Señora Gose's Homeschool Spanish Blog (aka "Seriously, Suzanne")

Wondering what benefits learning Spanish (or any second language that's spoken) may have on your teen's BRAIN??? (Or yours?)Check it out! It's not just about "credits!"  Part TWO: "What did I come in here for? Short Term Memory - Do you struggle with short term memory? Does your teen struggle with short term memory? There are SO many tools - highlighters, post it notes, apps, alarms - to help with short term memory! Did you know the color YELLOW helps to activate the memory portion of the brain? That's right! So, you're not alone!In case you wondered why all those...

This next sector of three blogs will be to help you, the parent, to understand how much DEPTH the simple act of learning Spanish (or any second spoken language) will add to your pre teen or teen's brain health. (And yours too!) Part ONE:Learning a second language is SO much more than verb conjugation charts  and lists of vocabulary words. When the brain starts categorizing and creating meaning and then PUSHES that meaning forth, all SORTS of shifting and cognition happens in the brain. It's not unlike learning to dribble a ball, ride a bike, or row a boat. The motions begin...

I'm often looking for way to add meaningful cultural studies into my own homeschool time and I thought I would share this EASY way to add las posadas in to YOUR Christmas time fun as well. Here's the easy learning tip - No matter WHAT subject matter you are studying, add in food. Waking up more senses in the body is a GREAT way to spur interest, smiles, motivation, and extra memory boosts. Blood sugar goes back up, taste receptacles are firing, busy hands are occupied, and mouths are full, so fewer talkative students can interrupt! That's a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN by...

How can learning to thank others in a new language help you, your family, children, and your outlook in general? We used the fun Thanksgiving Spanish Bingo in our Game Day at the end of October and it struck me how frequently the students stopped to think about it, when someone used their sentence starter:"Yo doy gracias por..." I give thanks for... ...and then they would agree or disagree. So! How can giving thanks in a second language really improve your life? Read on! I have three GREAT points for how this will benefit your family here on Kerry's 22 Days of Thanks!...

When looking for homeschooling tools, methods, or curriculum, we want it all, don't we?I'm not talking JUST about foreign language curriculum, though I'm sure you've seen the impossibility of combo dream: "cheap, fast, and good" - we want ALL of it to be FAST, and QUALITY... and also, free-ish. I mean, is that too much to ask? WHy yes, yes it is. Let me help you today to be okay with the two you chose.(Whether or not you meant to, you have already chosen your two.... but don't worry. You can change your choices and choose again.) Let's start with...