Usually our text adoption cycle is every 8-10 years, but my prinicipal just informed me that we will do Spanish this year, even though the 'old' text is only 4 years old. We are using Glencoe Bienvenidos and A Bordo. I do like their updated Buen Viaje. What are y'all using?
We are a small district (and becoming smaller) in a declining timber area. If there is money for texts we need to use it now!

Hi. Here are some of the texts that people are using where I live:

Richmond City Public Schools - Bravo
Henrico County Public Schools - Bravo
Chesterfield County Public Schools - En español

BRAVO just down right SUCKS!!! Not every student can handle the NATURAL APPROACH. En español is not a bad book, if students can do everything in Spanish.

I am not a big fan of the McGraw-Hill Spanish series because the books are so watered down.

Good luck in your search.

Shawn

I hate Bravo as well! I had that for three years and hardly used it. Now I'm using En Espanol, it's not bad, certainly better than Bravo. Do you have the opportunity to look at the potential texts? Try searching the support sites for some of the publishers, they may have some samples you could look through.

We're still using Dime. I suspect our adoption will be the next year or two, and our books are on their last legs. I really liked Dime I, and Dime 2, while not as teachable, is not all that bad. A creative teacher could do pretty good things with it. I don't know if they have a second edition or not. I liked the fact that it was a total package (videos, audio tapes, workbook, supplementary overheads, tests, the whole enchilada. Also it covered virtually every Spanish speaking country over the two years. It even treated California, Texas and Florida as hispanic "countries" because of their population. I had a lot of fun with it!

La maestra,

I have met some people who can't stand DIME because they say that it is nothing more than a rehash of CHURROS Y CHOCOLATE. A cada cual lo suyo, supongo!

I agree with you with books and how they need to come with the entire package. High school texts are nothing more than money makers, and when on a budget, you have to ask reps if they can cut you a deal.

I teach on the college level and we go through the same thing.

Good luck in the search and let us know how it goes.

Shawn

The current Bienvenidos (Glencoe) comes with interactive text, among other things. I really like it. When students are absent or need help at home, I can send the CDRom package home with them, and they can hear what they missed in class. Glencoe also has supportive internet activities, and additional online exercises and games which correspond with text. I really do like it. The new version (Buen Viaje) has a test deal that will allow me to punch a button and get a different test version, which solves the problem of make-up tests for me. I just want to be sure that I'm not missing something super. I have samples of Ven Conmigo, and I like the videos, but I don't think the text is that easy to work with. Oodles of freebies come with Glencoe...we just have to buy the texts, and the video program (which is around $100...)
I appreciate your input!
Mil gracias!!!

Our school adopted Ven Conmigo this year, after having used Bienvenidos for a few years and before that Spanish for Mastery I-III FYI: Everyone seems very pleased with Ven Conmigo so far.

I'm not impressed at all with VEN COMIGO because of the format. It's junky and the students don't know exactly what they are studying.

If high school text books would stop trying to entice the students with pretty pictures and lots of culture, maybe our students would be able to put together a grammatical sentence.

Most high school books are nothing but FLUFF, with a little bit of grammar points thrown in for good measure. I looked at some books from the 1960's and our students would go crazy if they had to comprehend the amount of grammar in those texts.

But alas, nothing will change when it comes to high school Spanish texts. Just more pretty pictures of Spain and information saying that everyone in all Spanish-speaking countries take siestas.

Shawn

Shawn
I agree with you about watering down the material and presenting a whole lot of "culture" to entice the students. I have NOT used Ven Conmigo myself since I am not teaching beginning level courses at this time. Our school is using it for the 7th and 8th grades. I do think that Bienvenidos has a ridiculous amount of useless vocabulary in their beginning texts.

As for the "old" ALM methods of studying grammar--there is something to be said for it. Also the Amsco series of workbooks are pretty good for grammar reviews. I particularly like Amsco's Curso Segundo . I have had success with this book more than most.

Esperanza,

I have heard that about the Glencoe texts and the useless vocabulary. I do love the AMsco series and they now even have a 4th book for more advanced learners.

I still say the students need to learn Spanish grammar, but now this thing of students just speaking and letting grammar in though the back door is not for me.

Shawn