This post is brought to you in partnership with Academics Choice. While I was compensated for my review, all opinions are 100% my own.
If you’re anything like me, you remember “the basics” from your high school foreign language classes coupled with a handful of completely random phrases. I remember a bit of my high school Spanish – but certainly not enough to feel confident in teaching Spanish to my own children. Towards that end, many homeschooling families and parents abandon the idea of teaching a foreign language to their children. (And we don’t have to!)
Whistlefritz has created a language-learning system designed for kids ages 1-7. (Although, as someone who didn’t know anything beyond the simple French words you see in movies – you’ll learn right along with your kids as you watch!) Whistlefritz is a language immersion program. This means that your child learns a language by hearing and speaking ONLY that language. (Yep – no English!) Whistlefritz seeks to teach children French or Spanish in a fun and educational way through a combination of live action, animation, and engaging music.
We received the French Collection from Whistlefritz. This set includes: 4 DVDs and 2 CDs. This multimedia set includes the French immersion videos Dedans et dehors (Inside and Out), On va jouer (Let’s Play), Les saisons (The Seasons), and L’anniversaire de Fritzi (Fritzi’s Birthday). The included CDs are: “Cha, Cha, Cha” and “Allons Danser! (Let’s Dance!).”
While you will likely need time getting used to the immersion method, over time you’ll begin to pick up key words and phrases. The program repeats key words and main ideas, helping you to understand what is going on. We found the on-screen vocabulary to be a big help.
The songs and music were definitely the highlight for my children. (They loved the option of selecting only the songs from the DVD main menu!)
After watching the L’anniversaire de Fritzi DVD several times, the kids and I each understand a few handfuls of French words including colors and numbers. I’m excited to see our French progress as we continue to watch the DVDs.
To find out more about how the Whistlefritz program works, check out this short video:
If you’re a homeschooling family or simply a parent/grandparent with a desire to help your child a foreign language, I highly encourage you to check out www.whistlefritz.com. (You can purchase the French Collection on the Whistlefritz website!)
You can also purchase Whistlefritz products on Amazon:
Follow @whistlefritz on Twitter
