Spanish I and Spanish II done from home..... What to use?

[Sweet Home Alabama]

I'm trying to find a way to get Spanish I and Spanish II done at home.  I have read many, many posts about Spanish on the board, and based on what I've read, I really don't know if it will be possible to do both.  I took Spanish I in high school, so I think that I can get my student through that.  But Spanish II?????  I would like Spanish II to use the same curriculum as Spanish I.  I need something that will get two students through two years of high school Spanish.

 

I also want something that will do the teaching for me.  A computer program would be fine as long as it is on DVD. Our internet service is limited in monthly data usage, so we can't do anything that is streaming.  A workbook program would also be fine.   A combination of the two would work well too.  I really don't know a native speaker who can tutor my kids or practice the language with them.  Bummer.

 

We have and completed Rosetta Stone Spanish during jr. high.  My kids didn't like it at all; I didn't either.  It taught vocabulary, but failed to effectively teach grammar. My oldest is currently finishing Spanish II through our home school cover school.  Her class is taught by a native Spanish speaker, and they are using Alpha Omega Lifepaks. These classes have been fair but not as good as they could be.  I'm just thinking there must be something better and maybe cheaper too.  These classes will be my fall-back if I can't find any way to do Spanish from home.

 

I'm considering Visual Link Spanish.  Do you all have opinions about this?  I'll be calling them today to ask some questions. So many other possibilities I've looked at are so expensive.  

 

Clearly, I'm looking for the cheapest Spanish I and II curriculum that is effectively self-teaching, enjoyable, and will work with two students.  That's not asking too much, is it?   So, what do you all suggest?  I'm sure there are others, but these are the programs I see over and over again.  

 

Visual Link Spanish- looks like the most promising at the moment

Destinos- not really a good fit with these two kids.

Plimsleur- expensive

The Fun Spanish- expensive

BJU- teacher intensive/difficult for home use without the DVDs.... expensive with the DVDs

Breaking the Barrier- inconclusive: either love or hate curriculum

ACE- seems possible.  I want to find out more about the company, though before I would buy this.

SYRWTLS- Not Latin American Spanish

Duolingo- Steraming???  

LiveMocha- Not comfortable with this

Oklahoma State- going on memory- seems like this was on the expensive side

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EndOfOrdinary]

I'm just stalking your post.  I don't have a ton to add, sorry.  We are in a similar predicament with attempting to find suitable Spanish curriculum that doesn't require a native speaker or a massive amount of mom-help.

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Thank you both for responding!

My dd is using AO LifePacs this year in her Spanish II class with our cover school.  She took Spanish I last year using AO Spanish I.  She has had the same teacher for both classes.

 

Based on dd's experience with AO LifePacs, she thinks Spanish II really needs a teacher. I only took Spanish I in high school, but  both of us believe Spanish I could be done at home. We certainly already have the audio CDs, so this is definitely an option.  I'm searching for Spanish for her younger siblings now.   If I were able to choose a curriculum that does the teaching for me, that would be even better.

 

I've read a lot of posts about what to use for Spanish I, but I haven't run across threads describing what to use for Spanish I that continues into Spanish II.  I was hoping this question would generate new discussion.  

 

 

 

[Jeanine in TX]

We use a combination of Madrigal Spanish and Visual Link. Both teach grammar, but Madrigal is slightly stronger. We mainly use Visual Link for reinforcement of vocabulary and accent.

[stephanie]

I think deciding on what your ultimate goal in Spanish is may help as well. If you plan on your kids being fluent, then you will need something that allows them to converse. If you're looking for them to have exposure to the language, culture, have a fairly simple understanding of the language, or be able to ask for directions when they visit a Spanish speaking country :tongue_smilie:, then you can probably go with something easier like Lifepacs. We are doing Lifepacs, but I have a Spanish background so I'm able to add in my own understanding as well. I don't expect ds to be completely fluent, but I do hope for him to have a good understanding of the language, as well as study it thoroughly enough to earn a credit for each year of Spanish. My hopes are to immerse him in the study of the language through Lifepacs...until I find something I like better. For now, Lifepacs are doing the job, and I think it presents the concepts in small increments as to not be so overwhelming. It's working for us...for now!

