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Spanish 1 with a Difference A (Live)
$430 $399
Meets Thursday at 9:00 AM EST
90 minutes/week for 30 weeks
Aug 26, 2021 to May 05, 2022
Grades High School
Marjorie McIlvaineTeacher Rating :
Spanish 1 — with a Difference
Thank you so much for all
that you’ve done this year and for how much you’ve helped me learn! This
Spanish class has been LEAPS and BOUNDS better than the last one that I tried,
and didn’t have me crying almost every day like the last one! Thank you thank
you thank you! You make learning the language seem like an achievable thing! 🙂 (Student E, May 2020)
***
I would like to thank you for the wonderful teaching and guidance you’ve provided to P during Spanish I this year. She gladly wakes up early every week to join the 7am class (New Mexico) and she loves it!! Needless to say, she will be taking Spanish II next year. (Parent, Feb 2021)
***
“I just took the university Spanish placement test and I tested out of their college Spanish requirement! (But I’m planning on continuing and going to study abroad in a Spanish-speaking country.)” (Student Anna, summer 2019)
*****
Learning smarter, not harder! After 20+ years of teaching Spanish in a traditional format, I am now teaching by blending that with a different approach called the “reading & storytelling” approach (TPRS) to learning a foreign language. Research & scholarly studies reveal that students learn to speak and use the languages faster, and better, with this approach – it equips every learner, from the gifted student to the dyslexic. Success – and fun!
While your student will speak and converse a lot, this is more than a conversational language class. Grammar is included through meaning and repetition and small doses of concentrated material as the student acquires language because he or she understands what is being said.
Students will be speaking, understanding, and reading the language from the first week – growing in ability quickly. Grammar is taught every class through meaning and application.
There are many benefits to foreign language study, from the academic to the business world, to the understanding of our own language. All of this is true – and it is required for entrance to many colleges. However, languages are meant for communication – and communicating the most important thing of all, the love and Truth of God, is our highest and greatest purpose with language. With language, we build relationships – through those relationships, we gain the “ear” of others to share the Truth of the Gospel.
In this class, we begin this journey through fun, and the ability to use the language as we learn it. I can scarcely wait to begin! Students should plan on 45 minutes to an hour of work four days per week, plus the work in class. This work at home is foundational to achievement.
We will work through our text and read one or two novels completely in Spanish, depending on class achievement. This course uses a lot of “out of the text” material, so we will move through our text very slowly, adding other core learning materials through the year. This text should cover through Spanish 2. Scripture memory will always be included, as well as praise songs, hymns, contemporary music, culture, foods and games.
Parents: Please inform me (instructor) if you know your student has dyslexic/learning issues. I believe those students can find success through this approach, but it will help me to know. I also have back-up resources to recommend.
If you would like to check out the curriculum, the approach, the reviews, here is the site: www.exceleratespanish.com
Required: 3 novels, both found at this site: https://fluencymatters.com/ Go to “Store”, then “Spanish Materials”
We plan to read three novels: 1: “El Capibara con Botas” (a very simple earlier reader) 2. “El Escape Cubano”; and 3: “Piratas del Caribe y el Mapa Secreto” (we will begin this novel later in the year) Each novel is about $7, plus shipping.
*Optional materials are truly optional. The author wrote this curriculum to allow homeschooling families to study Spanish even if nobody knows any Spanish. The DVD’s contain motions and lessons filmed for the whole book — this is made for groups and families, so some of the students are younger. The method works for all ages, and this DVD would help a struggling student practice at home. It’s a great adjunct, but it is not required. We will do a LOT of out-of-text work, and move through the text slowly.
Course changing platform summer of 2022: contact Mrs Mac at [email protected] OR www.mastersmarkacademics.com
Former student’s message:
“Mrs Mac, I want to say thank you so much. I feel like I owe you an unrepayable debt. I went to Nicaragua this time as not just a missions team member but also an interpreter. I was able to do that not only because you taught me Spanish, but because you taught me to love and pursue Spanish. You have had a bigger impact on both myself, and the people in Nicaragua than you will ever know. Thank you so much!!!”
11 Reviews
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Overall:
My daughter had a fantastic year of Spanish! We had tried another program which did not work well. Mrs Mac's class is very interesting and had her talking and singing in Spanish while walking around the church. She learned a lot of Spanish and enjoyed doing it as well. Wish I'd had Mrs Mac when I took high school languages!
— Marilyn R. on 2020-06-30 19:13:41I enrolled my daughter in Mrs. Mac Spanish 1 class after having enrolled her in a Spanish class the prior year. The results were night and day. Mrs. Mac is a gifted teacher who has a way of connecting with her students. Spanish quickly became my daughters favorite subject of the year. Mrs. Mac approach to teaching was very different from what we had experienced prior. This is an interactive class with multiple formats for learning using videos, songs,books,etc. I Highly Recommend Mrs. Mac.
