Supplement a Homeschool Program for Spanish
Can Workbooks Be Used in Foreign Language Homeschooling Programs?
Jul 5, 2009
Foreign Language homeschooling programs can take the form of language learning DVDs and movies, computer software, workbooks and audio CDs, or online homeschooling courses. Each homeschool program has its pros and cons. When choosing a Spanish curriculum, parents will want to take into account their own knowledge of the language, their children’s learning style, and the cost of each of the homeschooling programs. Here are the pros and cons of using workbooks to teach a homeschool language program.
Spanish Workbook Pros in Homeschooling Programs
The biggest advantage to a workbook-based language homeschool program is definitely the price. Many expensive curricula include workbooks as part of the package, but if the homeschool program is primarily based on a workbook and a few accompanying CDs, the cost will naturally be lower than a curriculum including DVDs and computer programs. This may be a major draw for parents of younger children only hoping to introduce them to a few words in another language. For parents serious about fluency however, the lower price of a workbook-based homeschool program may not be worth the sacrifices.
Spanish Workbook Cons in Homeschooling Programs
Activities involving reading and listening allow students to be immersed in Spanish naturally, as they were when they learned their first language. Workbooks rely on output, or writing. If parents consider how children first learn a new language, speaking or writing has absolutely no role in the learning for a very long time. Pushing children to offer output in a new language before they’re ready can easily contribute to frustration and anxiety.
Workbook-based homeschooling programs also lack person-to-person interaction, which is the primary motivator for learning a new language. They tend to introduce students to a new language through such drills as matching, fill in the blank, or multiple choice. These exercises demonstrate what a student has currently memorized, but don’t add to their store of knowledge. Furthermore, drills and exercises are an artificial way to learn a language. The information learned isn’t likely to be retained over any length of time.
Ideally, children would learn a new language similarly to how they learned their first. They would hear the language spoken in simple, concrete sentences, either on their level or just a bit higher allowing them to progress in the language without feeling confused or threatened. Unfortunately, workbook-based homeschooling programs can’t offer this to students. What they do offer is an affordable means for parents to introduce the concept of foreign languages and cultures into their homeschool curriculum.
Flip-Flop Spanish as a Homeschool Program
Flip-Flop Spanish, written by Sra. Gose and published by Flip n Flop Learning [2008], offers introductory Spanish courses for children ages 3-5 and 6-9. Each level includes a spiral bound workbook with 14 lessons and a few days of practice exercises for each. The program also contains an audio CD to help with pronunciation. The cost of each level is $25.95.
Flip-Flop Spanish is organized into short activities which are easy to fit into the busy homeschool day. The spiral bound book is designed cleverly so that when students complete the first seven lessons, they flip the book upside-down and work backwards through lessons which review and reinforce previously learned vocabulary.
Teach Them Spanish as a Homeschool Program
Teach Them Spanish is published by Instructional Fair and written by Winnie Waltzer-Hacket [2001]. This program includes a Workbook (96 pages) for each grade level. The cost is 10.99 per book.
Teach Them Spanish workbooks are highly affordable. The workbooks offer units with concrete and relevant vocabulary and reproducible worksheets to drill this vocabulary. Suggested lessons and activities are offered for parents and instructors to accompany the worksheets.
Use Workbooks to Supplement Homeschooling Programs for Spanish
Both Flip-Flop Spanish and Teach Them Spanish are good homeschooling programs as far as they go. They offer inexpensive ideas which allow non-Spanish speaking parents to introduce their young children to a few new Spanish words but shouldn’t be expected to offer any level of conversational fluency.
Because of their affordability, these workbooks can effectively be used as a supplement to a parent’s homeschool program and language lessons. Parents may enjoy finding audio CDs with songs covering the same vocabulary to mix and match their own introductory Spanish curriculum.
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