My Preferences
Dictionaries
Harrap's Concise Spanish/English English/Spanish Dictionary: although this dictionary is out of print, it's worth searching for. I don't know what I'd do without it!
The Oxford Spanish Dictionary: this thing is huge! I don't have it yet, but it's on my "wish list"
Textbooks/Teaching Materials
Teacher's Discovery. This catalog is an absolute MUST! Books, Activities, Room Decor, Grammar Charts, Incentives, and more! There is a web site (click on the link), but it has only a small percentage of what is available in the hard copy edition. Call 1-800-TEACHER to get one!
Speed Spanish by Charles Russell. As far as I know, this is not yet available on the web, but you will find it in the Teacher's Discovery catalog. I am very skeptical of anything which contains the word "Speed" in the title, but I read Mr. Russell's description and just had to give it a chance. I'm so glad that I did! I tried it out on my Spanish I students two years ago, and the first thing they asked me was, "Sra. Burton, can we do this again tomorrow?" The best part was that they didn't realize how much they were actually retaining. When these students returned for Spanish II in the fall, they amazed themselves with how much they remembered! There is limited focus on grammar at the onset. The method gives students confidence by providing them with pronunciation "tricks" and easy sentence construction. They're speaking, writing, and reading in complete sentences within the first week! Recommendation: don't bother buying the flash card set. You'll do just fine with the book alone.
Copyright 2000 by Lori Burton