— Adriana B. on 2020-06-30 19:13:25Very happy with this course, will be signing my daughter up for Señora Mac's Spanish 2 Class. My daughter who took Señora Mac's class learned so much AND enjoyed it. She goes around the house talking in Spanish and has even taught her younger siblings some things. The Señor Wooly videos are a hit in our house....I sincerely believe these videos helped her vocabulary and made learning easier AND fun! Thanks Señora Mac!
— Anonymous (Verified LumaLearn user) . on 2019-05-31 15:16:07Mrs. Mac is a dynamic teacher. I just signed my 2nd child up to take Spanish from her. After my first child finished Spanish 1, she was more fluent and had better understanding of the Spanish language than my other daughter who was finishing her 3rd year with a different teacher. Her approach is creative, fun, and very effective. Highly recommend Mrs. Mac over other teachers and traditional teaching! What a blessing she has been to our family!
— Anonymous (Verified LumaLearn user) . on 2019-05-14 07:04:07
I have been in several of Mrs. Mac's classes and they have all been great. She is an amazing person who spends time helping us. One thing she had us do was, she wrote a story in spanish and included mistakes that she had seen in our work. Then we all went through together and found these mistakes. After each one Mrs. Mac would explain why. If you take this class, make sure that if at any time you have a question, don't be afraid to interrupt her in class, she loves answering questions. Mrs. Mac uses fun light hearted videos that help a lot. I have heard that some people find these not good for believers. This is not at all the case. Although quirky, These videos make the class much more than a boring class. They are also very helpful. I don’t know where I would be without Senor Wooly videos. P.S. The videos were not the only thing I liked, just the only thing in this review.
— Liam O. on 2019-05-09 16:35:52
Have a question? Ask the teacher!
Previous Questions
Kathy W: Thinking of signing my daughter up for your class, but I will need to be able to fill out a course description form for NCAA. Will I be able to get information from you when the time comes? Is Spanish culture included in your course instruction? Thanks
Hi Kathy -- I can supply everything they need, and yes, we do culture. My class is no longer located with Luma Learn, however. I will put my email address, as well as the website where my classes are located. The only trick is that I will need to add spaces because this message system cannot post email addresses. So just take out the spaces. mrsmacclasses @ gmail. com is my email, and the website is www. mastersmarkacademics .com
Erin D: Good morning, My daughter has just started using excelerate spanish 1. I see that you have two class times for level 1, is there a difference between the two? Also, do you go through excelerate spanish level 1 in one school year? Thank you,
Great questions! This year\'s schedule should be up next week. Last year I had to divide the Spanish 1 classes because they were so big, but it was the same class. This year I expect one class, either at 9 or 11. I do NOT go through Excelerate in one year. It is different, with complex language, so I generally take two years to go through it, and sometimes three. We add quite a bit of other material to the course, so the Excelerate is only a small piece, and we sort of amble through it. The students receive a broad variety of input for their learning. Blessings, Marji
Jolene C: I am panicking right now because I invited a friend to join this class with my son Luke and he signed up but we mistakenly signed up for Spanish 3. I hope it is possible to switch to this class because my son is definitely not ready for a Spanish 3 class.
No problem - we can fix that. Both are signed up for Spanish 3? Anyway, the tech/registration people here at Luma Learn can take care of it. Email them at: . No panic!
Let me try that email address again. I will add spaces so the syste will let me type the address, but you will have to take the spaces out. service @ lumalearn . com
Let me try that email address again. I will add spaces so the syste will let me type the address, but you will have to take the spaces out. service @ lumalearn . com
Ethan W: Hello, I just signed up for your Spanish 1 class and am excited to get started. Would you please let me know what textbook and additional materials that I am going to need for this class? Thank you, Ethan Windsor
Hi Ethan -- I will send you a message through the site, and then an email with specific info. Welcome!
Jennifer B: My 17-year-old daughter is interested in your class. This past year, she used Rosetta Stone and completed their online program for Spanish. Would this still be the correct level since she hasn't really done much writing or verb conjugation? Also, she will be going on a mission trip for a week in February and TeenPact leadership school the last week of April. So we wondered what your policy is for missed classes? Lastly, do you grade your students?
