Teach Me Some Greek {Greek ‘n’ Stuff Reviews}

We all love languages! I especially love the old ones, Latin, Greek. Yet studying them can be a real chore. Its hard to find materials that really help you to enjoy learning whether as an adult or as a child. Thankfully you can learn Koiné (common) Greek without breaking a sweat, using Hey, Andrew! Teach Me Some Greek! – Level 2 set from Greek ‘n’ Stuff. We received a CD for pronunciation , the workbook for this level and the answer key to go along with the workbook.

 

 

I have to admit I was a bit worried when we received this, because we were totally new to this program. I am one of those “have to start at the beginning” people – So receiving level 2 when we never completed level 1 – I admit I struggled a bit with this. But I have always wanted to study ancient greek (my oldest son too) so we determined to just do it.

 

 

I was so pleasantly surprised by this material! As soon as it arrived I went ahead and got the materials out, popped in the CD – I was like a kid in a candy store you could say! This is the kind of things I get so very excited about 🙂

Level 2 of this program introduces the alphabet and as you progress, it also begins to teach some simple words.

We completed one lesson per week; that’s about 5-6 pages in the workbook provided. There are also flashcards in the back which should be used daily to help really reinforce each week’s lesson. There are 30 lessons in all – I almost forgot to mention, the audio CD provided included level 1 and level 2 pronunciations and reader. Nice, right? 😛

While initially my boys found the CD to be “for little kids” (never mind that my younger one is 7) they soon began to enjoy listening to this. Now and then we would use it while we were in the car running errands or going from one place to another. Being that my oldest loves to Bible study, I reminded him of the great value this could have for him, in studying the Word at an even deeper level. And what blessings could come from his diligent studies too as he learns and then shares the fruit of his labor.

 

 

This is recommended for grade 2-4 but due to the content of this level it is great for anyone of any age who wants to learn Biblical Greek and has no prior experience. I love that the goal of this program is to help students in their studies of the New Testament so that they are better prepared to discern faulty theology. It’s also a wondercul way to encourage the study of vocabulary since there are just so many words in our own language that have roots in the Greek.

 

We are having so much fun with this! Well, mostly me honestly. My oldest son doesn’t mind doing pronunciation work and he uses the flashcards plenty, but he isn’t big on the workbook. Often I will read the questions and have him tell me the answers; narration of a sort. My other ones are a bit young and not quite seeing the benefit but my younger son does have fun learning new words – since he is a very curious one – and even learning where some other words come from.  Plus he thinks speaking the Greek sounds kind of funny. Not totally sold on it but I think in time he will find a greater appreciation for this. In the meantime, this momma is really having a wonderful time learning Greek. 😛

 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/GreeknStuff/

   https://www.facebook.com/groups/heyandrewteachmesomegreek/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/GreeknStuff

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kuriakos/greek-n-stuff/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/karenmohs/

 

Classical Academic Press’ French for Children {With an Amazing Giveaway!}

My eleven year old son has quite the love for foreign languages. Since we hosted an exchange student from France, he has been studying French informally, using various online videos and podcasts. He even started a notebook of his own with the words he knows but I know from my own experience studying languages, that at some point we need to formalize our learning. There is so much more than just memorizing words and having a proper pronunciation (as important as those things are).

 

 

 

In the last few years we have got through quite a bit of materials because of his interest in languages. We have studied Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese and a bit of Hebrew, some Latin and Greek…I was wary to invest in more materials for him while at the same time eager to encourage this interest of his. So when I happened to see that Classical Academic Press (whose materials I really do love!) had a program,  French for ChildrenI had to learn more.  Perhaps this would be “just right” for him.

 

 

 

Their motto is “Classical Subjects Creatively Taught,” which is something that really strikes me because, that is how I want to see learning happening. There is such power in learning that is engaging, and encourages creativity.  This kind of learning is what inspires and makes kids into lovers of lifelong learning too. And I want to see that as much as possible with my children.

