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Pick. This
book and audio CD set aims to teach kids, ages 7 to 12, a
foreign language while traveling, but can just as well be
used at home.
Kids
are greeted in Spanish, and are told that Robert and Maria
are on their way to a fiesta, via car. A dialogue
between Robert and Maria reveals that Robert's Spanish
vocabulary is limited. It is decided that Maria will teach him some
Spanish during the car ride.
The
narrator then begins reciting Spanish words, pauses for the listener's
response, and then an English translation follows. Words
like "color", "minute", and
"lemon" are featured.
Kids
are prompted to work in their activity book at various
points in the CD. The included activity book is gorgeous,
with full-color, glossy, laminated pages. Reusable
stickers and an erasable marker are included.
The
dialogue between Robert and Maria continues. Maria quizzes
Robert with Spanish words, asking for the English
equivalent, and then reverses it: she offers English words
and Robert must say the Spanish equivalent. The CD continues
with more Spanish vocabulary drills: colors, numbers, food
items, transportation, and more. Later, basic phrases and
sentence building are featured.
Native
speakers are usedan important element in any
foreign language learning tool! The CD toggles between
children's dialogue and adults. The format is fun, and
plenty of vocabulary words and phrases are reinforced.
Bilingual
songs, with lyrics, are included. One song is entitled,
The Opposites Song, which delivers an upbeat vocabulary
booster as opposite words are sung in both English and
Spanish (for example, "loud/quiet",
"up/down", and "cold/hot").
The
CD runs for a hefty 70 minutes. The approach used in this
audio/book kit is effective, interactive, and engages
multiple senses as it teaches. Excellent, and highly recommended!
[This
set is also available in French. The same format is used.]
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