Hi Jennifer -- Great questions!
a) Lessons are recorded, so all students can still get the content on what they miss. If we know ahead of tie, the students can hand things in late after returning, with no penalty.
b) Yes, everything is graded.
c) I do have a placement assessment if you want to give it to her to try to see where she would best fit in class. I actually have never had a student who did RS truly be ready for Spanish 2 -- I have allowed it a cople of times and each time the student was uncomfortable and was far behind the class. We really want to avoid that situation. If you will email me, I can send you the placement assessment. I suppose that it *could* happen that a student could have acquired enough Spanish with RS to be ready for Spanish 2 -- I just have not personally seen it happen. My email (no spaces) is mrsmacclasses @ gmail.com
a) Lessons are recorded, so all students can still get the content on what they miss. If we know ahead of tie, the students can hand things in late after returning, with no penalty.
b) Yes, everything is graded.
c) I do have a placement assessment if you want to give it to her to try to see where she would best fit in class. I actually have never had a student who did RS truly be ready for Spanish 2 -- I have allowed it a cople of times and each time the student was uncomfortable and was far behind the class. We really want to avoid that situation. If you will email me, I can send you the placement assessment. I suppose that it *could* happen that a student could have acquired enough Spanish with RS to be ready for Spanish 2 -- I just have not personally seen it happen. My email (no spaces) is mrsmacclasses @ gmail.com
Megan J: Hi Mrs. McIlvaine - I'm a good friend of Lisa Moore's and she highly recommended your programs. My homeschooled children are 13, 11, and 9 and have taken Intro Spanish from a tutor (part of a co-op) the last two years. We're losing our tutor next year and so I'm looking for options. Classes the last two years have been pretty informal but they learned the basics, about 250 vocabulary words, and how to conjugate present tense verbs. I'm wondering 1) Do you think my 13 year old daughter could handle your Spanish II give her 2 years of Intro? 2) My 9 year old has really taken to Spanish and our tutor says he has wonderful pronunciation but I recognize this class is geared toward high school and Lisa said it's a lot of homework. Would your Spanish I be an option for him at all? I had 4 years of Spanish in high school so I could probably help him where needed if it's not way above his level. Looking forward to hearing from you, I'm happy to speak on the phone if that's easier.
Hi Lisa -- Thanks for the questions. I do have 13-year-olds who can do well. It\'s not the content that tends to challenge so much as the pacing.
To explain the homework -- I try to assign four days of work outside of class (to be a high school credit, a typical Carnegie credit is 120-180 hours of work) (of course, homeschooling is a bit different -- also finishing the book, if high school quality, counts). The work is not all \"drill and kill\" but a variety of different assignments, geared to keep good Spanish flowing into the student\'s brains. So it might be reading, drawing, listtening to a song, making a comic strip .... I tell them I try to assign too much to do it all the night before, but not too much so that it kills them. Of course people process differently, but my goal is 30 minutes to 45 minutes a day.
I have a young 11 to 12 year old in one of my Spanish classes, and it\'s been a challenge for him. His Spanish is probably better than anybody\'s, due to years of previous exposure -- but his maturity is waaay different than the high school students. Everybody is quite nice to him, but he is kind of fractious and inattentive and disruptive, and mischievious, and I\'ve had to write his mom about some misbehavior. So my concern for your younger kids is that they would really feel out of place, and I would NEVER assign that much work to a younger child. When I teach the young ones, it might be a half hour or hour per week.
That\'s my concern for your 9-year-old. We do a LOT Of \"extra\" work with videos and songs and the like, and maybe the 9-year-old could engage with those resources and help keep the Spanish current. Or, you all could buy the curriculum and do it as a family? You would be ahead of us, though ... I go through it very slowly due to the large amount of other material I use.
What I would *hate* would be for your 9yo to turn to hating Spanish because of being placed somewhere that was a bad fit -- being asked to do too much for his age, etc. I supposed we could set up some kind of \"audit\" system, where you could sign anybody up, but they would be free from being required to do all the work?
Thanks for the question. Let me know your thoughts?
Blessings,
Marji
To explain the homework -- I try to assign four days of work outside of class (to be a high school credit, a typical Carnegie credit is 120-180 hours of work) (of course, homeschooling is a bit different -- also finishing the book, if high school quality, counts). The work is not all \"drill and kill\" but a variety of different assignments, geared to keep good Spanish flowing into the student\'s brains. So it might be reading, drawing, listtening to a song, making a comic strip .... I tell them I try to assign too much to do it all the night before, but not too much so that it kills them. Of course people process differently, but my goal is 30 minutes to 45 minutes a day.
I have a young 11 to 12 year old in one of my Spanish classes, and it\'s been a challenge for him. His Spanish is probably better than anybody\'s, due to years of previous exposure -- but his maturity is waaay different than the high school students. Everybody is quite nice to him, but he is kind of fractious and inattentive and disruptive, and mischievious, and I\'ve had to write his mom about some misbehavior. So my concern for your younger kids is that they would really feel out of place, and I would NEVER assign that much work to a younger child. When I teach the young ones, it might be a half hour or hour per week.
That\'s my concern for your 9-year-old. We do a LOT Of \"extra\" work with videos and songs and the like, and maybe the 9-year-old could engage with those resources and help keep the Spanish current. Or, you all could buy the curriculum and do it as a family? You would be ahead of us, though ... I go through it very slowly due to the large amount of other material I use.