 

 

The complete program of French for Children Primer A includes the following:

 

 

 

 

Classical Academic Press was so very generous in giving me a copy of this curriculum for review purposes, and so I here I am, sharing our experience with you!  French for Children, Primer A is recommended for grades 4 and up. There are 17 Chapters and they offer a variety of weekly schedules to help you complete this program in half a year or an academic year (thirty weeks).  We appreciated having these to use as guides as we study.  Especially since we tend to be so relaxed in our schooling; without incentive we can sometimes park on a topic for weeks! And while I love to encourage that too, there is great value in learning how to complete things in a timely fashion!

 

 

 

French for Children has a very immersion style feel to the program! They use lots of dialogue, translation, vocabulary, dictation, grammar, and there are quizzes too. We used this quite a bit since my oldest son really needs this kind of thing to reinforce what he is learning. Plus it encouraged him to start his own little “Book of French Vocabulary” to track his learning for himself. He even began to record himself “teaching other kids French” as he learns. Now they may seem impossible, too much – but it really isn’t at all. This is all presented in such a way that it really is quite enjoyable!

 

 

 

French for Children Primer: Chant and Audio Files contains all of the pronunciations as well as dialogues, grammar chart chants, complete vocabulary, conversation journal words and phrases, Say It Aloud exercises, dicteés, and lots more! These files are great to load onto an mp3 for listening to or even as we are in the car, for some of our longer drives. (And right now we do have a few of those!)  This was an especially great resource for my son!

 

This is a very involved and very thorough course. I admit when I saw everything that this was made up of, I was a bit concerned that my son was going to be in over his head.  I admit, I was not sure this would inspire my son to continue learning. I will say, I was thrilled to find my son eagerly completing lessons and watching the videos each day. Often I would even find him repeating lessons previously completed; again the fact that he chose to complete lessons repeatedly even, its a huge compliment to this program.  In a season in which he has really been struggling with a desire to learn those beautiful and good things, seeing this light a love within him, it warms this momma’s heart.

 

 

We jumped right in when this arrived. And we learned after the fact that it really is important to watch the first DVD before beginning. This will give you a better understanding of this course while helping you to understand the structure of the lessons and explaining all of the different aspects that are a part of it this program.

 

We really are enjoying our use of this program, there are just so many wonderful things about it. The level of immersion that is used within the program; the depth and yet the simplicity and fun that is had in the learning process too….It’s refreshing to see children having so much fun learning.

 

 

Listen to the Dialogue – There is a story being told; as you listen to the audio follows along while listening to the audio. This is partly in French, partly in English and introduces new vocabulary. She gets an idea of what the new words mean from the context and tells me what she thinks is happening. The dialogue translation is in the back of the Student Text.

 

 

Chant – phrases & sets of words to learn proper pronunciation. My son will put on his headphones and listen. I love hearing him speak he has quite good pronunciation if I may say so myself.

 

 

Vocabulary – There are about ten new words to each chapter. My son writes these in his notebook of French words he knows and he likes to go over these throughout the week.
Video – The videos are about 45 minutes long; these are full of information. There are times my son will watch one video in one sitting; other times he may watch a little here and there throughout the week. These are very helpful to my son (me too!) and there are times we will watch a video again because there really is so much you can get out of these.

 

Grammar – There is grammatical instruction involved in this course; this is taught very creatively so its not overwhelming at all.

 

Worksheets & Quizzes – Within these are exercises in translation, verb forms, grammar exercises, charts to complete.These are all great for reinforcing what is being learned.

 

La dictée – The dictation exercises are all on the CD. Interestingly, in France dictations are done similar to our version of the spelling bee. Sounds like a really fun thing to me!

 

 

 

I have been trying to be diligent in practicing more the methods of Miss Charlotte Mason in our home education and I have to say this is something that fits into her ways so very well. We are reading right now too (because it was mentioned in the Introduction, The Fables of Jean de La Fontaine) and seeing as we go along how the dialogues within this program weave together into these tales. What a wonderful and creative way to help engage our children as they learn!

