Homemade Spanish I That's Working!

[Saddlemomma]

I just get so excited when something I've planned, but was so nervous about, is actually working.  I knew that there weren't that many high school Spanish curricula out there.  I also knew that we wouldn't be able to afford outsourcing it.  In addition, the Spanish offered at the local high school was a horrible joke when my eldest DD took it.  For every class all they did was watch House in English with Spanish sub-titles.  I was outraged, but the school wouldn't do anything about it.

 

So there I was, trying to figure out a way to get a good HS-level Spanish curriculum for my DD, so I could give her a credit for 8th.  I knew that I could teach it and be fine because I had 5 years of Spanish in HS and was offered a position in a local Christian school to teach Spanish 1 a few years ago.  The problem was  how to teach it - method and quality materials. I wanted to incorporate grammar, speaking, writing, and reading/listening comprehension.  Most curricula out there is missing one or two of those elements.

 

I found our perfect fit.  I'm using Easy Spanish Step-by-Step combined with GCP: Learning Spanish.  On the first day of each week I actively teach a lesson from Easy Spanish, making sure DD has the correct pronunciation and understands the concept taught. The next day, she watches a corresponding lecture from GCP to reinforce the lesson. Then we go over vocabulary and any verb conjugations that were in the lesson.  I have DD write Spanish sentences on the WB were I can correct her as she writes. Then we read and translate them together. If we have time, we have a mock conversation in Spanish using what we have learned.  This usually ends in a fit of giggles.

 

On the third day, we again review vocab and conjugations.  Then DD splits the rest of her hour of class into watching an episode of Destinos and doing Duolingo.  On the fourth day, we either have a quiz or review vocab, then DD reads aloud the reading comprehension portion of the Easy Spanish lesson, as well as a chapter in Easy Spanish Reader.  She must then translate the passages in both, and answer questions from both in Spanish orally.

 

DD LOVES her Spanish class.  We have fun, and it's very relaxed.  She is really grasping the mechanics of the language quickly as well.  The funny thing is, that she really wanted to learn Japanese, but after we gave up on Latin (I kept getting mixed up with Spanish vs. Latin and we both had trouble with declensions and more), I told her that we were going to do Spanish so I could really help her along. After two years of Spanish to satisfy college requirements, I promised she could switch to Japanese in 10th.  Now she tells me she wants to stick with Spanish through HS and then maybe learn Italian in college.  

 

We are, so far, having a great year!  

[Ethel Mertz]

Very cool! Thanks for posting what you're doing!