COMMENTS FROM TEACHERS

"Dear Julia,

Let me begin with, I have 31 classes with over 600 students and am loving every minute of teaching Spanish thus far.  I attended one of your Spanish seminars this past August.  I work for Family Resource Ministries and we purchased your Year 1 Spanish curriculum.  We use the curriculum for three schools and although each grade level is a bit different, each loves it.  The upper grades are thriving, ask questions, and attempt to build sentences with the vocabulary already introduced.  It's absolutely amazing!  I love teaching your curriculum and want you to know that it is working extremely well for both the students and myself.  Thank you for the opportunity to use this amazing program!"

Mara McKnight, Family Resource Ministries, California

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"My second graders are blessed with a fun and exciting Spanish curriculum to learn from!  They cannot wait to come to class and I am excited to teach the children.  I can't tell you how excited the parent are.  You've created a beautiful way of learning - I love the variety of activities that will cater to different learning styles!  Thank you.

Alicia Thorson, Heritage Christian School, Wisconsin

"I am so excited about using your Sing ‘n Speak Spanish language program.  It should be in all the public schools.  It is so much better than the standard text books that all the schools currently use."  

Jacie Datnow, Glenwood School, San Rafael, CA
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"I just read a post on a Spanish teacher’s listserv, Nandu, from a teacher who was very happy with your Sing ‘n Speak Spanish program.  That prompted me to do a Google search of Sing ‘n Speak.  As you may remember, I was one of the first to purchase your program for my school, St. John’s Episcopal, in your early years of development.  Wow!  Your website showed me how far you have come with all your materials!  What a difference!  I ordered a few things and I can’t wait to get them.  After all these years, I still use the beautiful puppets and Patti Lozano’s great teaching songs.  I am so happy that your program now includes a student workbook.  It looks like your program is much more user friendly than the prototype that I purchased.  Congratulations on all your hard work in trying to meet the needs of the classroom teacher.  I know that the posting on Nandu will spark the interest of many other Spanish teachers around the country."
Linda Falk, Elementary Spanish
St. John’s Episcopal School, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
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"I am writing with a recommendation for an after-school Spanish program for Coronado.  I am an elementary school teacher, with experience from preschool through third grade.  Last year, I had the privilege of teaching a first/second combination classroom at Village Elementary.  I am also the mother of a fourth grader and second grader.

I strongly believe in the importance of learning a second language, and I know that many studies support the idea that second language acquisition is easiest when it begins in early elementary school (or even earlier).  I have tried a lot of different programs to teach my children Spanish.  We have tried the BBC’s “Muzzy” series, Rosetta Stone, even some after school programs.  Rosetta Stone was too difficult for my children, Muzzy was too difficult to understand (and a little weird), and the after school programs never got beyond learning the colors and body parts.

This year, a group of home-schooling families on Coronado invited my daughter to join them for their Spanish lessons.  They were using the “Sing ‘n Speak Spanish” program.  We tried it out for a few weeks, and I realized, this program is fabulous!  The children learn through a combination of teacher-directed lessons, songs, activities, games and workbook reinforcement.  We have the CD at home, and the songs are addictive.  My whole family now sings them around the house!  Most importantly, the program introduces complete sentences, questions and responses from the very beginning.  This makes real conversational language acquisition much, much easier.

The curriculum is beautifully organized, with teacher’s manuals, workbooks, music CD’s and games.  Additionally, the program is organized with four different levels of Spanish, so children will be able to expand their learning past their colors and numbers.   The company provides trained teachers as well.  They are involved with several school districts, home-schooling programs and charter schools.  I think they would be a real asset to the Coronado Recreation Department programming.  I hope you will consider this fun and interactive curriculum for your summer or after-school programming."
Jessica Ziegler, San Diego