High school Spanish curric. w/ same approach as Latin Alive?

[Renaissance Mom]

Weird question, I know. Dd is in her second year of Latin studies with Classical Academic Press' Latin Alive and is thriving. Does anyone know if there is a high school level Spanish program out there with a similar approach? (parts to whole, vocab/grammar focus, engaging readings/translation work, teaching DVDs directed to the student)

 

I know only a bit of Spanish (learned while teaching Spanish for Children A to younger kids and traveling in Guatemala and Mexico). So dd needs something faily independent for at least Spanish I and maybe II. (I realize she'll need either a comm coll class or some other outside class to go beyond that since I'm not proficient in Spanish. She really does NOT want to do an online class --otherwise I would have jumped at La Clase Divertida online classes.)

 

Thanks, or should I say, Gracias,

[Pamela in VA]

We have been using Latin Alive and dd 14 loves it and is doing really well (our 2nd year also, but still finishing LA1). We started BJU Spanish this year and she's struggling with it because the approach is different (more whole to parts). Fortunately, I remember enough Spanish from HS that I am now filling in the gaps with complete verb conjugations and doing it the LA way. The light bulb went on for her.

 

BJU has verb charts in the back that I am having her use when new material is presented. For example, in Chapter 2, they were only given the singular present conjugations of "tener" and had to "absorb" them from dialogue and exercises. Total confusion...but, once I showed her the chart in the back and taught her the rest of the conjugation, she was fine.

 

Maybe you could help your dd to approach the Spanish this way even if her textbook does it differently.

 

On the other hand, I'd love if anyone knows of a Spanish program more like LA. Dd would be ecstatic.

 

HTH,

Pamela F. in VA

[Renaissance Mom]

I've looked at Breaking the Barrier and Galore Park's SYRWTL Spanish. They seem to meet our needs for emphasis on parts to whole, vocab, grammar, as well as written largely to the student. However, I can't tell if BTB offers any translation exercises -- either sentences or more substantial readings. I see that SYRWTL does sentence translations, but can't tell if there are any more substantial readings to work through at the beginning level.

 

Can anyone provide any insight on at least these aspects?

 

Thanks,