. He remembers very little from last year I think. So the curriculum may be expecting more from him than is fair...or that he can do. This worries me the most....

 

Part may be he isn't used to an online program, and it just isn't working well for him.

 

 

For today I printed out the self quiz he took yesterday (and failed). I printed out the assignment it was based on...but he's right, not everything is in that lesson. Most everything is though. And I printed out the answer key. I figure he can look over the lesson again. Then redo the quiz on paper using the answer key as needed. Then retake it online, without the answer key. Does this sound like a good plan?

 

If we need to back up to beginner spanish....that means I'm totally out the 80 bucks or more I spent on Monarch, as there are no returns, and it expires after a certain amount of time, so I couldn't use it next year. I did Monarch instead of Switched on Schoolhouse because he spends time at his father's house, and so the ability to do it from both houses was a huge plus.

 

i'm open to other options...Rosetta Stone did NOT work for him..it was fun but he found it very very frustrating to not have things explained. There is a middle school spanish class once a week locally, at an enrichment center, but I don't think it covers much and once a week for a language seems like a poor idea.

 

That part is not necessarily true. I didn't take any foreign language in high school and I am just now taking my first foreign language class in college as a junior. If he is not getting it, I would just put it away for awhile. You don't HAVE to have it to get into college. You just need to take a foreign language class before the end of your junior year according to all the colleges I have looked at.

[ktgrok]

Here in Florida they want at LEAST 2 years of a foreign language. Perferably more.

[Mommy_of_4]

Here in Florida they want at LEAST 2 years of a foreign language. Perferably more.

 

Well that sucks :( I can see why they do it though.

[kiwik]

Yousay there are no returns-fair enough but would the be amenable to switching to the lower level? There would probably be an admin fee but it would still be cheaper. I would ask it won't hurt and the worst they an do is say no.

[ktgrok]

Yousay there are no returns-fair enough but would the be amenable to switching to the lower level? There would probably be an admin fee but it would still be cheaper. I would ask it won't hurt and the worst they an do is say no.

 

That seems like it would be a fair idea. I sent them an email, we will see what they say. otherwise I may eat the cost and try the monthly subscription to Visual Link Spanish.

[MIch elle]

I bought it and tried it myself (never having Spanish) and I couldn't figure out what they wanted! I sent it back for a full refund. We used Spanish for Children for gr.7 and then ds took Spanish at public school for gr. 8-9 (now gr. 10).

 

I vote for finishing SfC A then going onto SfC B before moving to a full high school level Spanish program OR taking 2 years (gr. 8 & 9) in a high school level Spanish.

[stacim]

If you decide to go with Visual Link, they do have a discount code, HOMESCHOOL30, that will get you 30% off their products, not sure if that applies to the monthly subscription, though. Before I bought mine, I signed up for the free trial and they started sending me special offers by email almost immediately that were for prices lower than their sale price. They also have a great satisfaction guarantee, but again, not sure if that applies to the monthly subscription. We were happy with VL!

 

That seems like it would be a fair idea. I sent them an email, we will see what they say. otherwise I may eat the cost and try the monthly subscription to Visual Link Spanish.

[duckens]

VL has a homeschool code??? I wish we had known that!!!

 

We have purchased it for this year. It's still a little old for dd5, but mom has been getting lots of good use out of it :D; and I have dd do what she can on the computer.

 

We are happy with VL so far. You will need some sort of a microphone for the program.

 

Languages are tough. It's really hard to do well with them without another person to practice with. How is your Spanish? Could he do the lesson, then come and teach it to you? Speaking aloud is a very important part of languages. The understanding part and speaking part of our brains are in two different parts of our heads! (Okay....that explains a lot about some people! :D) As my old Spanish teacher put it (when we didn't want to do classroom participation): "I can't learn a language without speaking it. How about you?"

 

VL also has a certain number of free lessons. I highly recommend that you try them out as a try-before-you-buy. The lessons are much more bare-bones than the actual software. The software includes some pretty fun games for reinforcement.

 

If you explore VL, be sure to check out their video blog. Spanish Dave (yes--Spanish Dave!!!) shows you how to use the software to get the most out of it. You can find the video blog through the VL website or by searching for it on YouTube.

 

I would also like to add that we have had a couple of episodes already with needing customer service. The customer service has been very prompt and VERY helpful! I'm pretty tough on customer service, but I have to say that they have been great!

 

--In one episode, they sent us disks as a backup.

--The other time, they explained, "This is how that part of the software works."

 

P.S. In Iowa, 3 years of a language are required to have it waived as a requirement at the state universities. It has been this way for a couple of decades.

 

 

I hope you find what works for you!!!

[StephanieZ]

How about jumping to Getting Started With Spanish for a couple months, then trying again with what you've already bought?

 

If it is STILL too hard for him, then I guess you can call the $80 lost, but I bet with GSWS, he would have a lot better time with it (unless the program just stinks or is way over his head).

 

http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Started-Spanish-Homeschoolers-Self-Taught/dp/0979505135

 

It is really easy to implement and to do largely independently. If you can check his answers daily in a couple minutes, you'll be golden.

 

FWIW, I always had dd COPY the spanish sentences before translating them. I think the copying really helps cement the spanish spelling, grammar, etc w/ very little pain. :)

 

I think there are 177 lessons. With my 8 yo last year, I had her do a lesson each day. For a 12 yo, I'd say do two lessons a day, and you'll get it done in half a year (or less if you accelerate it more). Then you can spend the rest of the year seeing how much good you can get out of that $80.

 

HTH