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Find advice from other parents on our Homeschool forum. You may also find our round up of the best online learning resources useful.

Home ed

Muzzy - The home language course- any one have any feedback???

20 replies

JoBaz · 20/02/2007 22:35

Hi

I have a son of almost 17mths & was thinking of getting the Spanish MUZZY language Dvd- I wonder if I am thinking of doing this too early?? But aparently it says this is the perfect time as he will be like a little sponge!??

has anyone used this course & if so how did i go for them? What age was your child?
I dont actually speak Spanish & so dont know if Im wasting my time getting this for him?

Any advice would be great

xx

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moondog · 20/02/2007 22:36

Expensive
Crap
You're wasting your time

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JoBaz · 20/02/2007 22:44

have you tried it then? was it that bad?
I wansent going to pay the proper price for it, I was going to get from ebay (second hand) so not exspensive

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moondog · 20/02/2007 22:47

If you're getting it cheap then not too bad.
Content ok (I've looked at French one) but I think people need to be realisitc about their golas and purpose.

Why do you want him speaking Spanish?
Do you go to Spain?
Have Spanish relatives?

If the answer is no then I would either rethink,or get it knowing that he will pick up a few phrases in the manner of a parrot.

I speak as a trilingual salt with lots of personal and professional experience in this field.

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JoBaz · 20/02/2007 22:51

I have realitives there yes, but that wasent really my thoughts- I have just read that to teach a child another language is good for their development? Im not expecting him to start speaking fluent or anything, but just thought it may be good for him to have another language??
what do you think?
I also chose spanish as I think this in an easier language to pick up & its where we are more likely to visit

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moondog · 20/02/2007 22:52

Go ahead then,but believe me,kids don't learn another language by watchnig a video.

Won't do him any harm though.

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JoBaz · 20/02/2007 22:57

Thanks for your advice.
What would you suggest then to teach him a language? Its nice to have someone to ask who knows what they are doing

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moondog · 20/02/2007 23:04

Well,the ideal way is to mix with people who speak the target language.
School,friends,activities and so on..

If you are in a biggish place there amy be playgroups run in another language.

Check oput the language/bilingualism section.

Lots of useful info there.

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Fauve · 20/02/2007 23:07

Actually, I'm seriously considering getting Muzzy in German for my two kids and me. Dd is eight and has seen the ads, and therefore is begging for Muzzy. She has learnt a couple of German words from her brother, who is 12 and learning German at school. I did German (one of three languages, though) at university, but all the basics have rusted.

What I imagine is that the three of us can have some fun watching the videos and learning the songs, then I can practise/sing the odd song with them. DD will pick up whatever she picks up; ds will improve his accent, and lose some inhibitions about speaking with a proper German accent, and hopefully revise some basic vocab; I will revise basic vocab and forgotten grammar.

I'd be interested to hear what you think of my plan, Moondog. Apart from nipping over to Germany for a quick hol - which we're also planning - it looks like a good way to boost ds' German, and get dd started for fun. I haven't actually seen them on Ebay much cheaper, but am planning to do the free 30 day trial, during which we'll certainly find out if it's a runner for us.

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moondog · 20/02/2007 23:09

Fauve,I think it sounds great.

I think it is great if anyone strives beyond the monolingualism that is the norm in our culture.

However,people have to be realistic about how much functional language their children will learn and use.

Also,new those Muzzy videos are frighteningly expensive.

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Fauve · 20/02/2007 23:12

I thought I'd do the trial, and if good for us, MAYBE cancel and try to get a decent set from Ebay.

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Runnerbean · 21/02/2007 08:42

Don't know about Muzzy it seems very expensive.
My dd (7) is learning Latin at the moment with 'Minimus" a primary age set of books and is really enjoying it!

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terramum · 22/02/2007 12:16

We got a free months trial with parts 1-3 of the french muzzy & have to say I dont think its worth anywhere near the money I would have to pay for it...some of the sound & animation isnt very good quality & even I have a hard time making out some of it because it was said very quickly (I have french A level)...I expected more of a simple style rather than adult conversation iyswim.....

If you have a dvd player then Id say it would be far better to just start showing their fave dvds in the other languages or buy some from Francce/Spain etc that you think they will like....or just get a basic book that you can crib from (letter names, numbers, basic objects etc) & simply start saying the french/spanish etc instead of the english word

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hellywobs · 26/02/2007 13:26

It's very dated (from the 1980s) but it is quite good - my 4 yr old loves it and listens to it in the car as well. It helps that I have now found a German club for him to go to but I would recommend Muzzy - if you can get it on ebay. I bought it new - but in instalments so it wasn't too painful.

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thisisdavina · 26/02/2007 13:51

Jobaz, we brought the Spanish Muzzy a while ago and imo the quality is very dissapointing. If the graphics/visuals had been of a higher quality, then I think my children may have taken more interest in it but it was awful really.

I think I binned it!

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lailasmum · 08/06/2007 17:31

Pretty much any DVD will have multiple languages on it. That might be a good way of them learning the sounds of a language but I don't think they will really learn any of it in a functional way from a program at that age.. It needs to be all around them. I took my daughter to Morocco just before she was 2, with my fluent French speaking sister and my bad french and the locals who spoke to us it was surprising how much she picked up. Not like in a massive way but she definitely was copying and repeating words in the right context without even thinking about it. Please, thank you, hello that kind of thing. We still read her French books now and she can pull the words out of her head but I would definitely say it has to be from lots of sources not just a video.

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dottyspots · 09/06/2007 20:47

Hmmm, I wouldn't say it was worth the money (I've had a look at a friends copy and wasn't impressed).

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annasmami · 17/06/2007 21:41

I also don't think the MUZZY dvds are worth their money. We tried out the German version and found the sound quality, the graphics and the story line a little dated and dull.

We have since bought several German language dvds on amazon.de - the kids can now watch their favourite dvds in either German or English (as most German bought dvds contain several other languages including English) and enjoy that much more!

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Callmemadam · 17/06/2007 21:57

My dd (5) loves Muzzy and watches it in preference to other dvds or cartoons, and has built up a small vocabulary already. It just appeals to her, I suppose.

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Hulababy · 17/06/2007 22:04

I have only heard negative stuff about Muzzy. Most seem to think it is not worth the money.

If you are just looking for something simple and fun, with no desire to hot house a language or anything - why not try the Usbourne DVDs: First Fun with French/Spanish . There are books to accompany them. Currently out of stock on Play but generally easy to get hold of. They were £5 each in Asda recently. DD has really enjoyed watching hers.