 

 

 

As you begin your studies in Primer A learning subjects and verbs; infinitives, verb conjugation, tense and noun gender you not only learn these things but you write them and read them and say them. You use them so that they are more than just another lesson to complete but are a cultural immersion experience. As a former exchange student and a host mom to many exchange students along the way, immersion is a wonderful (probably the best) way to learn any language. And as you learn, you create your own conversation journals and fun dialogues to practice conversation, letter writing and so much more! I haven’t fund yet a better and more enjoyable way to learn than this.

 

 

 

 

Since we have been using this we have also been encouraging regular use of additional songs and stories in French, to listen and read along. We even have a couple primers we are using to read, online, in French, that my son is really enjoying.  I remember reading not long ago that if you really want to learn a foreign language, reading and writing it and hearing it again and again, is the way to go. This program is just that.

 

 

 

Classical Academic Press has for your review a 64 page pdf from French for Children: Primer A  the student text you can download and try out if you want to learn more about this program. There is also a free audio MP3 sample and the you can watch the video below, this is the first chapter in the program  (it is about 45 mins long). If you have a student who is interested in learning French, maybe they even learned a bit already, this is a wonderful program to consider.  And there is always www.HeadventureLand.com for some fun practice!

 

 

 

 

You have a chance to win!

Classical Academic Press are giving away two French for Children: Primer A bundles for USA residents! Just use the Rafflecopter form below —

a Rafflecopter giveaway

https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Middlebury Interactive Languages ~ French Course (Grades 3-5) ~ Review

My oldest son loves languages. And since there is such a wealth of learning that can come from studying these, I am all about supporting his interests as he studies various languages. Right now, he is passionate about learning French. A beautiful language indeed! So I was more than happy to have the opportunity, for him to review Middlebury Interactive Languages, Elementary French Course (Grades 3-5) program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love how immersive this program is! Every unit has a theme and each theme is related to a story from the French culture. This is a great introduction to France and the language itself for our kids. As they learn the language they have fun playing games, learning songs and stories that help teach not just the language but the culture too! Using the method of immersion the learning happens in a natural way; they learn words and phrases that will be useful to them and also experience them in context. Some of the units that are covered in this program are: greetings, numbers, family members, colors, foods, weather, clothing.  These courses are all designed to give children a multi-sensory approach to learning a language while also giving them the experience of immersion which means they do  not only hear and speak it, but they also learn to write it; they study grammar, and the culture itself. These are just a few of the things that my son is learning!

 

 

One of the really neat features of this program is the speaking lab! We love this feature; my son has lots of fun recording himself speaking the words and phrases and then playing them back to compare his speech to that of the program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each lesson has a variety of fun activities to help reinforce what is being learned. In some activities you have to drag the word to the correct location; another time you have to click on the word that matches the picture being shown. One of our favorites was dragging the sentences of a conversation into the correct order. I admit though, this took quite a bit of time and patience. Another really fun one is the Speaking Lab: Conversations exercise. In this one you have to record specific phrases or sentences along with vocabulary words (a great opportunity to hear our own pronunciation).

 

 

 

 

 

Each time an exercise is completed, you can click on the check mark at the top of the screen and see the lesson graded.  The exercises can also be repeated as often as you like, which is really nice for those units that may be a bit more of a struggle.  In order for progress to be saved however the checkmark has to be clicked on after each lesson to save the grade (which my son is not so good at remembering to do honestly).  Thankfully he really enjoys this program and likes to repeat the lessons, without any prodding from me, to make sure he’s got it all down. So in this case his grade book doesn’t really accurately show his progress but he is happy to continue working on these activities and I try to gently remind him when I see him working on here to make sure to click on that checkmark. 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

The lessons are the perfect length too! Being that my oldest son has a really hard time focusing for long periods of time, it speaks volumes to me that he not only sits through his lesson each day with this program but also (often) will complete additional lessons or activities. And the cultural lessons within are such fun to learn (and confirm with our exchange students when we can – that sure adds to the learning experience!). I mean, who knew there was a name for the kisses exchanged by the French when greetings one another? And what sound does a bird make in France?  Do animal sounds really sound the same or are they different? My son had SO much fun with this one!

