Conversation-Partner Assignment
Testimony
Following is a testimony about experiences with the native-speaker, homework assignment:
"Sr Riegg & Marcy,
I Just wanted to use this opportunity to express how very thankful I am for Living Waters Spanish both as a school and for the format of the class.
While I understand that speaking to a native speaker can be daunting and frightening, it is very essential to be successful in the class and as a speaker. Because my children are on the shy side, in the beginning I had to encourage them to trust the Lord, not fear and walk out in boldness trusting and depending on the Lord because according to 2 Timothy 1:7 “God has not give us the spirit of fear but of power love and sound mind”. The more Isaac did it, the better he became.
I also understand that it can be difficult to find communication partners the way we did was to have Isaac speak to any native speaker we came across. The most amazing thing is that almost everyone he spoke/speaks to was always very friendly, encouraging, and very impressed—in the grocery isle, people at parks, customers at the bank, the cashier at Walmart, the receptionist at the Pediatrician’s office, and Calvary Chapel’s Spanish service.
Isaac assured me that this was the reason he became a good speaker. Not only that but that was also part of the reason why he did very well on the Spanish AP exams. [He got a '5', the highest possible score.]
Right now, Josiah is also on the same track. The only thing Josiah is also doing differently is prior to the Covid-19 pandemic was to go to Rosedale Elementary School once a week and read to a Hispanic little girl in Spanish.
What is my point? While I don’t expect everyone to do what we did or are doing, l just want you to know that we are very grateful and thankful t the Lord for the both of you. For us, particularly me(Dee) this homeschooling journey is not easy and it is such a blessing to have someone in the trenches with us helping where we cannot help ourselves. The way we see it you are the expert in this area and as such we defer to your wisdom in this area.
Thank you for bringing the Bible into the class, for the missions trips year after year, and for encouraging the students to learn Spanish for the glory of God, just Spanish but other languages as well. That is the only way we can truly be his hands and his feet.
Blessings,
Eric, Isaac, Josiah, & Dee"