How can I help my Mum teach my son Spanish

[Starbear]

My lovely Mum is 69 years old Spaniard (in UK for 50 years) and looks after my DS two afternoons a week. For a variety of reason, I'm not very good at languages (I think we both have dyslexia)Can anyone recommend simple teaching material for her? It has to be fun.

Littelapin, Sorry 'El Corte Ingles' online has done it for me. I can even buy some cool European clothes that might look good on me.
I just need some fun story books and they have it. Nice try. Now Polish card would be good for work and to make new friends as we have so many here. Wait a minute my son's Godmother is Polish. We might surprise her with a few words. Now You have sold me the Polish stuff as I've just remembered I'm her little girl's godmother and it will get me huge brownie points. Didn't go to Uni so don't thinf as fast.

Littlepin. Good try, keep pushing you might have a sale. But I really am rubbish at languages. I'll have to now make another Polish friend to read those cards to him so he can say them to his Godmother ha! ha!
Going to bed now Thank you and Goodnight

oh ive been looking (half heartedly, i admit) for spanish and fench language story books for ages, so thanks for this thread and the links on it.

i would just like to say that i bought the muzzy program and was v disappointed with the quality. it doesnt engage my dc at all and never has... not gonna learn much if they wont watch it are they? it seems v old and dated and the sound is not even all that clear... tis pretty expensive too.

Our local library has books in "community languages" and where we are we have Polish, Punjabi, Urdu, Chinese etc. I was also told that you could request interlibrary loan type stuff from your local library (but we tend to just go to Charing Cross library for the Chinese collection and have dim sum afterwards ). Perhaps that's worth a try.

Slng, We don't have Spanish books in our Library but all the rest. Thank you for the tip. I will ask if they can order some in from other libraries. Cheers

Littlelapin, Sorry I didn't mean to sound harsh. I think something is funny then I read someones reply and realise it's not. I will look for you in the small business ads. Thank you

Try La jolie Ronde they have teachers that teach Spanish classes and start the kids from as young as 3 I think

The bookshop in London that's on the tip of everyone's tongue is, I think, Grant and Cutler in Great Marlborough Street (behing the Oxford Circus M&S). Their stock for French (why I've been) is a bit patchy, but it's better than a kick in the teeth. There's also the Instituto Cervantes somewhere in the University district and they might have a lending library, contact lists, film showings etc.

Of course, if you're not in London, all this is of limited value ...

Hello Starbear
Like somone said, fnac or El Corte Ingles are good for books or dvds. I am Spanish myself and I am only talking Spanish to my DD (I want her to talk to her relatives in Spain in their own language and hopefully this will help her to understand where she comes from and feel proud of it).
I know it is not enough to "reach perfection" in the language, but my intention is to also give her the support (school + myself) for the grammar, reading and writing. Then it will be up to her really, but I believe she, sooner or later, will speak it. I have to be persistent!
The book shop IfeelLikeaWoman said is good. The other one, the European Book Shop (www.europeanbookshop.com)is in 5 Warwick St. London W1B 5LU. It is a parallel street to Regent St. Anyway, you can check the map on the web page above.

Also very close to the Southwark College there is a small book shop with some stock, but I am not sure if they have children's books... Do not know the name, sorry.

Try: www.mothertonguebooks.co.uk. There are books by ages and "Spanish resources and learning tools". Worth a visit.

If your mum has access to the web, you could log on to the Spanish TV (www.rtve.es) where you can watch some of the children's programs. Children in Spain love "Los Lunnis". Go to "TVE a la carta", then you can see the programs to watch: Los Lunnis, Leonart (very educational and creative), or Pocoyo.
Your mum can watch it as well, so she can refresh her Spanish (I can understand that she can be very rusty after so long).

You can also go to :

• www.babytvchannel.com There are many songs in different languages.
• www.leoloqueveo.org. This link was given by a Spanish teacher in another thread and it is very good. It is a visual dictionary. Have a look.
• www.hello-world.com. This is games, activities and songs to learn the language.

I hope this will help, both your mum and your kids Now it is time to have some dinner...

Starbear, when I said that your mum can watch it as well, I did not mean just the children's stuff, I meant the news, the Spanish series, the gossip programs...