What I would *hate* would be for your 9yo to turn to hating Spanish because of being placed somewhere that was a bad fit -- being asked to do too much for his age, etc. I supposed we could set up some kind of \"audit\" system, where you could sign anybody up, but they would be free from being required to do all the work?
Thanks for the question. Let me know your thoughts?
Blessings,
Marji
Gabriel K: Hi, I'll be a Jr. in Hi School this Fall. I also hunt and trap during season opener (1 week in Nov), and would miss 1 class. How big of an impact is that? Could the class be recorded and I watch it later?
Hi Gabriel -- All the classes are recorded, so the recordings are always there for students who miss class. I have families who travel and miss quite a few. It\'s better NOT to miss, of course, but missing every once in a while is totally normal. Thanks for a great question.
Ruth H: Hello! I am very close to signing my child up for your Spanish 1 class for 2021-2022 and I have a couple of questions. 1) I see that others have asked about a sample video of your teaching. I can't find it on the Lumalearn site so I thought I would ask! 2) What type of homework is required every week? i.e written exercises, quizzes, tests, or memorizing and being ready for class? Do you grade their homework and return it? Thanks!
There is a video posted -- new this past week. I think it is at the bottom of the class description on Luma Learn? (I just checked and I can see it there). I cannot post a link here, but let me know if you cannot see it. Every week I give about 4-5 assignments, and these are designed to be as multisensory as possible. Some of the things commonly assigned: a reading passage, a storyboard from a reading passage, re telling a story to a parent, a translation, watching a video and responding in a variety of ways, listening to a song and singing along with the chorus 3 times, reading a chapter of a novel and creating 5 quiz questions for the class, answering comprehension questions, doing a video game based on the content of some class material .... very very few traditional exercises or the traditional \"drill and kill\". They are all designed to \"upload\" good Spanish into the students\' brains so that they can acquire and produce good Spanish. Most vocabulary begins with making motions that illustrate the meanings of different terms and phrases. There are a few quizzes, but most of the grades come from the student doing the assignments weekly, since that is how the language is acquired. And yes, I score the homework and return it. Let me know if something is unclear, or if you cannot find the sample video. It\'s at the bottom under a former student\'s comment. This recording is about half of a class -- all year, students work on memorizing about one verse a month, and then once a month (more or less, depending on the length of a passage) students have an oral quiz where they say the verse by memory. This was one of those days, I think -- there\'s a bit more waiting than usual as each student says the verse. Usually the students are fantastic at cheering one another on and being encouraging.
Valerie S: We're interested in your Spanish I class for our daughter. In what time zone is the class time listed? Please forgive me if I'm missing this information ...
It is Eastern Time Zone -- and I will double check to be sure it says that on the site. Thanks!
Christy G: Hi! These classes look amazing! We remember seeing you at The Academy at Bright Ideas Press. :) I have a question. I would like to sign up my son, Garrett, for the Spanish 1 class that you are teaching, but we are already signed up for his English/World Literature class with Amy Craven at the exact same time as yours (9:00 am Thursday). Do you think that you will have another class time available like you did last year? Thanks! Blessings, Christy Glass
Hi Christy -- At this moment, I am not planning to. Last year was kind of explosive enrollment, and I don\'t really expect that to continue. I am offering a different class this year (different platform) in that same time slot. Should enrollment explode, and some of the other classes not fill, I could offer a second Spanish 1 class, but -- I\'m so sorry -- I don\'t expect to. Those kinds of conflict can be so frustrating -- and Amy is a great instructor. Sorry to disappoint. :(
Michele T: Hi! I'm considering your Spanish 1 for the fall. First question: can I enroll my 7th grader? I have a minor in Spanish and have been teaching my 2 kids a little introductory Spanish this year. I'd like to keep them both at the same level so they can practice conversation together. My daughter will be in 9th grade next year, but my son will only be in 7th grade. He'll turn 13 in Feb. 2022. The official course description only mentions high school grades, so I wanted to make sure that it was ok if I enroll him with the understanding that I may need to give him a little extra help outside of your class. He is quite bright though and would probably be fine without my help. This would not be his first live online class. My second question: Do you use a technology like Zoom where the kids can see your face and expressions and the faces of the other kids during class so they can interact better, or are the kids usually only seeing a textbook-type page with no little box in the corner with the teacher's face? Can the students converse orally or mainly just in the chatbox? Also, when does fall registration typically start? Lastly, as others have asked, any brief sample of a class, even your in-person local classes, would be helpful to get a feel for what your class would be like. Thanks very much!
