Spanish program similar to LC?

[MommyThrice]

I can't find a Spanish program I like. I loved Latina Christiana - workbook and DVDs. Is there something like this for high school spanish? I've tried Rosetta Stone & hated it - just give me the vocabulary and grammar up front, please! Right now I'm using Easy Spanish, which is just a workbook. I like the format, but I would really like DVDs for daily review.

Is there anything like this?

[LynnG in Hawaii]

For high school Spanish, I would highly recommend the BJU DVD series. Spanish I is taught by Mr. Cancino, a native speaker who is excellent. Goofy, but excellent. :)

The DVDs are 45 minutes a day, and then the student has maybe daily 10-20 minutes of homework. I should warn you that some of the DVD time is "fluff", such as jokes or silly questions from satellite-based students. We would usually fast forward through those portions of the DVD.

But overall, this is a really good way to do high school level Spanish at home. It closely duplicates what a solid high school language class should be (imo).

HTH.

[MommyThrice]

or do you need to review daily with him/her? I did look at the books online, and the artwork is really bad. I guess that shouldn't matter - it just make me wonder about the content.

Thanks for your input!

[LynnG in Hawaii]

The first two books in the BJU Spanish series have been revised and are just fine. I think their Spanish III book is completely unappealing and disorganized, but the first two are totally fine.

I do think that a teen could work through this on his/her own, but I would probably recommend as much involvement from you as you can spare. I know some years are harder than others. ;) If you can watch the DVDs and grade the homework and tests, that would be ideal. If not, maybe you could at least spot check the homework and grade the tests (say, 10 minutes a day on your part). It depends also on how motivated and mature your teen is, of course.

But in terms of the teaching, you'll be all set. The DVD instructors (in both year one and two) are excellent. The move fairly slowly. In fact, my one complaint about the DVD series is that they finish maybe 75% of Book #1 and 60% of Book #2.

In an ideal world, depending on your budget, I would recommend supplementing this with some Rosetta Stone for additional listening practice. If you already have it, or can get it inexpensively, I would recommend asking your teen to do 30 minutes a week or so - just for the extra practice. But I know the BJU DVDs are expensive as it is!

HTH.

[LynnG in Hawaii]

By the way - I never really addressed your specific point about looking for the Spanish equivalent of LC on DVD. I have done Latina Christiana on DVDs, and imo the BJU Spanish DVDs are of the same high quality . . . just much longer per day, and not quite as streamlined at the LC DVDs. :)

[MommyThrice]

Thanks, again, Lynn!