 

 

 

We just love the stories and songs that are a part of this; they are animated and lots of fun to watch!  It’s fun to see just how much can be learned from watching and listening to these! I have read about the great value that this can add to language learning; listening to and reading in the language being learned. And while it seems impossible I can assure you that it is not just possible, it is a powerful tool when it comes to learning languages!  Especially since these stories don’t just teach the words and phrases but also help our children to learn about the culture and lifestyle itself. It really is a full immersion experience for our kids!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Middlebury Interactive Languages offers a wide variety of online language programs for students in grades K-12, in Spanish, French, Chinese, or German, with or without teacher support. A subscription can be purchased for either one or two semesters and these programs are all self-graded.  Parents can log in to view progress within the grade book.  And you can even print off copies of the stories and vocabulary being learned for each lesson at the end of each unit ( we printed these off right away and put them in a binder) so we can read and enjoy them together in between completing lessons online. It was fun too, to hear my oldest son reading these stories, in French, to his little brother and his sisters.

 

 

If you have a little one (or not so little one) I would highly recommend this program!  This is a wonderful way to encourage a love of language learning; the lessons are great in both length and quality of content. But don’t just take my word for it; consider taking some time to read some of the other reviews from members of the crew.

 

 

Connect with Middlebury Interactive Languages:
Facebook: Middlebury Interactive Languages 

Twitter:   @middinteractive

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/middinteractive/

Train Up A Child

 

 

I am a huge reader! I love to read. And as a homeschool momma I strive to share that love of books with my children, every one of them from the oldest to the youngest (My children are 10 ,6, 4 and 10 months old).  Needless to say I believe very strongly in making sure that what we read matters too. I believe strongly that when we read the right the right things we are having fun and learning! And as my children get older, I hope that they will share in the joy and excitement of a good book too.

 

 

When it comes to choosing books though, and using them in our program, it can be a bit overwhelming. I mean, there are so many good books to choose from. And with outsuch a range of ages…How and where should I begin? I admit when it came to starting our literature based studies, I faltered. I started and stopped again and again. I choose too many books; my children’s interests were too varied. I thought for a time we were going to just have to go back to the way we were doing things and then I had the opportunity to review something that really made a difference for our home school.

 

 

Train up a Child Publishing, previously Epi Kardia, so generously blessed us with their literature based homeschool curriculum. Their mission is simple (one I think we can all agree with) is to help parents to raise godly and well-educated generations.  I love how their materials all seek to provide opportunities to teach to visual, auditory, kinesthetic and other avenues of learning as truly, every child is so very different and learns in a way different from others.  As the owner, Dana Wilson says so beautifully, “We want to train up a child in the way he should go; the way God made him or her.” 

As it is written in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.”  

 

This is a program which incorporates every way imaginable for our kids to learn. It is full of  projects, timelines, note booking and copywork, lap books, for our kids to learn and have fun and create too.  It also includes a great deal of opportunities to enjoy discussion and encourage narration!

 

 

 

The materials I was provided were presented so beautifully! I received a CD full of tools for K-5th grade as well as a binder of Unit Booklets for Teaching Primary Grades K-2. From the moment I began reviewing this material I was excited. I just knew that this was a method that I could use. As I began looking over the materials provided, I absolutely adored how there were numerous tips provided to help us mommas as we use the program with our children. Seeing as I tend to be rather organizational challenged, and even more technologically inept, I was so grateful for the many forms, charts and other organizing tools that were provided for my use. Its so refreshing, and encourages me to continue striving towards greater organization for myself and my homeschool, having tools like this so easily accessible. And so easy to use too!

