jdr

It`s ok really as the OP post was.....

"Is it possible to get normal Spanish TV (mainly to help the kids learn the language) plus be aware of local news) via my Sky box / sat dish.
We do not have a normal TV ariel, just the dish and Sky box."

So the diversion onto how kids learn Spanish is only helping with the question.

lynnxa

I didn't even look at the first post


put it down to my habit of just hitting 'previous thread'

Huevos

I've met lots of English kids whose parents say this, but when you listen to the child speak in most cases it turns out they don't speak well even after several years. Lessons cost money and many parents would rather spend it on a new car than their kids. But then afterwards , of course, they have to pretend, even to themselves, that they have done "the very best" for their kids. It's not really hard to do better than others in a state system where there is such a high failure rate (over 40% of students in the Community of Valencia are now finishing school without even basic studies). By the way if she is doing so well just thing how much better she could be doing if she had been lucky enough to receive some Spanish lessons (for foreigners) and been enrolled in a school with an elementary standard of education. If you do a search of the web for something like "learn language watching television" you will find links to many studies going into the negative effects of television on learning languages. Television is a visual medium and often the narration has little or nothing to do with the images being shown. After five years of going to class every weekday for two hours I have a very good idea of how an adult learns language. Language learning through acquisition starts to drop off rapidly from about 5 years old and is almost completely closed by adolescence. Cognitive learning is the only way to fill that void.

One thing I have noticed through the various debates on these forums is that many people are very passionate about defending their decisions to expend as little money or effort as possible on their kids educations. To me, just sticking them in front of a television set hoping it may improve their language skills is one such example.

lynnxa

my kids went to a private 'International' school the first year we were here - at the end of that year we realised just what a waste of time & money it was - they learned NOTHING!!

I don't see how she can speak better spanish than to be 'as fluent as any 12 year old spanish child' - which is what her teachers tell us

at no point did I say that you could learn the language by simply watching television

I said that it helps to have exposure via this medium outside school

if you know this why attack Mike for not 'picking it up'?

you don't run a private school do you?

Huevos

Looks like you didn't make a very good choice then. Or are you just defending your position to withdraw them and put them through the failing state system? Maybe this just shows the low level of the natives in the school she attends. Nor did I. I said studies find it has a negative effect, i.e. worse than no effect. I'm not attacking anyone, just voicing my opinion, but I have pointed it out in other threads in the past. No, but even if it were the case it's not a valid argument. Comparison in failure rate of basic studies speaks for itself.

lynnxa

I don't have to defend myself to you




so I shan't bother

Huevos

Of course not, especially if it would expose flaws in your arguments.

Mitzyboy

Your personal comments on the posters educational choice really has nothing to do with the arguement so lets get back to the subject eh?

Solarwhizz

Spoilsport

Same Difference

Damn right you dont Lynn!

Huevos

What personal comments? I was merely pointing out that parking kids in front of a television set or enrolling them in a system with more than 40% failure might not be the best ways to further their education.

valenciatim

So what is then? Is an international school better? The Spanish send their kids to an international school to improve their English, how would that help an English child living here?
I believe the state schooling here to be better than in the UK, in fact, that was part of the reason for moving here.
Where do your children go? Spanish state or international?

Sam Greenfield

I know i dont live in Spain or have children of school age anymore but if i was and had my kids would be in Spanish school - the reasoning is they are then learning the language straight off - they are mixing with peers who probably live in the same area as them - they wont have far to travel to the school as im presuming private schools have to be travelled to - nuff said - oh and if you are wanting to intergrate into the Spanish way of life what better way is there for your children.

valenciatim

Plenty of common sense in that statement.

Sam Greenfield

Ta hun