English tv help

As long as he understands your English 'commands' I wouldn't worry. Suggest you download some free children's programs from the  'net, such as interactive puzzles, activity games, etc in English and use a computer instead of the TV.

Much better educational value...

Hi, thanks. I do that already... I didn't go into all the details. But I do want the English tv because, while he doesn't get a lot of it, there's no stopping it and it'll only become more common over time. Also, I want at least SOME exposure to normal people (not weird animal voices or squeaky kid whines that seem to be the norm in kids' vids) talking in an American accent. He's going to have one of those horrendously thick Latino accents if I don't do something asap! Ugh... I want him to sound native here and native in the USA. Tall order, but he'll be able to do it.

He's a little genius actually so I don't mind the brain drain -- he deserves a break from all of the many creative/thinking-required things he does all day. I do appreciate the response, however -- my first ever! And if you or anyone out there knows of a good strategy for getting English channels that don't lose signals every 5 s b/c of CR internet limits or what have you, please let me know.

We have the basic package at Sky TV and some programs are in English, but we hardly watch any programs in Spanish or English.
I worked in Early Education with hundreds children for many years and once the software programs were available I purchased and offered the children 15 mins of puzzles, etc
A friend of ours used only English in  the home and outside spoke  Spanish and that worked for them.

Can you get him into a bilingual school?

I get tons of English channels through Sling TV on my Roku, but it looks like you don't want anything that complicated.  This costs me an extra $25 per month plus the $5 for the service that fools Sling into thinking that I'm in the USA.

The simplest way to do what you want is to use the SAP button on your TV remote.  Many channels here are dubbed English programs and the English is still there, you only have to change the audio program.  Note that it could be called something else on YOUR television.  Look at the remote for a way to change it and also look at audio options in the TV menu.

Our general lack of tv watching is also an issue. We hardly watch it so it's pretty dumb to invest a lot... but that said, our tv is a huge analog giant-box dinosaur tv and we've been thinking about upgrading for a long time. Since I only speak English here but my spouse almost never does, my son believes it's okay to think I'm nuts and keep speaking Spanish like everyone else. (I've talked to spouse a trillion times, goes nowhere, so it is what it is.) So I'm trying to maximize the English -- even if the TV part might be 15 mins on Tues evening before dinner and then maybe not again until Friday morning for 20 mins, and so on down the road.... BTW, he absolutely loves puzzles (cardboard/normal ones) and spends most of his time doing that and drawing.

Considering your education background, are you saying that, if I just keep speaking English (he absolutely understands everything and is CAPABLE of speaking English, just doesn't unless I force him --  and I don't want to do that too much or he'll hate English) and watch youtube vids that we watch, always in English and read in English, that that right there might be enough for him to eventually SPEAK it "once he's ready"? That is, even though he speaks/listens to English all day at kinder and then again at home with spouse? This is beyond my tv question, but since you are qualified I thought I'd ask!! Thanks....

OMG, are you serious? I had no idea this could be at play.
First, I am actually open to the internet stuff since I looked into other options and it seems only satellite is the other way forward and it's crazy-expensive. What steps do you have to take to watch something like say a sitcom? I will totally look into this sling+roku thing. So are you saying you pay a total of $30/month then? Or that's above and beyond paying, say, cabletica, $65 month?

I don't even know what "SAP" stands for, but I will def look into this... thanks a ton!!

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I get tons of English channels through Sling TV on my Roku, but it looks like you don't want anything that complicated.  This costs me an extra $25 per month plus the $5 for the service that fools Sling into thinking that I'm in the USA.

The simplest way to do what you want is to use the SAP button on your TV remote.  Many channels here are dubbed English programs and the English is still there, you only have to change the audio program.  Note that it could be called something else on YOUR television.  Look at the remote for a way to change it and also look at audio options in the TV menu.

Has the kinder teacher mentioned that he will not or does not   participate in speaking English in a group setting such a sharing circle? If he is doing so, he is just 'pulling your chain' so keep doing what you are doing. Ask your spouse to go with you to speak with the teacher and encourage both of them to speak English at home...rather than promoting more TV watching.