 

 

 

The program itself uses these units every year, for three years, allowing everyone to go a bit deeper (layering history) in their learning the older they get. This method works great with my to boys especially. At the same time there are recommendations for how to study in chunks, since sometimes, we have to allow our kids to follow where their curiosity leads them. For example, we began with The Ancients (Creation – A.D. 476). Can I say the hardest part for me was choosing which books to read? I finally decided to let the kids choose and so off to the library we went to dig up whatever books we could find and spend the afternoon previewing them together. There was an excellent assortment provided for each unit; a number of books for listening and additional ones for independent reading. The list also separated the books based upon genre so there was a list of historical books, poetry & fine arts and science. Lastly every unit includes an amazing list of projects. Project based learning is something I have been pondering for my oldest son, so this was a great way to give it a bit of a try.

 

 

 

 

There were so many projects to choose from! My younger son (6) just loved making paper airplanes. I think there was a time we had at least 30 0f them filling up our living room as my son tried out different folds and sizes and papers ~ He loved testing them both inside and outside to see what went the furthest, which one flew fastest.  My boys created slingshots (which their sister didn’t really appreciate) but she enjoyed painting a couple pots and then planting some seeds too! As a family we enjoyed going for walks to collect leaves and bits of bark for rubbings!  We enjoy plenty of nature walks as a family when we have the chance. Wisconsin weather can make this a bit more challenging at times but thankfully we have had a few days here and there where we were able to get out and about.

 

 

 

For a season in our home school where we were really in need of something more inspiring for all of us, this has been such a huge blessing. This is not just a program that tells you what to do, but one that from the very moment you open the parent manual, inspires and reenergizes the desire for home education. There is much wisdom to be gained from the pages within this book. It has had me regularly revisiting and pondering the environment in which we educate. I ha e also been encouraged to regularly set realistic goals for my children and myself. My oldest son and I share the setting of goals; this is his opportunity to share and show what he is learning and what he is seeking to learn about. At the same time when he has a goal that is not realistic (such as wanting to play a song he sings in church on his guitar) we can together make simpler goals, ultimately leading up to this one big goal he has for himself. Together we can problem solve, think creatively, and explore the many options out there for learning! My younger son has even become a part of this, setting a couple goals himself for things he is eager to learn more about. As we set these goals and check in regularly on our progress, its fun to see what they are learning and how they are working together many times, to share what their learning and help one another in general. It won’t be long either before my daughter (4) will be sitting in her own goal setting session. She certainly loves to see and be a part of all of this learning and in some ways she already has learning goals (lots of ponies and flowers and ballet).

 

 

 

Again and again I am reminded as I read, that there is no right or wrong way to use these materials. This is a great program for those who are completely new to home education; it is also a wonderful material to use when in a season of unrest (with a baby in the house it does change how things are done!). With this program we have been able to ignite a love of learning within our children. We also been able to step away from the formal “work” while at the same time knowing that my children are still being well fed.  As a momma of four children who are such blessings yet so very different in every way, this is an excellent reminder that we need to focus on tools of learning. I am really looking forward to our continued use of this program. In fact, as I am in the process of developing a program for a number of fellow homeschoolers in our church I am sure this is going to get so much use there as well! I really do love this one and encourage anyone who is looking for something that will engage our kids, of all ages, while also cultivating a love of learning within them, this is it!

Love Languages

 

 

We have been so very blessed recently to become more active in studying foreign languages.  From the very first time I visited Germany when I was younger, I have had a passion for international languages and life. Today, as a homeschool momma of four I cannot get around the world, but by hosting foreign exchange students, we still get to enjoy the experience of another country, at home. And share our great nation with another too!

 

My oldest son is currently using Mango Languages for Mandarin Chinese and French too.  I currently use this same program for German and all of us are working on Spanish together using this.

