El Rincσn Espaρol - homeschool Spanish support

Nov. 5, 2009 - Plaza Sιsamo - Ricas Frutas

How fun!  Sesame Street is beloved by kids (and adults) all over the world.  This charming video comes from Mexico's Plaza Sésamo, and teaches the names of Ricas Frutas/yummy fruits and promotes their health benefits in a cute and catchy way.  An added bonus for the Spanish learner: it is subtitled in English!

See if you can pick up on the names of the following fruits as you watch and listen:

la sandia - watermelon
la naranja - orange
el banano - banana
la manzana - apple
la cirhuela - plum
el durazno - peach
los melones - melons
la guayaba - guava
la papaya - papaya
las uvas - grapes
la piña - pineapple
la toronja - grapefruit

If you enjoyed the lead singer's voice, his name is Alex Syntek, and he is a popular latin pop singer.  You can hear more from him at your favorite music download site.



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Nov. 2, 2009 - Some pictures from our Dνa de los Muertos celebration...


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It is customary on Day of the Dead to make an "ofrenda" or offering for the spirits of departed loved ones.  While this has roots in the belief that the spirits actually visit the ofrenda, most people today consider it a way to celebrate and remember departed loved ones.  A typical ofrenda will contain candles, marigolds, bread, tequila, a pitcher of water, candy, sugar skulls, fruit, items that belonged to the departed ones, and photos of them.  My family doesn't really celebrate Day of the Dead, but I set this up as a lesson for my kids, and for other homeschoolers who visited us that day.  It turned out be be a lovely way to set aside a day to remember and celebrate family members who I miss!


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Nov. 1, 2009 - miniWord Reference



Mini Word Reference is an exciting new widget I found that I can't resist bringing to your attention.  I have long used and relied on the Word Reference site, and recommend it at every opportunity.  It is now available as a widget that you can conveniently use while on this site, or place on a site that you use frequently. 

Check out the Word Reference site at www.wordreference.com for more freebies, including Iphone apps and toolbars to add to your browser window.  Please Word Reference people - make a Blackberry app!

I can honestly say that as I've grown more dependent upon Word Reference and its forums, my big unabridged Spanish-English dictionary has been gathering dust.  Maybe I can refinish it and use it as an end table?


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Nov. 1, 2009 - Son como dos gotas de agua

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Phrase of the Week:


Son como dos gotas de agua
(sohn COH-moh dohs GOH-tahs day AH-gwa)

They're exactly alike! / They're two of a kind
(Literally: They are like two drops of water)

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Oct. 30, 2009 - Over the Top



Thanks to Debbie at http://unafamiliaalaskena.blogspot.com/ for this fun little blog award!  I am now supposed to answer the following questions using one word only (a rule which I will probably break), and then pass the award on to three more blogs.  Here goes....

1. Where is your cell phone? nightstand
2. Your hair? fine, thank you
3. Your mother? MSRIP
4. Your father? MHRIP
5. Your favorite food? Mexican
6. Your dream last night? complicated
7. Your favorite drink? water (well, really margaritas, but it is not practical to be swigging those all day)
8. Your goal? successful homeschooling
9. What room are you in? office
10. Your hobby? knitting
11. Your fear? Alzheimer's
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? somewhere with trees
13. Where were you last night? home
14. Something you aren’t? judgmental
15. Muffins? orange-cranberry
16. Wish list item? more books
17. Where did you grow up? Indiana
18. Last thing you did? made breakfast
19. What are you wearing? workout clothes
20. Your TV? big
21. Your pets? cute hammy & cranky rabbit
22. Your friends? wonderful
23. Your life? good-busy
24. Your mood? is brain fog a mood?
25. Missing someone? family
26. Vehicle? Suburban Assault Vehicle (Nissan Quest)
27. Something you’re not wearing? stupid question!?!!?
28. Your favorite store? mega Barnes & Nobles and Kohl's
29. Your favorite color? blue
30. When was the last time you laughed? last night
31. Last time you cried? do you really care?
32. Your best friend? is a blast
33. One place that I go over and over? the store
34. One person who emails me regularly? ummmm...Facebook notifications
35. Favorite place to eat? anywhere but fast food/buffet/cafeteria

I am passing on this award to...

