Do any of your kids enjoy learning foreign languages? If so, how are they learning? (ie: school, tapes, online, etc)

My dd loves foreign languages and has an unusual ability to acquire near perfect accents. She took spanish last year (1st grade) after school but the program was very basic and I didn't see her really learning the language, it was more word-memorization. Maybe thats how they start that young but it didn't seem as if she was really learning to speak the language. Anyway, she can count in 4 languages (French, Italian, Spanish and Chinese)and can say a few words as well. I would love to find a really great program out there for her. Any suggestions are very welcomed! Has anyone had experience with the Muzzy programs?

Our DS6 LOVES foreign language. Eats it up!

He's taking 2 GT enrichment courses on Sat.: French and Spanish, and he practics at home without my nagging him. Since he's liking that so much, I asked the French teacher for a tutor reference, and he gave me the number for his brother, who lives not far from us and has a day off that suits our schedule. I haven't called yet--Jan. was a VERY CRAZY month!--but I'm planning to arrange French lessons as soon as I can get my act together and do it.

If you can find a class or tutor, I think that's best for kids. They're such sponges. Plus they'll learn songs, poems, and other such aids to memory, or they'll use physical actions to cement the language kinesthetically. It's not as cheap as a computer program, but it's a much better way to learn.

I considered computer programs, but I decided I'd rather get him with a real teacher, so I haven't used any of the ones you've mentioned, though I looked at Muzzy and some free ones that I found on Google. I decided that I might use a program as support when he's far enough along in his language-learning, but I don't want this to be hs primary teaching source.

But that's just me! YMMV. Do what works for you!

Hey, Tammy and Kriston! DS has Spanish in school and hates it. He has a beautiful accent, but is bored in class. I think all the teacher does is point at objects and say the words. He also asks why he has to learn another language. I've always liked languages and wish I could inspire him. I'll take a look at Muzzy or anything else fun suggested in this thread. I'm jealous of your children's love for languages.

True, a bad teacher is never good, in any subject.

You remind me that I didn't specify the kind of class, and that matters a LOT! Immersion programs are best. The less English spoken in class, the better! And the more active the kids are--jumping, spinning, walking, etc.--the better for memory and engagement. Pointing and saying words to seated kids is not immersion teaching! I learned 50 words in my first day in German I class in high school because she had us jumping up and sitting down and turning the lights on and off and...She did not speak a word of English the entire class once she informed us that we were going to learn 50 words. All the rest of the class was German! It was fun!

Questions: teach your son how to call someone a funny name in Spanish. (As I recall from 25 years ago, we liked calling people woodcutters in German because it sounded so funny--something like "Shlysenheitsschleifer" or some such combination of sh's and luh's...) But calling someone a "teapot nose" in Spanish might be just the thing to perk up his interest.

Also, a trip to a Spanish-speaking place--especially if he's the only one who can speak Spanish!--is great for showing a kid why learning a foreign language matters.

Our son (8) has been learning Spanish since the start of the academic school year. We use a program on United Streaming/Discovery Education called Educacion Espanol. It's basically a video of a class, geared toward middle school students. [We had started with a K-5 version but my child called it mind-numbingly boring, so I found a more advanced version.] So far we are happy with it, but I'd like to build in more opportunities for daily practice.

Neither my husband nor I speak Spanish, so we are learning it along with our son. We try to practice a little bit every day.

Tara

We did have Muzzy, which DS used when he was 3-6 years old or so. Mostly he loved to listen to the tapes as he was going to sleep at night--he found them very comforting. He also liked the computer games that came with it. I don't remember that he spoke much, but I felt like he absorbed a lot of the sense of the language through all that listening.

When we took him to Honduras the first time when he was 7, it was like a light went on for him. He understood that Spanish wasn't just a silly game, but the way people communicated. After that we haven't had any trouble getting him to speak. But I do think that Muzzy laid the ground work for his later learning. I doubt very much if it would work on its own, though; you would want to have someone for your child to speak with, at least eventually.

