Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish (Student Edition) [Hardcover]

Bill VanPatten (Author), Martha Alford Marks (Author), Richard V. Teschner (Author), Bill Van Patten (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1991 | ISBN-10: 0070020698 | ISBN-13: 978-0070020696 | Edition: 1

DESTINOS is an innovative beginning Spanish program based on a 26-week television series premiering on PBS in the fall of 1992. The 52 half-hour shows of the series use the powerful appeal of a uniquely Hispanic genre -- the telenovela (soap opera) -- to make language and culture come alive. The situation and context of each episode introduce students to the basic structures, language functions and vocabulary groups of Spanish that are then presented in the print materials. (Most grammar explanations and exercises are in the workbook/study guides.) This complete one-year course is designed to help students develop communicative proficiency -- listening, speaking, reading, and writing -- as well as cultural awareness in Spanish. The plot of DESTINOS is designed to engage student viewers from the very beginning. A wealthy Mexican patriarch, nearing the end of his life, reveals a secret he has kept from his family for many years. His revelation leads to some important questions that must be answered before he dies. Raquel Rodríguez, a Mexican-American lawyer, embarks on a search for those answers, a search that takes her to Spain, Argentina, Puerto Rico, and back to Mexico. Students and viewers can join in the search -- learning Spanish and about the rich and diversified cultural context in which it is spoken throughout the world.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: Spanish, English

About the Author

Martha Alford Marks received her Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Co-author of ¿Qu tal? and Destinos, a Spanish video course, she also served on the Advisory Board to Boston PBS station WGBH during the development of the Destinos program, which was funded by the Annenberg Foundation. She is widely known as an ACTFL-certified oral proficiency tester and trainer in Spanish and ESL.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Languages; 1 edition (December 1, 1991)
• Language: English, Spanish
• ISBN-10: 0070020698
• ISBN-13: 978-0070020696
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,925 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Bill VanPatten is an award-winning scholar and teacher, and author of numerous publications in second language acquisition and second language teaching. His Spanish textbooks have been best-sellers at the college level.

Bill is widely known for his research on input processing and processing instruction, a focus on form that has received attention around the world. His work now forms entries in the Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition as well as the Routledge Encyclopedia of Second Language Acquisition, and two of his articles are among the top ten articles in the journal Studies in Second Language Acquisition cited by scholars.

Instructors of language know him not only for his innovative teaching materials in Spanish (and some soon to be released on French), but also for the widely used Making Communicative Language Teaching Happen, co-authored with James F. Lee.

And if you're interested in his fiction, check out Chicago Tales, a collection of short stories.

Bill is Professor of Spanish and Second Language Studies at Michigan State University, where he also the Director of Romance Language Instruction.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun way to learn Spanish, June 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish (Student Edition) (Hardcover)

Destinos is a set of materials (books, videos, audio cassettes) that function together. The primary learning tool is the video. It allows the learner to listen to conversations in Spanish, but unlike audio cassettes, you have the aid of contextual clues provided by the scenes acted out on the video to help you understand the dialog. I found that to be an excellent learning tool. The chapters are designed to start with a basic vocabulary and add more with each chapter. Each chapter incorporates new vocabulary, and that vocabulary is tailored to include what a visitor to a Spanish-speaking country is most likely to use. The video is written in a soap-opera format, which "hooks" you into the story and characters, thus helping you to maintain interest and not quit the learning process. And the story introduces you to several different Spanish-speaking countries. The audio cassettes provide further listening practice, and the book provides the core of the grammatical curriculum.

I think it's better for an intermediate student rather than a complete beginner.

All in all a good way to improve listening comprehension and learn travelers vocabulary. For speaking, there's no substitute for live practice with a fluent teacher.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ¡Destinos es muy fantastico!, June 23, 2002

By 

Lisa L. Munro (Tucson, Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish (Student Edition) (Hardcover)

I'm using Destinos in a telecourse, and am having lots of fun with it, and even learning some Spanish. My listening skills have improved dramatically, since the video is the main learning tool, which forces one to sharpen up and really listen to what's going on. The workbook that accompanies Destinos is really detailed, making it possible to learn a considerable amount of Spanish grammar on one's own. Overall, the best Spanish textbook I've used yet! ¡Adiós!

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars muy excelente para todos quien quieren aprender el idioma!, August 4, 2005

By 

D. Pawl "Dani" (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish (Student Edition) (Hardcover)

(translation of title: Very excellent for everyone who wants to learn the language!)
I cannot emphasize enough how beneficial the Destinos: An Introduction to Spanish series is for those who want to learn Spanish, or become more familiar with the language. This was used in a course I took at college, and it felt like we were all travelling along with the main character, Raquel, a lawyer who travels from her home in Los Angeles, to Mexico, Spain, Argentina and Puerto Rico, as part of her work with her clients, a family living in an estate in Mexico City.

The format of this program is styled after the Latin American "novelas" (soap operas). In other words, you will need to carefully watch each episode, to keep up with plot details. But, not to worry, because Raquel reviews what happened with you, at the end of every episode. Each episode is entirely in Spanish, and it gets you thinking in the language, comprehending what is going on very quickly, as well as picking up interesting information specific to the cultures she is immersed in, during her travels. We learn about art, music, dance, food and slang. (Slang is also a very valuable thing to know about, when travelling in Spanish-speaking countries. Words that are acceptable in one country could get you shot in another country---this isn't addressed in the episodes, but that is really important to be aware of)

I am pleased to say that the series is entertaining, educational and very beneficial to students. It makes you WANT to learn, and also, in spite of the melodrama, you will want to stick it out to the last episode to see how things turn out. Muy excelente!