Sandra at http://mariposamontessoriblog.blogspot.com/
Katie at http://ourfaithadventure.blogspot.com/
Adriana at http://mybilingualboys.blogspot.com/

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Oct. 29, 2009 - The Lord's Prayer - El Padre Nuestro

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Padre nuestro,
que estás en el cielo.
Santificado sea tu nombre.
Venga tu reino.
Hágase tu voluntad en la tierra como en el cielo.
Danos hoy nuestro pan de cada día.
Perdona nuestras ofensas,
como también nosotros perdonamos a los que nos ofenden.
No nos dejes caer en tentación y líbranos del mal.
Amén.


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Oct. 28, 2009 - A fun site for Spanish language TV

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This site has all the must-see TV that you can handle in Spanish.  Spanish geeks rejoice - it's all here!  Check out FOMNY.com
  Ready to watch 54 TV channels from Spain, 28 from Argentina, and 19 from other South American Nations? 

Just select your country in the upper left, click on the icon of the station you want to see, and watch a live TV feed from that country.  Double click on the video to watch it full screen.  You will find that some stations will not work, and some prompt you to download a plug-in.  No worries, just try a different station.  At any given time, I have been able to get several to work, and have never downloaded any plug-ins.

You'll recognize some of the logos, like Disney, and various cartoon characters.  The word pelicula indicates a movie channel, and deportes are sports.  News is sometimes simply news, or noticias.

Disclaimer: I wouldn't let my kids just surf through this unsupervised any more than I would let them watch just anything on regular TV... so be judicious.

Oh... I just found That 70s Show in Spanish!

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Oct. 26, 2009 - Hablando del Rey de Roma....

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Phrase of the week:

Hablando del Rey de Roma...
(ah-BLAHN-doh dehl ray day ROH-mah)

Speak of the devil....
(literally: speaking of the King of Rome...)

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Oct. 21, 2009 - El Dνa de los Muertos


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It's just around the corner, Mexico's traditional celebration of El Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead.  Not to be confused with Halloween, this celebration celebrates death as part of the cycle and process of life.  It is not a time to fear death, but to mock it, while remembering the lives of loved ones who are gone.  Yes, the roots of this celebration come from pre-Christian ancestor worship, but today focuses on remembering the lives of the departed.  Pagan roots still mix freely with Christian aspects that were added later, and the result is a beautiful and uniquely Mexican celebration.

Read more about this amazing celebration here


*Bonus!  Don't miss Adriana over at My Bilingual Boys - she's devoting this week to blogging about her family's celebration.  Check it out here!


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Oct. 20, 2009 - News Vocab

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"El Noticiero Univision con Jorge Ramos y María Elena Salinas es la fuente principal de noticias para los hispanos en Estados Unidos. Todos los días a las 6 PM Este / 5 Centro por Univision."

"The Univision News Bureau with Jorge Ramos and Maria Elena Salinas is the main source of news for Hispanics in the United States.  Daily at 6pm Eastern/5 Central on Univision"

From the Univision Website.

Jorge Ramos has been called by some "The Hispanic Peter Jennings".  This man, and the station he represents, are a force to reckoned with not only in the business of News ratings, but in politics and the shaping of contemporary culture.  In some markets in our country, Noticiero Univision beats out rating for the three major networks combined. 

So without further ado, I'd like to share some words and phrases I have learned by watching the news in Spanish:
  • maremoto - an earthquake at sea
  • terremoto - earthquake on land
  • sequestro - kidnapping
  • rehenes - hostages
  • con las manos en la masa - red-handed
  • detenido - arrested
  • tras las rejas - behind bars
  • presentador/a - newscaster
  • Irak - Iraq
  • gases lacrimogénos - tear gas
  • manifestaciones - riots, demonstrations
  • huelga - strike
  • francotirador - sniper
  • sicario - hit man
  • chocó - crashed
  • los detalles más adelante - details coming up later
  • influenza porcina - swine flu
  • indocumentados - illegal aliens
  • bomba casera - homemade bomb
  • coche bomba - car bomb
  • ataque terrorista - terrorist attack
  • vocero/a - spokesperson
  • en manos de la justicia - in the hands of justice
  • bajo fianzas - on bail

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Oct. 18, 2009 - ‘Eres muy valiente!

