Homeschool World Forum

jslcbb · Posted: Wed Nov 11, 2009 9:43 am Post subject: What foreign language to use?

Does anyone have any suggestions for a foreign language? I am wanting to start with spanish since there is a large spanish speaking population around us. I am looking for something that is not so expensive. I was going to go with Rosetta Stone, but the cost is just so high. I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions for some others out there.

Reepicheep · User Joined: 14 Dec 2008 Posts: 9

Find the nearest Hispanic outreach ministry. Have your child teach ESL to the pastor's wife or child in exchange for instruction in Spanish. Free, plus doing missions work at the same time.
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efxmel · User Joined: 22 Oct 2009 Posts: 9 Location: Tennessee

Check with your local library. My library offers Rosetta stone for free - just have to have a library card. I have not tried to use it myself but some Drs. I work for did and they found it helpful.

Good luck,
Mel
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gizzy · User Joined: 21 Dec 2009 Posts: 8

Dont be caught up in Faddish stuff just because it is popular. Rosetta Stone has its strengths, I'm sure, but people can learn Spanish without it. They've done it for YEARS. Even in Public Schools.

Go to the library and start checking out all the Spanish Kids books. Go to your local resell shops and browse around. Get all the Spanish workbooks you can find and CD's.

Even if your child is older than the 3-12 benchmark most of those materials are covered in. If you dont know your colors, shapes and alphabet in Spanish you can learn them just as well from free-cheap resources.

You can use a site like LiveMocha.com for free language lessons that follow the RS pattern, though they are not the HIGHEST of quality. I trust their Spanish and French sections.

Also, for Spanish there is 123teachme.com (Probably a lot better than just Livemocha.com, its been a while since I used them). Get Kids DVD's and VHS's about Spanish or switch their DVD's into Spanish when they watch them.

If your kids are of reading level, learning to read Spanish is REALLY simple, for an English speaker who can read. I did it in one-two days, its really, really phonetic. Get Hooked on Phonics Learn to Read (The Spanish Langauge Version) called "Hooked on Phonics Apprender a leer"

Play Dora/Diego type games and get a My first 100, 500, or 1000 words in Spanish book, which ever one works for your kids and begin going through it with them.

pecangrove · User Joined: 11 Jun 2008 Posts: 31 Location: SC, USA

I am going to try SOS Spanish for my DS, who will be in 3rd gr next year.
It's about $80, so it's not super cheap, but not nearly as expensive as Rosetta Stone, plus the reviews I've read haven't been that great on RS, either.
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