I’ve spent about eight years of my life studying Spanish in one form or another. First, with old-fashioned cassette tapes. (Do you even remember those?) Then, by watching a distance-learning class on Channel 9 . . . or was it 11? Finally, I took four years of Spanish in college. Four years! And I finally attained conversational fluency. Like, I could go to a Spanish-speaking country and be all right.
But do you know how much of that I remember now? Almost none. Yep, all that work practically vaporized. Now, it has come in handy with pronunciation, conjugating, etc. when it comes to teaching my own kids Spanish. Some of it does, in fact, come back to you. But I want a more streamlined and (hopefully) lasting experience for my kids.
And you know what? I found it! The winning combo of very specific resources to help my children achieve both a deep understanding of the language and a natural fluency. What’s my secret? Read on homeschooling friends.
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Parts-to-Whole or Whole-to-Parts? Why it Matters!
There are two main strategies you can use to teach a foreign language. Resources generally fall into one category or the other. Understanding the pros and cons of each and which one you’re buying is essential!
A parts-to-whole curriculum means your child learns the building blocks of the language from the ground up. Vocabulary lists, parts of speech, verb conjugations, the whole nine yards. Children learn through both memory and logic—applying general spelling and grammar rules to specific situations. This is not natural language learning, yet that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Bear with me here.
A whole-to-parts language resource teaches children words and phrases in a natural, conversational manner. Rote memorization and repetition are how the language is internalized. There is usually no explanation of why things are the way they are. A child isn’t taught why a verb is different in the first person than it is in the third person or why there is more than one word for “you.” They simply start speaking the language, often in a dialogue form. Many popular apps and online resources are whole-to-parts.
So here’s the deal. Whole-to-parts is fine if you want to dip your toe into a language and try it on for size, or to soak up some essential phrases for a foreign trip. But it runs the risk of seeming so arbitrary and unpredictable that it frustrates children, and most whole-to-parts resources offer scripted scenarios with spoonfed dialogue that doesn’t require a child to think in Spanish in the moment.
So, if you want your child to seriously study a language, you should invest in a good parts-to-whole curriculum.
Proponents of learning a foreign language the natural way (ie. the way we learned English as babies) will balk at this, but stay with me. I haven’t gotten to the second part of my magic winning combo yet! 😉
Using a parts-to-whole curriculum, your child will:
- learn a great deal of vocabulary
- get an in-depth knowledge of parts of speech and mechanics
- understand the method to the madness (how the language works)
What your child won’t get:
- fluent!
While a parts-to-whole curriculum is thorough, logical, and systematic, it lacks the spontaneity of conversation that is essential to building fluency. This is the aspect that whole-to-parts resources attempt to offer but fall short of.
Now, I’ll tell you what does deliver fluency—part two of my winning Spanish-teaching combo.
Immersion is Essential
So while a parts-to-curriculum will give your child many things, what will give them fluency? Actual conversation with a live human being.
[Speaking a foreign language] only happens if you’re able to speak the language (with a live person) at least twice a week. Conversation, which requires you to think in the language you’re learning, is the only path to fluency.
Susan Wise-Bauer, The Well-Trained Mind
Fortunately, with today’s technology, you no longer need to personally know a native Spanish speaker who is willing to chat with your kids twice a week. Enter Spanish immersion classes!
Immersion classes, where everything (or nearly everything) is conducted in Spanish, allow a child to participate in a dynamic conversation. Your child isn’t parroting vocabulary lists. It requires them to actively listen, observe, think, and respond in Spanish. Words and phrases are used in different situations and contexts, which deepens the learning experience.
This is why a parts-to-whole curriculum plus immersion classes is the winning combo. It provides both elements a child needs for mastery and fluency. Whole-to-parts curricula or online apps try to cover both aspects but wind up achieving neither. They don’t teach enough nuts and bolts for a child to understand why the Spanish language works the way it does. And they don’t provide the real-time, real-life conversation with another live human being in order to let your child think in Spanish and develop fluency. Immersion classes offer true interaction in a foreign language.
I knew that, despite my persistent use of a parts-to-whole curriculum, this conversational element was missing from my children’s Spanish instruction. So, when I was offered the chance for my kids to try Spanish immersion classes with TruFluency Kids, I was excited to check it out. And I’m so glad we did!
Our Experience with TruFluency Kids Spanish Immersion Classes
TruFluency Kids specializes in online Spanish immersion classes for children. And they get them reading, listening, and speaking in Spanish from the very first class. Let me tell you a little bit about our experience with them.
My children, ages 7 and 11, were placed in different beginner classes based on their age (7-9 and 11-13 respectively). This was great because the activities were really tailored to be engaging for their age range. They had lots of different class schedules to choose from, including two-day-a-week and three-day-a-week options. (We chose two-day.)
A course of classes runs for four weeks, and the classes themselves, conducted over Zoom, lasted for 45 minutes for my 7-year-old and 50 minutes for my 11-year-old. Now, at first, I wondered if that would be too long, but it wasn’t at all! They do so many different types of activities that my children stay engaged the entire time, and they get ample opportunity to practice engaging with the language, which is the whole point after all. 😊
TruFluency teachers are all native Spanish speakers. But, just as importantly, they are kind, welcoming, supportive, and patient! My children were shy at first, but their teachers made them feel comfortable participating. The small class sizes and positive reinforcement helped my kids jump in and start speaking Spanish.
TIP: If your child is new to immersion, it takes 2-3 classes for kids to really find their groove with this format. Set their expectation in advance by letting them know that they’ll gain comfort quickly.
There was so much to love about the TruFluency classes. Here are just a few of my top highlights:
- My girls were kept engaged with games, songs, visuals, movement, and activities. It was true multi-modal learning!
- I received recap e-mails after each lesson with the vocabulary they learned and personal notes from the teacher about each child’s progress. (Did I mention how encouraging the teachers are!?)
- They had fun! Both girls enjoyed the interaction and active learning experience.
- BONUS: The lessons for each girl were slightly different, but had a lot of overlapping vocabulary. This was fantastic because they were able to practice with each other outside of class.
TIP: Practice the words and phrases your child is learning in immersion class outside of class, too! If you’re not familiar with Spanish, a quick Google search will give you the pronunciations.
The results? My kids are chatting away in Spanish like never before (something weeks of the parts-to-whole curriculum could not accomplish). When a situation they’ve covered in class presents itself, like mealtime or reading the time on a clock, the Spanish comes naturally because they’ve learned it naturally.
TruFluency Kids Spanish Immersion Classes have been a wonderful addition to our homeschool week and the missing piece in our Spanish studies. Want to find out more? Check out TruFluency Kids here!
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