Here in Canada the status quo second language of choice for elementary school instruction is French. With two official languages, French seems to be the natural choice for Canadians, but with only Quebec, France and a few other small countries utilizing it as a first language it seems wise to study a more widely used modern tongue. After picking up a few words and phrases from Dora the Explorer my daughter was confidently exclaiming, “I know Spanish!” It was most certainly time to bring in some further instruction. With Spanish spoken widely in South America, Central America, Spain and by minority groups in North America it seemed an excellent language to pursue.
The DVD version of Rock ‘N Learn - Spanish Volumes I & II contains the 26 lessons found in their original audio CD/book combinations Spanish Volume I and Spanish Volume II presented in a highly visual DVD format. While not presenting a full course in Spanish, the disc teaches Spanish vocabulary and basic phrases through song, rhythmic speech, colourful visuals and cheerful performers. The content is similar to the phrases and vocabulary typically learned in a first year foreign language course including: greetings, numbers, alphabet, colours, school vocabulary, calendar, seasons, useful questions, directions etc.
Native English speakers to the side of the screen against a colourful background say a word or phrase in English, which appears in print on the screen beside them. After a pause in which the student can fill in the answer in Spanish, a native Spanish speaker supplies the Spanish answer. For the more complex phrases video clips are shown, or computer graphics are supplied along with the English and Spanish text being spoken.
At 55 minutes in length, the disc is best viewed in short sessions. Picking a lesson or two to view several times in a row seems to work best for retention and maintaining interest levels. Attempting to view all of the lessons at once becomes somewhat droning towards the end. Because the lessons proceed at a fairly rapid pace, it takes a few viewings to become familiar enough with the terms to join in the fun. The excellent menu navigational tools offer a pictorial preview of each lesson in the scene selection feature, making it easy to focus in on specific groups of vocabulary words.
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