Hi Michelle -- Thanks for the question!
a) I have had a FEW 7th-graders enroll. Some have done very well, and some have not. The material itself is not too hard, but sometimes it seems that the pace and the amount of work is too much for that age. It is so dependent upon the student's maturity. If you are there as support, and you believe he can do it, he is welcome. I have a student who is 11 this year, is rather advanced in Spanish because he has been studying it his whole life -- but his age does show in class interactions. If you think he is ready, and you are there for support, then it is fine with me.
b) I am on camera the whole time (well, my computer has recently gone wonky with an update and my camera stopped working -- so for the last class I have had no camera -- we are working on a fix). We do a lot of gestures, so it's important that they see me and can follow me. With a language, I believe it's also important that they see the instructor's mouth form the words. Students do get on camera, but in general the student cameras are off. We do a LOT of student discussion, answering questions orally, having them ask each other questions (as ability grows). I make it as interactive as I can. I will put students in "breakout rooms" and have them, for instance, introduce themselves to one another (using changing questions and parameters), and then come back as a group and have them introduce another person. That's one example.
3) Thanks for the reminder about a sample class -- I will renew my efforts to have that done. I know it is helpful.
4) I welcome your questions. Thanks!
Added: Hi Michelle -- we have a sample class video! It's about half of a class, and Luma Learn told me they posted it today.
a) I have had a FEW 7th-graders enroll. Some have done very well, and some have not. The material itself is not too hard, but sometimes it seems that the pace and the amount of work is too much for that age. It is so dependent upon the student's maturity. If you are there as support, and you believe he can do it, he is welcome. I have a student who is 11 this year, is rather advanced in Spanish because he has been studying it his whole life -- but his age does show in class interactions. If you think he is ready, and you are there for support, then it is fine with me.
b) I am on camera the whole time (well, my computer has recently gone wonky with an update and my camera stopped working -- so for the last class I have had no camera -- we are working on a fix). We do a lot of gestures, so it's important that they see me and can follow me. With a language, I believe it's also important that they see the instructor's mouth form the words. Students do get on camera, but in general the student cameras are off. We do a LOT of student discussion, answering questions orally, having them ask each other questions (as ability grows). I make it as interactive as I can. I will put students in "breakout rooms" and have them, for instance, introduce themselves to one another (using changing questions and parameters), and then come back as a group and have them introduce another person. That's one example.
3) Thanks for the reminder about a sample class -- I will renew my efforts to have that done. I know it is helpful.
4) I welcome your questions. Thanks!
Added: Hi Michelle -- we have a sample class video! It's about half of a class, and Luma Learn told me they posted it today.
Ruth Y: Hello, I want to sign up my four teens for your class this coming year. We have done Wilson Hill Academy (online) and private Christian school in the past. But the kids' biggest concern is that there will be other kids in their online class. Do you know how many you currently have signed up? Also I have two 8th-graders and two 9th-graders basically doing almost all classes together this year. Thanks!
There are currently 9 other kids, with one more I know of who is supposed to join. I have a couple of others who have asked but haven\'t signed up. I do like to keep it about 15, a soft-ish cutoff. One more or two works, but more than that is problematic because we engage a lot, talk, and when it\'s about 15 students it works well. Too many more and the kids lose that opportunity.
I would love to have them!
Thanks for asking,
Marji
I would love to have them!
Thanks for asking,
Marji
Courtney P: Hello! I was wondering if there is a sample video of a class so that my daughter could get an idea how class operates? Does she have to be on camera? Thank you so much for your time! Courtney
Hi Courtney -- I have been trying to make one, but it has turned into a huge project. I cannot just put a whole class up as a sample because there are some copyright issues for materials we use. So I am working on a video, but for me, it is slow going. Sure wish I were faster because I\'ve had several requests.
She does not have to be on camera. I am generally on camera the whole time so students can see me. Students are invited to come one for different things, but I never require it.
Hope that helps!
She does not have to be on camera. I am generally on camera the whole time so students can see me. Students are invited to come one for different things, but I never require it.
Hope that helps!
Ehren B: I’d like to enroll my 14yo. When I add to my cart, it doesn’t reflect the $399 price. Am I doing something wrong?
Hi Ehren -- I will send that to the tech people, because it certainly should reflect that price. Thanks so much foe asking!
Marji
Did this get resolved?
Marji
Did this get resolved?
Nicole S: I am considering enrolling my rising 10th grader in your Spanish I course. Originally, I thought it would be better to find a local class to give opportunity to get full immersion of language and conversational practice. Can you share how your on-line version will provide this experience? My student may "hide" in the background during online class and not participate as much which is why I was seeking a local in-person class. How can I be sure he will be fully immersed and participating in your class? Thanks so much! I look forward to your response!
Nicole -- That\'s a good question. I am trying to get a video of an example of a class, or parts of classes, so that families can actually see how it works. I purposefully engage every student, every class -- even the ones who feel shy at first. After a couple of week, they do get to know each other, they get used to making mistakes, and they also experience a lot of success in understanding Spanish from the first day. Each student is directly engaged in responding to questions orally and in chat and writing and drawing on the board .... one of my guiding principles as an instructor is a lot of interaction and less lecture. One of the comments I get from parents and students, over and over, is that \"I had no idea this would be so interactive.\" I hope that helps -- and I will *really* try to get an example video available.
