...for You!
We have ready-to-go
materials for an individual, as well as economical group training kits. Students of Spanish that Works may read follow-up
lessons to help them continue the learning.
We also recommend other learning products on our
enrichment page.
ready-to-go
materials
Bee
Bilingual! Spanish that Works Lessons on Video
This four tape series, done
live-to-tape for community television, covers each of the sixteen lessons in the
basic course. Spanish that Works author and teacher Elizabeth Almann personally
explains the structures presented in each lesson just as if you were sitting in
class.
Once you understand the basics,
you can apply those concepts to your specialty area, and learn additional
vocabulary specific to library, school & early childhood, court, or
community (food & social words).
See the
Products page for more information.
group training
curriculum
Spanish that Works
Reproducible Course Kit
Economical group training versions of the Spanish that
Works course are available for librarians, teachers,
city court employees and community
members.
more recommendations
Spanish that Works is a
good, practical introduction to Spanish, but what do you do if you want to
learn more?
One option is to take a college
level Spanish class. If you don't have a university in your area, you
may be able to study through distance learning.
Or, if you prefer to study on
your own, you may look into the "Destinos" program. This
college-level grammar text is based on a series of videos that take you on a
tour of the Spanish speaking world within the context of a soap opera
drama. For more information about "Destinos," see the McGraw
Hill website Destinos
Information Center.
You can also improve your
Spanish by listening to music, reading books and magazines, and signing up for
free online Spanish lessons.
See the
enrichment page for recommendations for supplemental learning materials!
example of supplemental
learning materials
(in association with Amazon.com)
A time to feel / Un
tiempo para sentir
Besides being a great
way to learn new vocabulary and train your ear to the sounds of the
language, listening to music in Spanish can teach you much about the
people and culture of the Spanish-speaking world.
|

Music for culture, history, & inspiration
Although
Rubén Blades is best known for his salsa music, students who are
new to Latin music often enjoy the slower and more reflective sounds
of his 1999 album Tiempos
("Times").
Here, one
can find a variety of Caribbean and Latin American rhythms and
sounds, and lyrics which expose both the beauty and challenges of
Latino culture.
listen
to selections on Amazon.com
|
More about Rubén Blades
RollingStone.com
has called Rubén Blades the "Renaissance man of Salsa."
Born in Panama, Rubén
Blades first achieved recognition in the New York Latin scene in the
1970's for his collaboration with Willie Colón on the hit salsa
album "Siembra." Blades became world famous with the song
"Pedro Navaja," which tells the story of a Latino
"Mack the Knife."
Today, Rubén Blades
is one of the most respected artists in Latin American music. He
received a Grammy for his album "Antecedente" in 1988.
Other albums include "Buscando America" (1984), "Escenas"
(1985), "Agua De Luna" (1987), "Caminando"
(1991), and "La Rosa De Los Vientos" (1996). "Tiempos"
came out in 1999, and "Mundo" in 2002. Compilations
include "Best of Rubén Blades" (1992) and "Greatest
Hits" (1996).
Besides his musical
career, Blades has acted in several films, including The Milagro
Beanfield War, Dead Man Out, and All the Pretty
Horses. In 1994, he ran for president of Panama and received
17% of the popular vote.
|
A Time to
Think
Blades has called his
work "musical journalism" and an "urban
chronicle" (theiceberg.com).
His lyrics deal with all aspects of Latin culture and often have a
political edge.
Some of the themes are
not pretty. For example, on the Tiempos
album, the song "20 de diciembre" describes the U.S.
invasion of Panama from a Panamanian perspective, and "Sicarios"
is about a "hit" for the cartel.
However, on the same
album, you get "Aguacero" (Thunderstorm) in which Blades
recalls the hopeful wisdom of his grandmother, and "Creencia"
(Belief), which speaks to the importance of faith. The
title track "Tiempos" (Times), is a thoughtful take on the
Biblical passage "There's a time to live, and a time to
die..."
Rubén Blades lives in
New York City and is bilingual, so many of his albums include an
English translation of the Spanish lyrics. Blades also
has an album entirely in English called "Nothing But The
Truth" (1988), which can be a good way to familiarize yourself
with the music and culture if you don't speak much Spanish.
The music of Rubén
Blades can make you jump up and dance, or relax into the gentle
sounds of a love song. But perhaps more importantly, this
music will challenge you to think and feel.
see
reviews & listen to selections
(in association with Amazon.com)
for more
recommendations, go to the enrichment
page
|
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