Spring 2010-Fifteenth Edition
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Breaking the Barrier Quarterly
Language Learning for All Seasons
Get Ready for the Spring with BREAKING NEWS
Another Seasonal Treat!
Spring may bring the end of the school year, but it also brings the rebirth and renewal that occurs all around us when the snow and ice finally melt. It's never too late for new teaching tips and techniques, and whether you're a teacher, home educator, or just a curious self-learner, we here at Breaking the Barrier have just what you need to make this the best spring ever. Among our offerings for you are:
- An illuminating interview with our friend Daniel "Tuti" Fernández, a Spanish Jazz Musician
- More news on Breaking the Barrier's exciting new Spanish and French Level III Audio CD sets - coming out in late spring
- A Think Spanish article about expressing obligation in Spanish -- You ought to check it out!
- Extra grammar practice using Step Eight from John Conner's Ideal Lesson Plan
- The latest news on our upcoming conferences, including NECTFL 2010, taking place in New York City at the end of March
- A travel update from Cindy Beams - Where in the world is she now?
Here's to a great spring!
John Conner, Cindy Beams & Staff Writer Will Stone
All That Jazz: An Interview with "Tuti" Fernández An intimate chat with one of Spain's most talented musicians
Una Entrevista Con Tuti Fernández Una Entrevista Con Tuti Fernández - Audio Una Entrevista Con Tuti Fernández - Comprehension Questions La dama y la muerte - Video |
BREAKING NEWS: Advanced Audio CDs Available This June!  For years, Breaking the Barrier fans have been asking us when we would make audio CD sets to go along with our Level III/Advanced Spanish and French books. Audio CD sets have long been available for our Level I and II books and have been cherished for the great conversational and pronunciation help they provide. Well, this past February we finally buckled down and made the trip to Europe, where we recorded Level III Audio CD sets in  one of Spain's top studios. We hired some of the world's greatest voice talents from Spain, Colombia, Mexico, and France to give you an incredible listening experience. In addition to vocabulary, we've recorded paired group activities as well as cultural articles and comprehension questions. The resulting CD sets will be available in June, ready for the summer and 2010 school year. This is truly a polished product and one that will perfectly complement your Level III Spanish or French book. |
Speaking of Grammar
John Conner Tackles his Favorite Subjects
 As readers know, John Conner writes a monthly column for Think Spanish magazine. Each month's issue of Think Spanish contains wonderful articles covering a wide range of topics related to Spanish and Latin-American culture. A sister-publication, Think French, was just launched about a year ago.You really ought to learn about the different ways in which the Spanish language expresses obligation. There are several ways to do it, and each is unique. Have you ever been thrown off by an indirect command? Wondered what an infinitive was doing on that NO FUMAR sign you always see? This article - with accompanying comprehension questions - will be perfect for you. ¡Léalo! |
The Ideal Lesson Plan: Guión Series
STEP EIGHT from the Ideal Lesson Plan
 We hope you enjoyed the above Think Spanish article on commands. Maybe you're craving a little more practice? We've got just the thing! Savvy teachers around the country are using Step Eight from John Conner's Ideal Lesson Plan - The Guión Series. These are series of five sentences that highlight one grammatical concept. The series is acted out by the teacher and then recited by the class collectively and individually, and it provides great practice, slowly building students' confidence and comprehension. For more on this great type of classroom drill, check out the first link below. Then click the second link for a great new Guión series to practice commands! |
More Praise for Breaking the Barrier
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine weighs in on BTB
Breaking the Barrier enjoys a close relationship  with many homeschooling families, which is why we are excited to announce that a prominent homeschooling magazine, The Old Schoolhouse, recently reviewed some of our texts and spoke very highly of the book's "logical progression," saying that "the grammar of Spanish is explained very well" and that, in summary, it was an "affordable and thorough choice." For a link to the review, click below. |
Breaking the Barrier At NECTFL 2010
Come See Us in New York City!
 Every year Breaking the Barrier visits a number of conferences across the country. Later this month, we'll be traveling to New York City to the Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, or NECTFL. This is always one of the most popular conferences of the year, and we hope you'll come see our booth, where we'll be chatting with teachers and displaying all of our products at special conference prices. NECTFL 2010 will be taking place from March 25-27 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Broadway. John Conner will also be presenting his acclaimed Ideal Lesson Plan in a special session that is open to all attendees. Don't miss the chance to see this presentation, full of great teaching tips. It is scheduled for Saturday, March 27th from 10:15 to 11:30 a.m.
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Travel and Service
 A Short Piece by Cindy Beams
Breaking the Barrier's Cindy Beams has chronicled many of her travels - spanning from South America to Africa and beyond - in Breaking News. This spring she has a wonderful piece on travel, volunteer work, and the joys of helping others. Cindy Beams - If You Could Do Anything |
| Time to Step Up to the Plate! Our Latest Editions Are On The Shelves - Order Yours Today. |