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Thank you for reminding me of Madrigals, Jeanine.  I couldn't see an example of this at Amazon, so I'm not sure what it's like.  I read at least one and maybe two positive threads about this. It seems to get great reviews at Amazon.   A few questions... Is it thorough enough to cover Spanish I and II?  Is it self-teaching? Also, how do you align it with Visual Link?

 

Stephanie,  I think I could get my younger kids through Spanish I with LifePacs, but that is it.  I never had Spanish II.  My daughter who has/is using LifePacs for Spanish I and II agrees.  The teacher assigns a ton of pages of homework in Spanish II that my dd usually understands, but the work requires the teacher's input as well.  Since I never took Spanish II, I have to think that I would need help if I were to try to teach this.  

 

What is your opinion about Lifepacks for Spanish II in a case like mine?  

 

As for seriousness.... my kids have not ever expressed an interest in being fluent in a different language.  For the most part, we are simply checking a box. 

[stephanie]

I haven't looked through Spanish 2 yet in Lifepacs. I did have Spanish 2 and was raised by my Mexican granny....so I have some experience with the language. Part of my thought process is this-ds 18 who took 2 years of Spanish in Public school and can't recall hardly anything. After speaking with him about what he felt high school Spanish was about, he said he felt it definitely wasn't a subject taught to be fluent in...not in the way they teach. Outside of class, there is no conversation at all so there's no real practice. So if my dc express an interest in being completely fluent (which they haven't) then I would definitely pursue something more than Lifepac's Spanish 2 like an online program or something that they can converse with regularly. My children prefer to be fluent in a language like ASL over Spanish...although Spanish would be the wiser language to learn considering where we live.

 

I hope this helps a bit. I am also trying to hash out Spanish for the rest of school, as well as a third credit for foreign language. I would prefer Latin since we did Latin all through elementary and most of Jr. High, but the kids aren't so excited about that.

[claluck]

I have no real experience in this yet either.  But I already own visual link 1 and 2 (and they have a third level)  and will be using them paired with madrigals as well.  I don't plan to line them up as they don't seem like they would line up like that. They are totally different ways to tackling spanish but I believe they both offer something good.  I will probably require all three levels of visual link to be completed at the end and who knows what else.  If you do it right along with them it makes it easier to try and converse with them at dinner and such using the newly acquired words from that days lessons.

 

I do agree that if you aren't learning it to become fluent, then that should be good enough.  Honestly I got very little out of my Spanish classes in high school.  I love the idea of having my kids privately tutored to become fluent but it is both impossible where we live and probably out of my budget even if it were possible.  

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Thank you, Claluck.  I struggle with finding a REAL Spanish I and II curriculum for my kids that they can do from home vs. what is practically out there for someone like me who has never had that much Spanish.  Seems like there is plenty of Spanish I material, but Spanish II is  much different.  It requires greater depth and more skill.  Is there less out there for Spanish II?  Seems like it.

 

I contacted VL via email today but have not heard back from them.  I'm not sure if their three levels correspond with Spanish I,  II, and III or not.  Are they high school credit worthy?  I have to wait until after midnight to try their sample due to our internet service; that is when we get unlimited data.  It 's hard to try Spanish when I want more than anything to sleep!   :tongue_smilie:

 

 

[mom2jjka]

My daughter is using The Learnables, and she really enjoys it. 

They offer a decent mix of CD-roms, audio CD's, and books/workbooks.

It is not cheap, but not as bad as Rosetta stone - and we have found good deals on it at the Homeschool Buyers Co-op website.

[PeterPan]

Is there any chance of changing the internet plan?  Around here we get unlimited streaming starting at $14.95 a month through the cable company.  Are you very rural and on satellite or something?

[Sweet Home Alabama]

Unfortunately, we can't get cable. We were so spoiled when we had it and miss it terribly!