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Phrase of the week:

¡Eres muy valiente!
(EHR-ehs mwee val-ee-EHN-tay)

You're very brave/courageous!

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Oct. 15, 2009 - Ojalα que llueva cafe en el campo - Juan Luis Guerra



Ojalá que Llueva Café en el Campo por Juan Luis Guerra
I wish it rained coffee in the countryside by Juan Luis Guerra

In this catchy merengue tune, Guerra sings about hunger in his own country and others.  In addition to coffee, see if you can hear some of the other foods he asks for: arroz (rice), yucca, miel (honey), trigo (wheat), queso blanco (white cheese), batatas (potatoes), and fresas (strawberries) just to name a few.


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Oct. 13, 2009 - El Abanico

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What is a more quintessential image of Spanish culture in many minds than the graceful hand fan?  Called el abanico in Spanish, it brings to mind images of flamenco dancers, ladies of decades long past, and unrelenting heat.  Despite the fact that its days of practicality and fashion are long past, you will likely find fans like this in the homes of many people of Spanish heritage.

This fan was a gift from Sandra, who has contributed ideas to this blog, and has begun an amazing blog of her own.  She had her in-laws bring one from Spain just for me!  ¡Muchas gracias Sandra!  ¡Qué lindo es!

I have since learned that folding fans have been used in Spain going back to the 1500s, and that for years most hand fans in Spain were imported from France and Italy.  King Carlos II tried to regulate and limit the importation of fans in the 1600s, but met with little success.  In 1832 a royal factory of fans was established in Valencia, and the importation of fans from France was prohibited.  Spain's domestic fan industry grew, and there are said to be some 40 factories that still produce fans today.  (my source).

Much has been said about the way that women communicated with fans.  According to one site, if a woman covers her eyes briefly with her fan in the site of an onlooker, it is to signal that she loves him.  Touching the fan to the left cheek is a non-verbal no, while touching it to the right cheek is a non-verbal .  The speed with which she fanned herself was also taken to be an indicator of her marital status or availability.

Someone got the idea in the late 1800s to attach several hand fans to a motor and rotate them on the ceiling... and the rest is history.

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Oct. 11, 2009 - Ahora te toca a ti

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Phrase of the week:

Ahora te toca a ti
(ah-OHR-ah tay TOH-kah ah tee)

Now it's your turn

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Oct. 8, 2009 - Counting in Spanish

This catchy video is especially geared toward young children, but even more mature learners will probably learn something.  Boca Beth teaches counting to 10, as well as some other terminology that will be learned in context.  In the second half of the video, she promotes a CD she has produced.  Take it or leave it - but enjoy this spunky free video!


 

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Oct. 6, 2009 - My Bilingual Boys

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Whenever I meet a kindrid spirit on the internet, I wish I could just sit down with her over some churros y chocolate and enjoy a little chit-chat time.  I would pick her cerebro for ideas, but mostly I would enjoy her compañía and her shared love of all things español.

 Así es the case with Adriana.  She is raising her darling hijos bilingually, and blogs about it here. She teaches High School Spanish part time, and is a fluent Spanish speaker.  Please give her a visit and take advantage of her creative ideas to enhance Spanish learning in your own casa.

Her sidebar also has numerous links to other blogs that may interest you.  So many blogs maravillosos y estupendos, so little time...

¡Gracias Adriana por compartir tus ideas con todos!  Thanks for sharing your ideas with everyone Adriana!

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Oct. 4, 2009 - Pass the salt

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Phrase of the week:

Pásame la sal, por favor
(PAH-sah-may la sahl pohr FAHV-ohr)

Pass me the salt please.

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Oct. 1, 2009 - Plaza Sιsamo - Lola helps us with vowel pronunciation

The Spanish language program Plaza Sésamo offers the Spanish learner a great free resource for learning and hearing Spanish spoken.  This video is particularly important for pronunciation, as the vowel sounds are very consistent in Spanish, and getting them right makes all the difference in how your spoken Spanish sounds. 