Donna A: Hi, I am researching for a Spanish 1 class for my 9th grader to take next year. I have a few questions! 1. what type (if any) college degree do you have? 2. what is your refund policy for your classes? 3. do you have a link for me to watch a sample class that has been pre-recorded? 4. do you prepare college transcripts or do you just give the student their end of year grade? 5. where did you learn to speak Spanish? In college? Thanks!
Hi Donna -- Thanks for the great questions. I will answer them, though my bio should be on the site here and will probably answer those background questions more fully.
a) I have a BA in Spanish, and worked in a bilingual administrative position at the University of Florida after graduation. When I married, and had children, I left the workforce and homeschooled all of my kids. Most of those years I also taught side-classes of Spanish to homeschoolers, and practiced my Spanish helping my husband communicate with his employees (restaurant). I have actually studied 7 languages, but am most capable in Spanish. {I teach French online on a different platform, and teach Spanish, French and German to homeschoolers in my local area).
2) The refund policy is on the Luma Learn site -- and I just follow their guidelines. They handle all of that for the teachers.
3) I am trying to put together that video -- it is challenging in time. We cannot put up a whole class, so I have to get some excerpts. So that is a work in progress. If I get it done this week, I will *try* to remember to tell you it is up. {It has to be processed by Luma Learn, too, so it will take some time).
4) We do a gradebook, and parents take those grades and include it in their transcript. I think (speaking with my homeschool parent hat on here, not my official teacher hat) it would be hard to get a whole transcript if all the classes are not at the same site, wouldn't it?
5) You didn't ask, but you may see that my approach is somewhat different than the traditional -- and I have taught traditionally for 20 years before making a change. It looks different, feels different, but my students are more proficient as a whole than they ever were the "old" way. I did explain it in the course description.
Thanks again -- and I'm sorry for the few days' delay. The virus quarantine has impacted my face-to-face classes, and it's been quite a demanding time the past week.
Blessings,
Marji
a) I have a BA in Spanish, and worked in a bilingual administrative position at the University of Florida after graduation. When I married, and had children, I left the workforce and homeschooled all of my kids. Most of those years I also taught side-classes of Spanish to homeschoolers, and practiced my Spanish helping my husband communicate with his employees (restaurant). I have actually studied 7 languages, but am most capable in Spanish. {I teach French online on a different platform, and teach Spanish, French and German to homeschoolers in my local area).
2) The refund policy is on the Luma Learn site -- and I just follow their guidelines. They handle all of that for the teachers.
3) I am trying to put together that video -- it is challenging in time. We cannot put up a whole class, so I have to get some excerpts. So that is a work in progress. If I get it done this week, I will *try* to remember to tell you it is up. {It has to be processed by Luma Learn, too, so it will take some time).
4) We do a gradebook, and parents take those grades and include it in their transcript. I think (speaking with my homeschool parent hat on here, not my official teacher hat) it would be hard to get a whole transcript if all the classes are not at the same site, wouldn't it?
5) You didn't ask, but you may see that my approach is somewhat different than the traditional -- and I have taught traditionally for 20 years before making a change. It looks different, feels different, but my students are more proficient as a whole than they ever were the "old" way. I did explain it in the course description.
Thanks again -- and I'm sorry for the few days' delay. The virus quarantine has impacted my face-to-face classes, and it's been quite a demanding time the past week.
Blessings,
Marji
Dawn H: Hello Mrs. Mac, Megan and Emily have enjoyed Spanish 1 and now Spanish 2. Christian who will be entering 8th grade in the fall would like to take your Spanish 1 course. He is taking a Spanish course through Foreign Languages for Kids now. He loves it! Would he be able to enroll as a 8th grader? Also will there be any sales on this Spanish 1 course? Thank you so much. In the grip of His grace, Dawn
Hi Dawn -- He is welcome. The material is accessible for an 8th grader, for sure. I think it depends on maturity -- some 8th graders are fully ready to keep up with assignments, and some are not (same for some high schoolers!). If you think he is okay with the assignments, I would welcome him. Usually Luma Learn does sales, but they haven\'t told me yet. If you ask them if they have any planned, they might tell you! :) (I love your girls)
Selena J: Hi! Do you have a a video of the Spanish 1 we can view?
That\'s a great question, and I wish I could say \"yes\". The portion that I saved to make a video turned out to have copyrighted material that was permissible for the closed classroom, but not for public showing. I plan to make one as soon as I can -- our Spanish 1 class begins tomorrow. There should be a video soon, but probably not in the next one or two weeks. I\'m so sorry!
