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Spanish Vocabulary Flashcards Premium APPLE APP

Breaking the Barrier, Inc.

http://apple.co/2ifPEyK

978-448-0594

63 Shirley Road

Groton, MA 01450 USA

http://www.tobreak.com/

There are some subjects which intimidate me more than others. Foreign language is one of those. Neither my husband nor I are proficient in a second language. We both took Spanish in junior high and high school, but only a minimal amount stuck. I also took a class in college, but barely made it through. When my oldest daughter and I were discussing this upcoming schoolyear she told me definitively that she wanted to take Spanish. She is 12 and in 7^th grade, so I thought I should listen to this request.

My daughter has more than a passing interest in the language. Her dream is to move to a Spanish speaking country and be a missionary. We want to encourage her in this as much as we can and so began looking for a solid program which would teach her well, gauge her understanding and mastery of the language, and not need parental involvement for the most part. Breaking the Barrier Inc. seems to be the key to exactly what I needed for her!

There are several reasons this program worked really well for my daughter. The first one is that it is all contained within a flash card app and iBook. These two resources are providing her with a full year of Spanish instruction in an easy-to-use format. After I downloaded it initially she didn’t need to wait for me to figure it out and explain it to her. She quickly snatched away the iPad and I didn’t see her for about an hour. This tells me it was engaging and very easy to use. She happily showed me how easy it was and I was impressed with just how much she had covered in such a short time!

Another aspect that I absolutely love about this is that it doesn’t require any printed material, yet still assesses their knowledge! Each learning section within the iBook includes instruction for vocabulary as well as the grammar needed for use in a structured sentence. Each page is interactive so my daughter was able to hear the words and phrases by clicking on the audio. Correct pronunciation is key to becoming fluent in any language and I love that she was able to hear a much better pronunciation than I would ever be able to attempt. There are also check points where they respond to questions with appropriate answers and these were a fabulous assessment tool.

The final part I love about these two resources is how the flashcard app is structured. I was struck by just how well my daughter was pronouncing the vocabulary she was learning as well as how quickly she was retaining it. This is largely due to the structure of the app. When reviewing the flashcards she was able to hear the vocabulary word and then she was not able to move on until she pronounced the word correctly. I’ve seen other flashcard systems which relied on typing the correct word. While this may have some value, it cannot compare to the verbal practice she is receiving. She also has the option of reviewing vocabulary with pictures instead of just words.

She loved telling me about this program when I asked her how she liked it. Her favorite part was being able to look up words she wanted to know, but which had not yet been addressed in the lessons. She is also beginning to teach her sisters some basic Spanish vocabulary, a sign of true learning!

This is by far the most affordable choice I have come across that also provides such excellent instruction and feedback. I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a solid foreign language program and we intend to continue through the available levels for her future studies in Spanish.

-Product review by Melissa Williamson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, October, 2017