http://teachingmytoddlers.com/?p=336Recently, my family had the opportunity to try out Boca Beth products that are designed to teach little ones Spanish. The “Boca Beth Difference” is that the material is presented in a true bilingual format with Spanish and English presented side by side. I was initially taken back by this because I always assumed that immersion is better. Creator Beth Butler decided to go with a bilingual approach versus total immersion after careful consideration and research. This format made the program more accessible to more children in a wide range of ages, including those beyond the preschool years.
http://www.bocabeth.com/Bilingual_Resource_Area/Immersion_Making_Children_Ill.php)
Because English and Spanish is presented equally for every single phrase in the program, this program can be used for English speaking kids learning Spanish, as well as Spanish speaking kids learning English. Even for kids under 3 who do not require a bilingual approach, the basic English/Spanish words shown on screen during the DVD can help reinforce reading skills in both languages. For example, the on screen text might accompany the narrator announcing “Say mono. Di monkey.”
In our box we received:I Like Animals DVD
This DVD was cute, with lots of footage of live animals doing what animals do, like monkeys swinging and so forth. My kids especially love the “No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” song and dancing to the final “music video” extras at the end.
My First Songs in Spanish
This is a nice CD to play in the background while the kids are having self-directed free play. The songs sound very familiar because they are done in “piggyback” style to the tune of classic children’s songs you can recognize. In that respect, they are catchy, easy to learn, and get stuck in your head. There is a lot of repetition throughout the lyrics, perhaps just changing one or two key words from verse to verse. For example, different verses might say "There is a [animal name] and he says [animal sound].” (gato, perro, vaca, and so on) which leaves many opportunities for reinforcement of the phrases.
Boca Beth Coloring Book with vocabulary
The coloring book was really fun for my kids because they thrive on having information “layered” in a slightly different capacity (in this case, DVD/CD/coloring book/puppet). My kids love coloring in general and my daughter is fluent bilingual reader for her age, so being able to color and reinforce vocabulary at the same time is great. She also found a lot of novelty that the coloring book matched what was playing on the television screen.
2 Boca Hand Puppets for ReinforcementThe Boca puppet is the cohesive aspect of the program that ties it all together and gets the kids excited. I’m sure much of it is in the delivery of the parent, but in our house the Boca Birds chase the kids, peck at them, and give tickles while they speak Spanish. The puppet is nicely sized and really brightly colored so it’s a “can’t miss” cue that it’s time to speak Spanish, especially for toddlers.
2 Maraca ShakersThese are mini size maracas but deliver a quality sound. They fit great in my one year old’s hands and he reaches for these over our full size wooden maracas every time. They’re a fun little “extra” to encourage rhythm and dance while listening to the CD’s.
OverallUpon first receiving the Boca Beth box in the mail, I frequently played the DVD and CD’s to encourage my family to get to know the program and songs. My daughter began asking for "Boca" by name by day 2. After hearing it all just a few times, we were able to sing along because it is very, very simple and easy to follow. I was initially wondering how the bilingual format would fit into our current Spanish program (which aside from this program, is complete immersion) but my kids don’t seem to notice a difference. If anything, the bilingual format has been a good refresher for me as I have not been practicing my Spanish intensely for a few years now. Admittedly, I cannot follow along with every single phrase spoken on some of the other immersion programs we use although I try.
On the Boca Beth DVD, the words are spoken very slowly which could be viewed as a negative (the slow pronunciation could be perceived as having lost the natural cadence of language) or it could be viewed as a positive (that it is very easy to understand for learners of all levels and backgrounds). This series would be especially helpful for a parent to “get their feet wet” if they feel intimidated to learn/teach Spanish. It would be most appreciated by a family with zero background in Spanish but enjoyed by many. I am currently trying to expose my kids to Russian but I do not speak it at all, and I would love it if someone created a series like this in Russian. The production quality is okay, a step above Your Baby Can Read, but my kids never seem to notice or care about this sort of thing because their DVD options are restricted to select educational offerings to begin with.
What I liked best about Boca Beth- The fact that my kids enjoy it immensely is my favorite part. I also like the continuity and layering of all the pieces that are tied together with the Boca hand puppet. I also really like the idea of supporting other Mom-prenuers out there. I was able to speak with Beth personally via phone and she just exudes passion for Spanish language and education. Her website offers some great resources such as all of the lyrics to her songs and free flashcards.
http://www.bocabeth.com/Bilingual_Resource_Area/default.php. While you’re there, sign up for the newsletter to get the latest updates on products, specials, downloads, and more.
In the end, the bilingual format is just another approach. Yesterday in the grocery store, Lily started randomly signing “Yo tengo sed!” in the aisles which made for a cute scene for my little gringa but it shows me that the Spanish is sticking. She chose to sing that phrase, rather than the English version. I think when a 50/50 bilingual presentation is used, it comes down to that the child is aware of which language the parent is encouraging. We use quite a few programs (including attending a kids Spanish class once a week for live native speaker exposure so I’m not particularly concerned that this program is narrated by a non-native speaker. There is nothing remotely “serious” about this series; it is all learning through fun, music, and play with bright colors and catchy tunes. Overall, the set is entertaining for the kids and provides some good vocabulary and variety to our Spanish media rotation, keeping things fresh and interesting.
www.bocabeth.com*I was provided a copy of Boca Beth in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinions. My opinions are solely mine and are not endorsed by any group or third party website that this review may be shared on. I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I paid to write it.
Digg
