Spanish, Any recommendations for 4-5 grade? Options

[yjja123]

I need to start teaching the kids a foreign language. Living in Florida, Spanish is they way to go. I do NOT know Spanish
Anyone have any recommendations for a great Spanish program?
I was going to buy the Power-glide Spanish prpgram but read a ton of negatives on the homeschool review site. Now I just don't know?
Help!
Thanks!
Yvonne

[Appliejuice]

I am going to look into Rosetta Stone. I don't know what the reviews are in homeschool articles, but everything I have heard about them is good. They are pricey.

[Donna]

We have the Rosetta Stone. My son half-heartedly used it. He did not want to learn a foreign language (other than computer languages that is). He always passed the quizzes, but he didn't put any effort into it at all. He did it because I told him to do it and the State of TN requires it.

My opinion of Rosetta Stone is it has the potential to be a great tool to learn a language, but the student has to engage the brain as well as the want-to. The student will also have to complete the whole thing and work on it daily. Work on the pictures, the words and their accent, (if you have a mic, it will analyze your accent).

You'll also need a Spanish/English dictionary and maybe/possibly a verb book? Don't buy any books until you see a need. ... (I can not recall how the grammar is taught, it may be mixed in with the other stuff.)

[krodriguez]

We are going to be using Rosetta Stone for next year. My honey speaks Spanish and after much looking, this is what we have agreed on. I agree with Donna about the working on the accent and working on it daily.

I can already speak some Spanish but am by no means fluent so the girls and I will be doing it together and I can brush up. Also, we will be only speaking Spanish during dinner after a semester of learning it.

The spanish dictionary does seem to be important, but that is just my opinion. You can find them really cheap sometimes.

Good luck!

[2Bgracious]

We are using Powerglide Jr for Spanish. My kids are loving it so far. It is slowly immersive. They listen to stories that slowly use more and more Spanish and less and less English. And they do activities in between the story parts.

[prlegl]

[COLOR=blue]We use Rosetta Stone also. I would say my story is alot like Donna's. My son does great at it if I can get him to do it but he acts like he is dying. I thought for sure he would love it because he would rather be ont he computer then anywhere. I didn't even make him do the workbook and stuff so that he didn't start to hate it. He is the same way with Latin. So I decided to give it a rest until next year and see what happens. Is there anyone that started a language like Latin or Spanish and then just dropped it? I feel like a failure if I do but I don't want him to give up either.

[yjja123]

Would you say Rosetta Stone is ok for children in grade 4/5? Or would it be too hard? What grade did you start spanish?
Thanks!
Yvonne

[Donna]

We use it for high school years, but then we are just going for the requirements and the credits

It is an easy program and I'd guess that any reading child could use it. If a person just used the picture parts, it might even be ok for non-readers as well, but don't quote me on that.

[Nancy in FL]

We used Power Glide Jr.

[krodriguez]

I was completely and totally wrong awhile ago. For some reason, I had thought we were going to be using Rosetta Stone, but that is not the one we had decided on!!

We, too, are going with Powerglide for next year. We are looking forward to using the map and other things they have for the kids.

I am such a ditz and sorry about the post above!! I need to get my brains checked out or maybe get some of the air released!

[prlegl]

We use it and my son is 7 1/2 and just finishing 2nd grade. He does great on the computer part but I don't have him do the workbook. His handwriting isn't that good and he hates to right so I didn't want him to hate the program because he had to do book work.

[pjadams]

I am going to try Rosetta Stone again this year. I don't understand the Administrative stuff and I don't want to even mess with it. Can I just ignore it and still have success with the program? I wish someone had lesson plans written out for it, like the ones here at the forum for Streams or for Science.

[krodriguez]

Once again, we have changed our minds. We will not be purchasing curriculum for Spanish this year. We decided to teach them simple phrases and such. My honey is fluent and so he will be teaching us phrases like "Tu comida esta en la concina." (Your food is in the kitchen.)

We decided that since he is fluent he should be teaching us not someone else. I am actually looking forward to this bc it will be much more laid back and easier on me!

[gsmp]

I use La Clase Divertida. The kids like it and it is basic and fun for us.

The Fun Class

Here are a couple of sites with reviews on this program.

Homeschool Review

Cathy Duffy Reviews

The first one has both pros and cons, so you get a fairly unbiased opinion.

If your looking for something more formal, I hear Rosetta Stone and the Abeka Spanish are both good to use.

If you have any other questions about this one I can answer them or you can email Senor Gamache. He is a very nice person and will try to be helpful.

[chocolatelover]

I am fluent in Spanish. And I really liked Rosetta Stone. I like the picture parts the best. I believe that program is closest to Mexican Spanish.
I have heard about La Classe Divertida that Ginger is using,,, I thought about using it too, to reinforce what we do.
If your child is young.. there are alot of websites that have spanish coloring sheets and worksheets you could use.
If you live in an area where there is a large Spainish population you may consider asking someone to teach your children. I believe it is so much easier to learn it when you have to. I didn't know much Spanish even though I am Hispanic. When that was all I was around, and to speak w/ anyone I had to speak Spainish I learned very quickly.