BrittanyM Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 My DD will be 6 at the end of December and I plan on starting 1st grade with her in January (she is currently working through Saxon Phonics K and just started CLE Math 1). I really like the look of SSS and want to do spanish with her at some point. I was considering it for this next year but since there is no level 2 for her to move into in 2nd grade I am wondering if it would be better to wait until 2nd to do it and then move into another program in 3rd? Any tips or ideas? I've looked into La Clase Divertida and didn't love the look of it or all the crafty parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnaj Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Following. I am curious as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I am using it this fall with my third grader and kindergartener. To be honest, I am not sure what I will follow it with for my kindergartener, but I was thinking of just reinforcing it for first grade (taking two years for him with it) and trying to gently start Spanish for Children in second, but I will have to play it by ear. I don't really see a whole lot out there for the younger crowd, but I love the looks of SSS. It just looks like fun and engaging. They asked to learn Spanish because they thought it would be fun, and I wanted to encourage that. We are moving closer to the border in a heavily bilingual area, and we felt it was very important for our kids. Even more important than (gasp!) Latin. :) P.S. We plan to do Latin in the older grades, but we wanted to take advantage of their young minds in learning to speak a very useful language in the early years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 How about... 1st: Song School Spanish 2nd: The Fun Spanish 3rd: Spanish for Children Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrittanyM Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 Spreading it out over two years is a good idea, we could definitely do that. I also think for our particular situation Spanish is the better choice at this age, so I know what you mean. We live in central California and could find lots of opportunity to practice! DD is learning some Latin though through her Classical Conversations memory work as well (we did it last year and will work on the memory work this coming year, but not participate in a community). The Fun Spanish looks really good, thank you for the suggestion, I hadn't seen it before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaD Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I am very curious, too! I've looked into both options: La clase divertida (1,2,&3) Or 1st: Song School Spanish 2nd: The Fun Spanish 3rd: Spanish for Children I like that la clase divertida includes culture about the different regions and cooking. And while I am so not crafty, I like that the crafts have all materials included. A huge selling point for me is that there is progression thru the three levels. I really liked the look of song school spanish but was so disappointed to find out there is only one level. (The company did tell me they are writing a second level but have no estimated time of release.). I looked at the fun spanish but can't see how it would be fun (especially compared to the above mentioned programs) but it does look thorough. I think both la clase divertida and song school spanish/ spanish for children sound appealing because they teach to multiple learning modalities. I am following this post because I am truly torn on which of the two paths mentioned above I should pursue for spanish for my children. I really want to decide soon, so I can purchAse and begin planning. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insertcreativenamehere Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I am planning to use Song School Spanish for my 5 yo and 7 yo this fall. I don't expect them to be fluent by any means but I do want to expose them to the language in a fun, engaging way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyerin Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I'm working my way through Salsa with my rising first graders now, and when we finish, we'll do Song School, I think. That should get us through 2nd grade or close to it, and I plan to do Latin after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexi Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 1st - Song School Spanish 2nd - Getting Started with Spanish 3rd - Spanish for Children Just a thought. We are slowly working through GSWS and my dd just finished 2nd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 We started with Teach Them Spanish! - Grade K in kindergarten and then proceeded with Grade 1 after that. This past year, we started Song School Spanish partway through first grade (DD was six). We are stretching it out and will be finishing it up in second. We'll finish it around Christmas. We're taking our time with it because I haven't been able to find a good option to follow it. We study Spanish on Tuesday and Thursday. We complete one-third of a SSS lesson each day. Sometimes, it will take us four days to get through one lesson, if I have DD complete the extra chapter worksheet in the teacher's guide (sometimes she completes this on day three with the "Show What You Know"). One thing about Song School Spanish is that your DC will need to be able to write fairly well. It's not horribly writing-intensive, but some lessons may make the handwriting-phonic child cry. Sure, you could complete the lessons orally, but I think it's a disservice to the child at this level. I wouldn't recommend it for most K students, but first grade is perfect, I think. Just s-t-r-e-t-c-h it out. Could even start it second semester. What we did for Teach Them Spanish!... http://bluehouseschool.blogspot.com/search/label/Teach%20Them%20Spanish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverMoon Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Fwiw, I don't think the Song School ______ books lend themselves to spreading across two years. I'd use Song School at normal speed, but wouldn't hesitate to spread SFC out and slow it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ondreeuh Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 We're going to use SSS this fall. After we're done, Couldn't we just do some nice Spanish language CDs (like Whistlefritz) and The Complete Book of Spanish 1-3? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitterpatter Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 My thought is that once you start a foreign language, you want to keep building on it or really, what's the point? We used Whistlefritz DVDs before SSS. They are very Pre-K/K in nature. Not to say that my seven-year-old wouldn't happily sit through them a time or two for reinforcement sake, but they wouldn't expand what she learned with SSS. I *think* "The Complete Book of Spanish" is various books of Teach Them Spanish! and other Carson-Dellosa products mushed into one volume. I would consider it more of a supplement than true curriculum. It also lacks an audio component, which I think is pretty important at this stage. We're going to use SSS this fall. After we're done, Couldn't we just do some nice Spanish language CDs (like Whistlefritz) and The Complete Book of Spanish 1-3? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventuresinHomeschooling Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 I guess when I say I will take 2 years, I plan for him to just do the cd's with big brother in kindergarten so he is included and do the workbook stuff in first grade. Because it is kindergarten, I just want him to be exposed to hearing it and singing songs. He is still learning to read, so I don't think it should be very intensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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