We have French Muzzy and DS5 did exactly the same thing. He listened to Muzzy every evening for months and then he moved onto different French CDs. Both DS3 and DS5 take French lessons twice a week in Montessori. French is their 3rd language. They grew up bilingual.

We have the 1st level french and the kids really do love it, the songs are the funnest part for them. Does anyone have any recommendations for MORE foreign language songs (tapes, cds) for the car? or just regular cartoons in foreign language - french is our preference since that's where we've started. I have looked at netflix, found some spanish, but no french yet.
I have found muzzy sets at the **LIBRARY** which really is exciting to me - you might want to check at your local library if anyone is considering buying one of these sets. It's a great way to try them out. I checked out the 2nd level muzzy and we enjoyed it for weeks and will probably check it out again soon.
If nothing else, my DS7 really knows how to say 'france' correctly!

Chris,

We also liked CDs
Beth Manners' Magic French for Kids
Beth Manners Fun French for Kids

They were fun to listen to in the car and I think DS5 pretty much memorized the whole thing. They may be too easy for your son at this point though. They may be still worth checking out if you can find them in the library.

I am saving Muzzy II for DS5 birthday. I am glad you liked it.

My kids have liked Hooked on Spanish.

There are also

Hooked on French
Hooked on Chinese
Hooked on English
Hooked on Baby Sign Language

http://hooked-on-phonics.com/hooked-on-p...Category_ID=172

questions - i'm with you in being jealous of the other kids' love of foreign languages! I can only hope. I have slipped into French for fun every once in awhile since DS4 was born, and almost as soon as he could talk, he would say, "mommy, speak english!" It doesn't help that we live in a small midwestern town where everyone speaks English. And I thought he'd finally get excited when he heard people speaking different languages when we were on vacation (especially when some people were speaking papiamento!) But he said, "When I grow up and have to go anywhere, I'm going to speak only English." Sometimes I'm not sure whose kid he is.

But now, thanks to LMOM, i have hope! Because there is something that is called "magic french"! DS is now totally into anything magic. Thanks!

Same thing for my DS - fun works. We need something fun.

fyi, in first grade, DS told the Spanish teacher I have an idea, why don't I teach you English?

ROFL! That's a riot!

Hee-hee! Lately, DS wants to speak pig-Latin.

Y-Whay?

I-hay on't-day ow-knay.

And then there are all the "spells" that the kids picked up from Harry Potter. Hey, maybe they'd like to try Latin...

Good thinking!

questions - i think my DS would get along great with your DS!

Agreed!

My dd grew up bilingual (English/Spanish) and is a great translator. Since day one I would speak to her in English and than repeat the same thing in Spanish. I just wished I knew a third language. Her school offers French, Latin, Spanish and I believe we will be getting Chinese next year, but not until middle school (6th grade). The only option for lower school is Spanish. She is learning how to write Spanish now.

My XH's new wife is German. I recently hinted that maybe she could teach her German. We will see where that goes...

When my nephew was a little boy they moved to a neighborhood that was predominantly chinese. He had to either learn chinese quickly or not have any friends. Before long he was fluent in Chinese. I think this is the best way to learn a language.

DS does a lot with language and does really well with it... but I can't say he really loves it. So I throw in some fun extra things on the side -- Spanish Garfield comics are the recent hit around here. What I'd really like is some "native" fun things, like good Spanish television. We only seem to get the soap opera channel... I might just need to order some Chapulin Colorado DVDs...

At least Spanish is easy to find -- he's starting Russian, and I have the worst time finding anything fun in that direction, although it's probably because of my severely limited ability in Russian to begin with... makes googling pretty difficult.

My son has been begging to learn Japanese. I would like for him to learn Spanish because there are a lot more people speaking Spanish than Japanese where we live. I haven't found anything yet for him to learn Japanese that I can afford.

Hmmm...I stumbled on this when I googled stuff for you:

http://www.japanese-online.com/

Thanks. He liked the dictionary he found on that site, but he's still trying to talk me into buying Rocket Japanese because it is interactive. It might be a little easier to learn that way, but it is expensive. We are going to try a free trial before we do anything.