Melissa D: Hello, I just purchased the books required for class but noticed they were the same as last year. Just wanted to make sure that was correct. Thanks, Melissa Dimetry
Yes -- did you get the email about the added book? I sent it using the email addresses on the account, which might have been your student's. I asked them to give it to their parents if your email was not listed. If not, send me your email address and I will forward you the message.
Sue P: Hello~ I am considering your Spanish class. I have some questions. After reading your description/details section. I was wondering why do you prefer Excelerate Spanish curriculum? Do you just use the books in class? What about the streaming? Do you have this kids use this as well? What interactive Spanish sites are included that you mentioned? I have a kid with dyslexia. I would love to chat with you about these questions. We also might have a scheduling conflict and wondered about if it would even work to take the class but not be in the live class time. We would need to watch it at another time in the day? How would that work? If at all?? Thank you for your time to answer my questions, Sue Pearl
Hi Sue -- Well, I posted one answer and it disappeared. So if this is doubled, please forgive!
My preference for Excelerate came because I found the method first, which was intriguing. Then I found Excelerate, which uses the method (TRP, TPRS, CI) packaged for homeschooling families. This book is our spine, though I use a lot of other material as well. We use the books in class and then the students have assignments during the week from the books (and other materials).
Some of the other sites we use are Sr Wooly and Fluency Matters, which has online exercises, comprehension questions, etc., based on our novels. Both of those have a fee, which is included in the cost of the course (although families purchase the novels, about $8 each.) Those are not the only sites, but a couple. We also use Quizlet, Kahoot, Gimkit, etc.
The video/streaming are NOT required, but I do have students who purchase those features. I think they are particularly helpful for students with dyslexia. Every major term/structure we learn and use frequently has a motion connected to it -- this involves the whole brain in learning in a multisensory way, which is very helpful for the dyslexic learner. We make up our own motions in class but I tell the students they are fully welcome to use the motions on the video/streaming service instead -- the important thing is that they connect the meaning to a motion. (These motions are not permanent, just until the structures are acquired).
I have had students who could not make the live class regularly -- this class is highly interactive, and to be honest it makes it difficult to learn as well when the student can only watch the recording. The student misses the individual responses, the ability to ask questions, to apply the Spanish he is learning -- and, in my opinion, puts an additional barrier in the way to learning effectively. This might have a stronger impact on a dyslexic student.
I do think the dyslexic student (two of my own children are dyslexic) has to work differently, and a bit harder sometimes, to nail down the meanings in foreign language -- has to explore to find out what works best for him or her. Does a visual image help more than a motion? Both together? Repeating it over and over? Singing it? I can also say that, when I taught Spanish traditionally using a traditional text and approach, one of my dyslexic daughters failed my course. She just could not do the conjugations and the movement of the phonemes. When I went to this method, I did French with her, and she SOARED -- and French is more challenging than Spanish!
I don\'t think language things are ever \"easy\" for the dyslexic student, but -- with practice in his/her best and most effective way to learn, it can be done.
Hope this answers your questions -- feel free to email me with others.
Blessings,
Marji
My preference for Excelerate came because I found the method first, which was intriguing. Then I found Excelerate, which uses the method (TRP, TPRS, CI) packaged for homeschooling families. This book is our spine, though I use a lot of other material as well. We use the books in class and then the students have assignments during the week from the books (and other materials).
Some of the other sites we use are Sr Wooly and Fluency Matters, which has online exercises, comprehension questions, etc., based on our novels. Both of those have a fee, which is included in the cost of the course (although families purchase the novels, about $8 each.) Those are not the only sites, but a couple. We also use Quizlet, Kahoot, Gimkit, etc.
The video/streaming are NOT required, but I do have students who purchase those features. I think they are particularly helpful for students with dyslexia. Every major term/structure we learn and use frequently has a motion connected to it -- this involves the whole brain in learning in a multisensory way, which is very helpful for the dyslexic learner. We make up our own motions in class but I tell the students they are fully welcome to use the motions on the video/streaming service instead -- the important thing is that they connect the meaning to a motion. (These motions are not permanent, just until the structures are acquired).
I have had students who could not make the live class regularly -- this class is highly interactive, and to be honest it makes it difficult to learn as well when the student can only watch the recording. The student misses the individual responses, the ability to ask questions, to apply the Spanish he is learning -- and, in my opinion, puts an additional barrier in the way to learning effectively. This might have a stronger impact on a dyslexic student.
I do think the dyslexic student (two of my own children are dyslexic) has to work differently, and a bit harder sometimes, to nail down the meanings in foreign language -- has to explore to find out what works best for him or her. Does a visual image help more than a motion? Both together? Repeating it over and over? Singing it? I can also say that, when I taught Spanish traditionally using a traditional text and approach, one of my dyslexic daughters failed my course. She just could not do the conjugations and the movement of the phonemes. When I went to this method, I did French with her, and she SOARED -- and French is more challenging than Spanish!
