I have received and begun my "Learn Lingo" Spanish Curriculum and I LOVE IT!!!! It is exactly what I was looking for. It comes on 8 DVD's. It is filmed on location in Mexico. They teach you common phrases and then give you several chances to repeat them. Then they take you into a real-life situation and walk you through it with a native Spanish speaking person in Mexico. This is exactly what I was looking for. Not only are you learning about what words to use, but you are learning the culture and seeing actual places in Mexico. One thing I always found hard about the Spanish language is that they speak so fast. The words sound nothing like when I say them. On these DVDs you get to hear the words, know what they are, and can pick them out in the conversation. In this way you get a "feel" for listening to the language as well as just learning the words and their pronunciation. We've only just started it, but so far I love it. Like I said, it is exactly what I was looking for for my ADHD boy and I. (do you get the feeling that I LOVE IT????) I don't think they're selling it new right now, but I picked it up on eBay used for under 17 with shp. Sure a lot less than Rosetta!
Maria, just keep watching for it. It'll come up eventually. Watch Craig's list and shopgoodwill.com as well.
Several popular children's DVDs come with the option to listen in Spanish (you simply change the language setting before playing). When one of my sons had to take Spanish at Georgia Tech, he would watch the occasional 'Dora the Explorer' episode in his dorm - much to the amusement of friends.
I think soap operas are a good way to get an ear for a language. I used to watch them in Japan and I think it really helped. You could follow the fairly obvious story lines...the same people were in it day after day... There are spanish channels with novellas on every day almost everywhere in the US...even without cable. of course, they may not be appropriate for the kids!