In this video you will get lots of practice with the vowels in a format that will make them more memorable for young and not-so-young alike.  While you will not understand all that is said, the context clues are all you need to properly produce the vowel sounds. 

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Sep. 29, 2009 - Top 5 Mistakes English Learners Make

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Ah serendipity! I was searching for something else entirely, and came upon this article: Foreign Language Training: Top 5 Mistakes English Learners Make, by Allen Hoge.  Well, this has nothing to do with us learning Spanish, right?  I decided to take a closer look, because I believe there are some universal truths in these ideas.

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1. Focusing on Grammar - is grammar important?  You bet!  But did you learn it as a small child before you even spoke?  Of course not, you first spoke by imitating what you heard.  While an understanding of grammar is essential to learning a new language, it is only part of the picture.  A overly strong focus on grammar can result in stilted and unnatural speech, lack of confidence in your skills, and fear of making mistakes to the point that you don't even want to try.  I read once that only about 2% of the population really cares about grammar.  Funny thing is that most language teachers and textbook writers are in that 2%, and they are scaring off their student with too much grammar!

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2. Forcing Speech - a small child can understand significantly more than he can express verbally.  The same is true for the language learner of any age.  You may teach your children Spanish for several years before they will spontaneously speak what they have been learning.  Expecting verbal response from a beginner can be very intimidating and discouraging.  When you do think students are ready to respond verbally, give them visual clues, such as phrases or conjugations on a whiteboard.

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3. Learning only formal textbook speech - Well, you have to start somewhere in your language learning!  But pay close attention to idioms and expressions you can learn as well.  These can be ever-changing, and can vary by region, but are worth the extra effort to acquire so that your Spanish sounds more natural.

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4. Trying to be perfect - When have you ever done something hard for the first time, and done it to perfection?  When it comes time to speak Spanish, students should be advised to relax and realize that mistakes are part of the process.  We all need to learn to laugh at ourselves, and cut others some slack in this area.  If there is too much pressure for spoken Spanish to come out perfectly, students will clam up, stammer, and experience more frustration than real learning.

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5. Relying on schools/classes/teachers - I've known many people who cruise through language classes with good grades who don't retain a word of what they supposedly learned.  Language learning is ultimately the responsibility of the student.  This happens in part when you discover your strongest learning style, and make the extra effort to internalize the information.  Inspiration plays a role here too.  Spanish is not just an academic subject; it is a living language, spoken by millions in over 20 nations.  There is history, art, culture, food, literature, etc to inspire you and make the language more real and relevant. 
Unless a student is inspired to take personal ownership of the learning process, Spanish is just another academic exercise.

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Sep. 27, 2009 - ΏQuieres ir al cine?

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Phrase of the week:

¿Quieres ir al cine?
(key-ERE-ehs ihr ahl SEE-nay)

Want to go to the movies?

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Sep. 17, 2009 - Don't miss this pronunciation tutorial series!

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About.com is a great source of information, and their Spanish offerings are consistently accurate and high quality.  They have just begun a Spanish pronunciation tutorial series that includes a clear, brief description and an audio file of the featured sound.  The series begins, appropriately, with the letter "a".  In Spanish this vowel has one pure "ah" sound, and no variety depending on countless phonics rules as in English.

Consistent and pure vowel pronunciation is a key to sounding good in Spanish.  Unlike English, the vowels keep the same pronunciation regardless of where they fall in the word.  If you have taught phonics, you have surely learned of the "schwa" sound in English - the nebulous "uh" that we render of most of our vowels in unaccented syllables. This is such an ingrained habit for most of us that it requires awareness and conscious effort at first to avoid it in Spanish.

Check out the tutorial on the "a" sound - and look for more to come!

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Sep. 15, 2009 - Madrid Webcam

How fun!  Click here for a live webcam view of Madrid.  This is an HD Webcam, so the image is large and sharp.  The owner includes some info on what you are looking at, weather conditions, and the date in Spanish and English.  Right now I am gazing at Spain's highest skyscraper there in the background...