I don\'t think language things are ever \"easy\" for the dyslexic student, but -- with practice in his/her best and most effective way to learn, it can be done.
Hope this answers your questions -- feel free to email me with others.
Blessings,
Marji
Jessica W: To clarify all in one place, we are to order... Excelerate Spanish 1 Textbook Excelerate Spanish 1 Workbook El Capibara con Botas Piratas del Caribe y el Mapa Secreto And the DVDs and answer keys are just optional. Do I have that correct? Thank you!
Yes, that is correct. Capibara and Piratas are a different location than the Excelerate books -- meaning you order them differently. We probably won\'t use Piratas until January, and we MAY use Capibara beforehand.
Sarah D: Hello Sra Mac, My son is enrolled in Spanish 1. I'm not clear on what we need to buy for this other than 2 novels. Do we also need to purchase the Excellerate curriculum? A list would be appreciated. Thanks! Sarah
Hello Sarah -- Did you get the email with the information about the materials?
Hi Sarah -- There should be a list on the first class page, along with a link to the Excelerate curriculum. I will go check and see if a glitch or something has happened.
Marji
I just went and checked. It shows up for me just fine -- on the Spanish 1 course page, on the top left, there is a button that says "Class Materials". It is explained there, with links. Let me know if you have further questions!
Hi Sarah -- There should be a list on the first class page, along with a link to the Excelerate curriculum. I will go check and see if a glitch or something has happened.
Marji
I just went and checked. It shows up for me just fine -- on the Spanish 1 course page, on the top left, there is a button that says "Class Materials". It is explained there, with links. Let me know if you have further questions!
Dawn H: Hello again, I went to order the two books on Fluency Matters and they no longer have El Capibara con Botas. What should we do? Should I look for it elsewhere? Thanks, Dawn
Hm -- let me check it out. It might be a day or two.
I tried to message you this link on the course site, but I am not sure it worked. Here is a link to the book that the company sent me:
https://fluencymatters.com/?s=Capibara+con+Botas&post_type=product
I tried to message you this link on the course site, but I am not sure it worked. Here is a link to the book that the company sent me:
https://fluencymatters.com/?s=Capibara+con+Botas&post_type=product
Diana R: My 15 year took Spanish I in our co-op using Breaking the Spanish barrier curriculum with a Mom who had taken Spanish in college. My daughter has not been able to get a good grasp on the language. We took German I from a native speaker the year before, and did not have much luck with that either. My daughter does well in other subjects, but languages are hard for her. What are your thoughts on her starting with Spanish I again in your class. Are concepts understood by all the students before moving on? I’d love for a solid language base before moving to the next level. Thank you for your input.
Hi Diana -- I appreciate the question. The answer is yes, mostly. This approach has a high rate of success, and it\'s best (well, all language study is best) when done for two or three years. Assuming you read my explanation, you will see that there is a difference in the traditional approach from this one. It is not grammar-first, but meaning first, then grammar. Each person acquires language at a different speed, and the experts say it takes about 2000 hours to become proficient in most languages. So you cannot expect fluency, or really proficiency, in a classroom. You CAN expect your student to be able to read and understand basic stories, to participate in question-and-answer situations (basic), to fully use and understand the Spanish they have acquired. IF you mean a \"solid language base\" by being able to fill out a conjugation chart, that\'s not what I do because it has proved ineffective. But your student will be using the most common verbs in the present tense and the past tense to some extent. I am not trying to be vague, but to help figure out what your expectations are, and how this class usually gives the students confidence and even fun with the language. I love it so much because I see so much greater success and ability in my students -- and their personalities shine through.
Dawn H: Hello, My name is Dawn Haines and I recently signed my daughters up for your class. My two daughters are taking your Spanish 1 class next year. Is this the correct course material? Should I wait to purchase it till you reach the minimum number of students? Would you recommend the whole package? Will I need two workbooks since two girls are using the curriculum? I am assuming they are consumable. Thank you in advance for teaching the girls. Have a wonderful weekend! http://exceleratespanish.com/products/curriculum/excelerate-spanish-whole-curriculum/ In the grip of His grace, Dawn
Thanks, Dawn -- I look forward to meeting your girls! The course material is correct, and I would imagine one text would work for them both (unless, like some of my own kids who shall remain nameless, they couldn\'t seem to coordinate smooth use of the same text), but they would each need the consummable worktext. We will read Piratas for sure -- the other book is \"iffy\", but if we don\'t, I will ask them to read it between Spanish 1 and 2 if they continue. I expect a small class, and we are only 1 away from my minimum, so I expect to reach that minimum. It wouldn\'t hurt to wait -- it usually only takes at the most 2 weeks to get the books, and usually less than that.
Thanks for contacting me!
Thanks for contacting me!
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