Hola! ¿Como estas?
Bien, gracias. ¿Y tu, como estas?
Yo estoy bien, gracias.
We've been learning Spanish, using Auralog's Tell Me More Homeschool Edition. Tell Me More Spanish covers 5 levels of Spanish, starting wherever you need to start. You can start as a complete beginner, beginner, intermediate, or advanced student. There are ten levels on the DVD, and your five levels begin wherever you choose. We started at the very beginning.
Bien, gracias. ¿Y tu, como estas?
Yo estoy bien, gracias.
We've been learning Spanish, using Auralog's Tell Me More Homeschool Edition. Tell Me More Spanish covers 5 levels of Spanish, starting wherever you need to start. You can start as a complete beginner, beginner, intermediate, or advanced student. There are ten levels on the DVD, and your five levels begin wherever you choose. We started at the very beginning.
Click here to go to the Auralog website.
Tell Me More Spanish uses an immersion method of language instruction. If you aren't familiar with a language at all, this can be overwhelming at first. I highly recommend having an English translation dictionary on hand, and beginning at the introductory level, unless you are already familiar with the language you purchase.
The Tell Me More program is huge ... full of information! It has multiple methods of learning, a glossary, and can be used with or without translations turned on. You also gain access to the Auralog website, where you can view weekly news broadcasts in your language, and receive customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Parents can prepare a day planner to assign work for their students, and the software tracks each person's progress.
This curriculum is comprehensive. You can complete all foreign language requirements, and MORE, with a single purchase of Tell Me More. Because you can set up multiple accounts, you could use the same program for your subsequent children and yourself, as well.
However, it hasn't been easy to figure out. Auralog is still completing the tutorials for the program (which will be released officially in mid-April), so we've been wandering around figuring it out on our own. It took us awhile to find the translation button, for instance. Before that, I was wishing I had a Spanish-English dictionary as I worked through the introductory level. I think we unintentionally skipped over the instruction guide. Combine that, with feeling "lost in Spain" from the immersion method, and it made for a rough start at first. But once we became comfortable with the program, we've been very impressed!
For the Spanish, I strongly recommend you begin with the introductory DVD marked "Start Here". Begin on the guided mode, so you can learn better how the program works. Take some time before you start to explore the software -- click on all the buttons and look around in each section.
Once you begin your chosen tour, you just proceed through each level one activity at a time. Some of the activities included are: matching phrases with the appropriate responses, vocabulary crossword puzzles, writing and spelling, speaking Spanish, and viewing video demonstrations.
Tell Me More Spanish comes with a headphone/microphone set. The microphone is used to record your voice as you repeat the words. The Tell Me More voice recognition software scores your pronunciation, giving you immediate feedback on how well you're pronouncing each word. You can repeat each word as many times as you need, until you have it right. (Note: this works best in a quiet room! The microphone will pick up other noises like the television or rowdy children and lower your score.)
My 13 year old daughter has been enjoying it very much, although she has been frustrated at times with the noise level of our home while using the microphone. She told me repeatedly that when I wrote my review I had to tell everyone how much FUN it is, and how wonderful it is that they use so many different methods to teach the language. All the learning styles are covered by the variety of activities! (I guess you can tell she's homeschooled, she's starting to pick up the education language.)
Auralog Tell Me More homeschool edition will sell for $319.99 when it is released mid-April. I have to admit that the price seemed high to me. I had to remind myself that this would fulfill high school language requirements for all of my children, so the price should actually be divided out over several years and several children ... not to mention Steve and myself!
You can view a demo, or download a free trial of Auralog Tell Me More Homeschool Edition at their website. Viewing it will help you understand the program more than anything I can describe to you.
Tell Me More Spanish Homeschool Edition is an excellent resource for teaching Spanish to your entire family! We're looking forward to continuing our Spanish studies with it.
Hasta luego!
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Trusting in Him,
April
