Spanish Rhymes by Lynda Taylor

Spanish Rhymes Reviews

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  C. (Never PM. Comment, or e-mail if private!)

  Something interesting about myself is that I enjoy teaching. I approach music and academics by thinking about the instructional styles and content that I understood. Learning is vital: there must be no mimicry. That is my criticism of this 8-page, 1996 Spanish lesson by Lynda Taylor. It derives from a Minnesota series called “Early Success”, with the mission statement: “Develop reading fluency with a meaning based context”. Yikes, I beg to differ. It brings to mind that most people use familiar computer programs and websites but don’t think for themselves. We do a disservice by showing which icons to click, instead of how computers work. Goodreads profiles abound, of intelligent readers who do not venture to try uploading photographs of themselves.
  
  Thus, “Spanish Rhymes” is a booklet I would not give anyone, except to appreciate Lynda’s eye-catching art, in the style of colourful, ancient tapestries. Its few reviews applaud a finger game exercise that goes well with rhyming. I could raise “a particular finger” in response to that! Rhyming, gestures, and games are unimportant, compared to building rudimentary vocabulary that beginners will understand! Take it from me: I am fluent when not rusty and some of the words, slapped in entirely to prioritize matching the rhymes and drawings, are advanced for me.
  
  In grade 9, I grasped Spanish quickly, thoroughly, and well: with a few verbs and nouns on paper. Pronunciation can come later, when we know how to make Spanish sentences. Some struggle with pronunciation even if they speak a language. A foundation must be laid for vocabulary growth. I admire Lynda’s pretty, rich drawings. I disapprove of her mixed-level phrases. The best thing to do, is to conjugate the verbs “To Be” and “To Have”, with a few nouns. Then, devise a rhyme or finger puppetry with those.
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  Boom!

  I like that this version is not only in Spanish and English for bilingual speaking families but it also includes hand movements to accompany the songs. This movement involves the kids on a different level to help keep them focused and engaged.