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Sep. 13, 2009 - Me encanta leer

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Phrase of the week:

Me encanta leer
(may ehn-CAHN-tah LAY-air)

I love to read.

You can use the formula in this sentence to create many other sentences:  Me encanta + a verb in the infinitive (unconjugated) form.  For example: Me encanta _______
comer - eat
jugar - play
tocar la guitarra - play the guitar
viajar - travel

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Sep. 11, 2009 - Himno Nacional de Costa Rica

Slap on some sunscreen, and let's head to Costa Rica!  This video plays the Himno Nacional (National Anthem) of this lovely Central American nation, and shares scenes of nature and typical sights that distinguish this country.  Costa Rica is definitely on my list of places that I have yet to visit....



At one point in the video this text appears: ¡Viva Costa Rica! Pura Vida. That means: Long live Costa Rica! That's really living
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Sep. 8, 2009 - Bedtime prayer

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A popular child's bedtime prayer:

Angel de la guarda
mi dulce compañía,
no me desampares
ni de noche ni de día.
Amén

Guardian angel
my sweet companion,
don't leave me unguarded
in the night or in the day.
Amen

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Sep. 6, 2009 - ‘Cuαnto tiempo sin verte!

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Phrase of the week:

¡Cúanto tiempo sin verte!
(KWAHN-toh tee-EHM-poh seen BEHR-tay)

Long time no see!

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Sep. 3, 2009 - Una Entrevista con una Maestra de Espaρol - Parte Dos

Join us again as we continue to pick the brain of a Spanish teaching guru...

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Kathleen: Welcome again Debbie, and thank for taking the time to answer a few questions for us.  What would you say parents should keep in mind while teaching Spanish to their children?

Debbie: As far as pronunciation, the vowels are the most important part. If the child can pronounce the vowels correctly then they will be more understandable. Also remember the progression of any language learning is as follows: Absorbing and then producing. So a child must hear the language before he/she can speak it. A child must be able to read it before he can write it.

Kathleen: That sounds reasonable, but I know as parents we can get impatient with that process. In other words, our first year students will probably not be able to serve as a translators just yet!  Digging deeper, how can language instruction be made more multi-sensory?

Debbie: Do as much Spanish through games and activities as possible. For example, with my students we play a lot of matching games, Go-Fish with new vocabulary, dice games, battleship to practice verb conjugations, etc. To get ideas for some of my games I have used this book: Games….Tools for Learning.  I also try to use commands as much as possible. For example, when we are learning prepositions (on top of, under, beside, etc.), I will tell my kids/students to put an object under the sofa or on top of the piano. Or I may describe where something is located in the house and they have to go find it.

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Kathleen: Sounds interesting and fun!  Moms take note, you need to be learning the language along with your children in order to do this.  What are some common mistakes that you see people make when they start teaching or learning Spanish?

Debbie:  There are several types of mistakes we make when teaching Spanish or any other language for that matter. First of all, we expect too much too soon and when we don’t see results we give up. Language learning is a long process…it is a marathon, not a sprint. Think about how you learned your native language. You listened to the language for almost two years before you started to say your first words! Give your students time to learn. Keep it up no matter how slow the progress. And above all, if it becomes boring, make it fun!!!

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Kathleen: I have long believed that if Spanish is just another workbook, just another subject to check off the to-do list, that it will quickly become boring and low on our priority list.  Your ideas to make it more fun are inspiring, and student will learn more if Spanish is woven into daily life.  What are some ways that you weave Spanish into your home life?

When my youngest was little and I only had one child, I spoke to him only in Spanish Monday-Friday. This soon became not doable when the second child came along. So now we look for opportunities to add in Spanish. Here are some ideas:

*Go to the grocery store…can you name the fruits and veggies in Spanish?

*Listen to Spanish online. Here’s a site for younger kids.

*If you have young kids, check out their Disney DVD’s, sometimes you can switch the language into Spanish and they can absorb some language that way. This works well if your child knows the storyline well.

*Post-it notes are our friends! Use post-it notes to label things in your house in Spanish.

*By all means, boss your kids around! Learn simple commands in Spanish to tell your kids what to do.