Also try playing 'I spy' games with him or a memory game such as  'The minister's cat' or changing it slightly so not just first letter is changed since he may be too young to spell...so he can't join in the game with you,  in Spanish, making it his choice to play or not.

dbarron wrote:

OMG, are you serious? I had no idea this could be at play.
First, I am actually open to the internet stuff since I looked into other options and it seems only satellite is the other way forward and it's crazy-expensive. What steps do you have to take to watch something like say a sitcom? I will totally look into this sling+roku thing. So are you saying you pay a total of $30/month then? Or that's above and beyond paying, say, cabletica, $65 month?

I don't even know what "SAP" stands for, but I will def look into this... thanks a ton!!

Yes, it uses your internet connection, so you will need at least a 5mb connection for an HD stream, but 3mb would do for lower quality.  It has most of the specialty channels plus NBC and FOX for the package I have, add CBS and ABC from Cabletica and you have most of the channels you would get in the States.   Google Sling TV and it will give you all the details.   I use unblock.us for the DNS spoofer, but there are others.   Of course, you need a device to stream it as well, which the Roku will do.

SAP stands for second audio program and if you have a digital TV and not one from the stone age, you should be able to switch to English, depending on availability.   Good luck!

HA! My tv is totally from the stone age, not digital but that's why i'm asking all of this now in a panic, thinking about upgrading to the 21st century while there are some deals going on! Thanks for all of the info... I'll research it...

Thanks for the great advice. Our kinder SPEAKS to them in English (one teacher does) but the kids themselves never speak it, as far as I've been told to date (I just talked to the director about all of this 3 wks ago). That's one of the problems. They do teach and make the kids speak French though! Ugh...

If it were me, I would consider changing the kindergarten...

Hi.  Use the SAP feature on your TV.  You may need Cable Tica to set this initially on your TV, (with your remote - I'm not sure about that).  Once it is done though, you have several options for English programming.

Imblsd wrote:

Hi.  Use the SAP feature on your TV.  You may need Cable Tica to set this initially on your TV, (with your remote - I'm not sure about that).  Once it is done though, you have several options for English programming.

Great idea!  Guess you didn't read through the thread.

thewizz wrote:

I use unblock.us for the DNS spoofer, but there are others.   Of course, you need a device to stream it as well, which the Roku will do.

SAP stands for second audio program and if you have a digital TV and not one from the stone age, you should be able to switch to English, depending on availability.   Good luck!

Hi, how do you get your roku to work with the unblock.us proxy? Do you have to go into ROKU settings or ? I ask because we want to watch Netflix US, not Netflix Costa Rica and we want to watch Amazon Prime too but Netflix recognizes we are in US and won't feed us the US movie selection and Prime will only work through my computer with a proxy.

I don't currently have ROKU set up but can dig it out of storage. Last time I tried it, it would give me the same results as FireTV - no US programming.  Want to watch tv through my tv not through my computer.

dbarron, I concur with everyone else re the tv: first try to find a way to change the Second Audio Program or find out if CableTica can help you make your main audio English. If you are watching American or British etc channels the main audio should be English. OR they may have an English /USA package that you could switch to.

I think one of these options should work. If not, can you switch to a different cable provider? I know some do offer English programming packages.

samramon wrote:

thewizz wrote:

I use unblock.us for the DNS spoofer, but there are others.   Of course, you need a device to stream it as well, which the Roku will do.

SAP stands for second audio program and if you have a digital TV and not one from the stone age, you should be able to switch to English, depending on availability.   Good luck!

Hi, how do you get your roku to work with the unblock.us proxy? Do you have to go into ROKU settings or ? I ask because we want to watch Netflix US, not Netflix Costa Rica and we want to watch Amazon Prime too but Netflix recognizes we are in US and won't feed us the US movie selection and Prime will only work through my computer with a proxy.

I don't currently have ROKU set up but can dig it out of storage. Last time I tried it, it would give me the same results as FireTV - no US programming.  Want to watch tv through my tv not through my computer.

First of all, forget Netflix.  They will detect any proxy and block you.  Costa Rican Netflix isn't that bad, actually.   You may have to watch the Spanish subtitles, but that's good if you are learning Spanish like myself.

For Sling, Amazon, etc., you need to change the DNS on your router, not the Roku.  The DNS spoofer that you subscribe to will give you the instructions and the IP addresses you need to use.  I use Sling and Amazon and it works great.   Any streamer should work, not just the Roku.  Even the smart TV I bought here will work.