This is sponsored post on behalf of TruFluency Kids Spanish Immersion Online School. I received access to two classes in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own.
If you’d like to try live, online classes, you can save 20% off your first order/course by using PROMO CODE INT20 at www.trufluencykids.com.
Learning Spanish was on my homeschool to-do list for my children, but I had no idea how to get started. Honestly, I had lots of questions.
How do I find the best teacher? I’m not a native speaker and am clueless about what to even look for.
Should they attend in-person, group classes or see a private tutor? Could I do either safely during an ongoing pandemic?
How much would it cost? Classes can get expensive when you have more than one child participating.
What’s the best method to use? Immersion is popular, but I wondered if this is the way to go for my children.
How much time would it take each week? Managing life with three homeschooled children is challenging without the consistency required for learning a new language.
How involved would I need to be? Adding another subject to an already full (homeschool) plate would be too much. Zero stars; I am not a fan.
With so many questions, little time to research, and, if I’m honest, not much motivation to get started, I continued to put it on the backburner until TruFluency Kids contacted me about a partnership opportunity. After speaking with them, I thought that their program would be a great fit for my family, so we gave them a try.
Here’s how our experience went.
How it works
TruFluency Kids offers online, Spanish immersion classes for children. It was created by Micah Bellieu, who created her own trademarked curriculum, the “Bellieu Method,” to get children to understand and speak Spanish fluently quickly. The teachers are native-speakers who are not only knowledgeable, but are engaging and make learning fun.
With over 150 classes to offer, it’s easy to find a class that meets your child’s language level and fits your schedule. Drop-in classes are also available to try a class before registering for an entire session or to make up missed classes. There is no homework however you can access additional class materials online for extra practice. An email is sent following every class your child attends showing the phrases they learned and can practice before the next class.
After 300 hours of conversation, beginners move up to the next level. Teachers keep track of this for the student and parent, which makes it simple to ensure that they’re at the correct language level at any given time. Prices range between $12-17 per class, so about $48-68 for a full session, which is four weeks. Students can pick-and-choose classes, join late at a pro-rated amount, or go the full session.
What my sons thought
“My Spanish class was pretty good and very engaging. I felt included in the conversations, and the classes were way more fun than sitting in a classroom doing worksheets. The teachers were always friendly and had great personalities. Even though my class time was short, I learned a lot and wasn’t bored at all!
Brandon, age 13
“I loved my Spanish class. The beginning of class was my favorite. I thought the classes were pretty easy. I LOVE to speak Spanish, but I need more practice.”
Zach, age 9
What I thought
Being that this was the first time I’d ever registered my children for foreign language lessons, I had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy everything went and how much my boys learned in the two sessions they attended.
My oldest son (age 13) was placed in the 50-minute Teen Spanish Conversation Club that met twice a week. My youngest son (age 9) was in the 45-minute Spanish Immersion for Beginners class that met three times per week. Classes were on Zoom, and the teachers were on time, pleasant, and taught a small group of between 2-3 children, including my own.
Each class was just enough time to learn and practice without being overwhelming and rigid. Plus, I didn’t have to facilitate! Being able to completely delegate a subject was music to my ears.
Here are my pros and cons of the experience:
Pros
- Small class size
- Relevant, real world themes that the children could use right away (e.g. They learned everyday phrases to describe people, objects, the season, etc. and common questions to ask.)
- Realistic expectations based on the child’s individual ability
- Fun, engaging, and encouraging teachers who monitor and report the child’s progress frequently
- Great communication between myself, the teachers, and the TruFluency staff
- Short yet efficient class times
- Lots of scheduling options to choose from
- Affordable and conveninent (as long as you have an internet connection, you can attend from anywhere in the world)
- No required homework, only practicing phrases, if desired
Cons
My only con is that I wish the follow-up emails we received after class could’ve been uploaded to a website or sent weekly instead of daily. Keeping up with receiving five different emails between two different classes was a bit hectic. Streamlining that process would make the user experience much better, in my opinion.
Final verdict
TruFluency Kids is a fantastic resource for teaching children Spanish quickly, effectively, and through fun and engaging methods that aren’t boring and irrelevant to their everyday lives. Their classes, schedules, and immersive language method worked well for my family, which is a tough thing to do with our busy lifestyle. While we’re taking a break for the holidays, I definitely see picking back up next year and possibly continuing on until fluency is achieved. I’ll keep y’all posted on that.
If you want to learn more about how to be successful at learning Spanish or any foreign language, check out this blog post that Micah, the owner of TruFluency Kids, wrote for my blog.
If you’d like to try live, online classes, you can save 20% off your first order/course by using PROMO CODE INT20 at www.trufluencykids.com.
The Intuitive Homeschooler 