Kathleen: Wow, thanks again Debbie!  I would add that you can also check your TV listing for your kids' favorite cartoons in Spanish.  Last time I checked, you can catch Bob Esponja and Bob el Constructor among other favorites on the Spanish stations.  Meanwhile, I'm off to dig out my post-it notes....

Go check out Debbie's beautiful blog and take a look at her homeschool adventures in amazing Alaska!

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Sep. 1, 2009 - Interview with a Spanish Teacher/Una Entrevista con una Maestra de Espaρol


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I'd like to introduce you to Debbie, and amazing homeschool Mom who lives and teaches her children in Alaska.  You can find her blog and learn more about her life here. If this blog looks familiar to you, it is because this is the same lady who graciously brought us the Spanish Lapbook. (Learn more about it here).

Prior to homeschooling her two boys, Debbie worked as a public school Spanish teacher.  She puts her knowledge and experience to work teaching Spanish to her own children, and we are fortunate today that she is willing to share some of her wisdom with us.

What follows is Parte Uno of a recent conversation Debbie and I had about teaching Spanish at home:

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Kathleen:  Hi Debbie!  Thanks for taking your time to answer a few questions.  First, what inspired your interest in Spanish, and what made you decide to become a Spanish teacher?

Debbie: I can't even remember what inspired me to want to learn Spanish.  Subjects that involve language (i.e. language arts, grammar, reading, etc.) have always been so much easier for me than say, math.  Don't ask me to multiply and divide, that is for sure!  So I guess because of my strength with words as opposed to numbers I gravitated towards learning other languages.  Spanish seemed like a natural choice way back when I was in high school living in Colorado.  There were many Spanish speakers in my area.  Another reason for learning Spanish was I loved the sound of it!  Truth be told though, I have always wanted to learn Italian (also because I loved its sound), but Italian wasn't offered at my high school.  So my choice became Spanish.  It has served me well...better than Italian would have.  Since the United States is the 5th largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, I have had plenty of opportunities to use it.  Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to become a teacher... so I guess it was just a natural for me to follow that path.  Combining Spanish and teaching seemed like a great choice for a career path!

Kathleen:  I confess to a fascination with Italian as well!  I find that having studied Portuguese and Latin as well as Spanish, that I can understand a lot of it.  Moving on, what would you say is the main difference between teaching Spanish in a classroom and teaching it at home?

Debbie: I have taught Spanish in a public school, as a private tutor, and to my own kids.  Teaching Spanish in a large group setting (i.e. public school) was far more difficult.  When there are about 30 kids in a class I couldn't give every kid enough opportunities to speak the language. A smaller group or private lessons help kids go farther and faster when learning a language.  Actually, a small group setting is by far the best. The student gets enough practice time and yet has a few people to interact with.  When I was teaching in a classroom I had to be more structured in my approach... teaching at home has allowed me to branch off and do fun things with my kids that I would never be able to do with a big group.

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Kathleen: So it sounds like the homeschool teacher has a big advantage over the large classroom situation.  But what is a parent supposed to do if they haven't studied Spanish, and want to use a prepackaged curriculum?  What do they look for, and how do they compare programs?

Debbie:  It is tough to choose a program especially if you don't know the language.  The other hard part is that no program is perfect.  But here are some things to conisder and do when looking into a program:

*Read reviews about other programs.  Here are some options:
Homeschool Reviews 


The Curriculum Choice


TOS (This Old Schoolhouse) Crew Reviews


The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Reviews

*Does the program use these five aspects of language in its teaching of Spanish: listening, reading, speaking, writing, and culture?

*Is it kid friendly and user friendly for the parent?

*Will it fit your child’s learning style?

*At home, we use Rosetta Stone. Although it isn’t perfect, I have liked it so far. For me, I love the fact that it is completely in Spanish! Here is a short review I wrote for another website.

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Aug. 30, 2009 - ΏQuepo yo?

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Phrase of the week:
¿Quepo yo?
(KAY-poh yoh)

Is there room for me?

Be it a crowded sofa, train, or restaurant booth, this is the way that you ask if there is room for you too.  It literally means, "do I fit?"

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