 

I know so many people tend to shy away from foreign languages. If you don’t know one yourself it can be pretty scary. Even for those of us who have a league or two under our belt, it can be an uncomfortable thing. But, it’s possible. More than possible. It is doable. You CAN teach your child a foreign language and have fun doing it! And there are so many great reasons to study foreign languages. Believe it or not it can help you learn English, vocabulary, and critical thinking skills. How about teaching character skills? After all this isn’t easy. Learning teaches our children hard work and study skills. Which means they learn patience, self control and perseverance (we hope anyway).

 

 

Don’t forget about those things that are right there in your community too. We love the library, and its a great place to find and try different language learning programs. You can find dictionaries, audio books, and computer courses (any have the Rosetta Stone program too). You can find lots of books in Spanish, French, German and many other languages as well to help develop your reading skills. Consider using children’s books when you first begin learning a language. It helps a lot more than you may think with comprehension.

 

 

There are actually several books that we enjoy together, in our own library at home which help children learn all about different parts of the world. My favorites are: Children Just Like Me: A Unique Celebration of Children Around the World, Children Just Like Me: Celebrations! ( carnivals, festivals and holidays), and then the Find Out About Series which includes France , Italy, and Spain.  These teach not just language but history and culture too. These are great for children, and are a great introduction for the younger ones to different people and places.

 

 

Let’s not forget the internet and YouTube, these are full of great and free resources, to help guide you in your learning. The sky is the limit here. Here your children can learn stories and songs, in the language they are learning, for a real immersion experience.They can explore maps of different areas around the world too.  Who doesn’t love to learn in a way that is living?

 

 

One central site I love to visit more for studying languages than studying a language specifically, is Omniglot. I came across this one recently and just love it. Basically it is an encyclopedia of writing systems and languages, with more than 180 writing systems and information on over 600 languages. WOW! This is full of introductions to alphabets and other writing systems. Almost all the writing systems currently in use and many extinct ones. There are many great learning tools here too to take language learning to a whole new level with details of language families, advice on how to learn languages, and language-related articles and videos. All for free. (I am such a geek)  LOL

 

 

The key to foreign language is consistency. Practice every day, using it as much as you can. Maybe fifteen minutes each day will get you started. The more you use it the easier it will be.  Consider learning as a family or having siblings learn together. There was a tie we labelled everything in the house to help reinforce the words in the language my son was learning. Play games, read books, write and sing song in that language throughout the day. Make it a part of your life and your routine. Find opportunities to use what you learn each day. It can be as simple as saying “hello” or “thank you” in a different language, or have a foreign exchange student over (consider hosting – our family loves to do this), or share a meal with your family from the country whose language you are studying.

 

 

Until we meet again… Au revoir, auf wiedersehen, sayonara, farvel, gule gule, do svidaniya, Zai jian… goodbye for now. 🙂

T.R.I.P.-Update #1

I recently posted about a new reading program we were given the chance to review.  T.R.I.P. stands for ‘Targeted Reading Improvement Program’. The T.R.I.P. CD-Rom contains step-by-step reading lessons. The video shows you how to run the program, and manage the 20 lessons within. Each lesson has three parts: Word Lists, Flash Practice, and Story Cards.  We only done this twice so far but the story cards have been lots of fun for us all so far!

The lessons took about a half hour, and the words were very easy for my son to read.  I admit to being a bit disappointed there wasn’t more of a challenge for him as we started out.  The words will get harder as we go along, so I am hoping it’s good for him to be able to really feel the success in the first few lessons.  The flash practice-was a piece of cake for him. We had to advance it though since his attention doesn’t hold for very long but once they were sped up he got a kick out of the “race”.

So far I am impressed with the program so far and excited to see how my son will progress with it; especially as it becomes more difficult.  I am hopeful this will not only bring more excitement and love to reading for him but also will benefit his skills. 

*Disclosure: I received this program free of charge as part of the CWA Review Crew. All opinions are my own.