One, two, ready? Let's learn Spanish!

So you have decided to start the year by taking a Spanish course. Excellent! You have your books or computer program, have scheduled your classes, been looking for sales to Dominican Republic or Cuba, and bough a few Shakira and Alejandro Sanz CDs to get you into the culture. İMuy bien! 

Allow me then to give you a few other suggestions to make the most of your Spanish learning: 


1) Rather than practicing one day for three or four hours, spread this hours around the week to one hour or 30 minute sessions. 


2) Give yourself some reviewing time. It may be a few minutes before starting a new session or set aside two reviewing days during the week. Your brain will remember better if you take the habit of constantly reviewing the learnt material.


3) Create a little ritual before starting your online course. You may sit in the same place, do some breathing exercises to clear your head, have a cup tea to relax or listen to some Spanish or Latin music to get you in the mood. Whatever you choose, get in the habit of doing every time you come to the AVE as a way to train your brain for your "Spanish Learning Time."


4) Do the pronunciation exercises more than once. Write down the words and paste them on your bathroom glass and repeat them every morning at different speeds; try to imitate the Spanish accent as best as you can; exaggerate even. All this will help create a mind body connection and will train your jaw, tongue and mouth muscles to speak Spanish.

5) Do not be afraid of making mistakes. Learn from them. Repeat the activity as many times as necessary in a mindful way: look for clues and patterns. You don't have to understand everything at the beginning. Look for the basic meaning. More importantly, don't put yourself down. You are never too old or busy to learn Spanish. You just have to find you pace and enjoy the challenges.

The Natural Way

Learn Spanish the natural way, just like you learned your mother tongue! Spanish fast and easy! No pains Spanish! Learn Spanish like children do! Does it all sound familiar? It should, if you have been looking around for a Spanish course. The question is, is it too good to be true? If I’m to judge on my own experience, as language learner and teacher, then the answer is: probably.

Have you ever heard of an athlete who accomplished a medal the “easy” way, or a musician who mastered her instrument with only a few lessons? Neither have I. Both the athlete and the musician have made a commitment to their disciplines; they have had bad days, plateaus and years of study. To learn a second language is not that different from learning a sport or an art. It takes time and effort. Which is not to say that it has to be drudgery. Think of Michel Angelo in the Sixtine Chapel: he must have worked very hard -and enjoy every minute of it!

Let’s look now at children. Recently I saw an advert from a renowned language company, stating that as a child, your Dad threw you a ball, said the name of the ball, you made the connection, and -voila!- you learned how to say ball. Whoever wrote the copy for such ad it’s certainly not a mother, carer or any adult in contact with children. You have to repeat the name of things to children continuously until they get it right, just as you gently constantly correct their grammar. Children undergo 16+ years of training at school to be able to talk like a moderately educated adult. So to learn a language like a child does, would take you almost two decades.

It is true that children learn foreign language very fast, especially if they are in total submersion situation. But they learn to talk like children. And they learn, among other things, by going to a school, for five to seven hours, two of which are usually devoted to the learning of grammar and usage of the second language. To say that children learn languages the easy way is an insult to all the intellectual work behind such learning.

So how should you learn Spanish? You should learn it with passion and commitment. You should be in contact with the language and the culture as much as possible. Stop considering grammar an insurmountable obstacle. See it instead as a Da Vinci code of sorts, which once deciphered, will open new ways for you to master your new language. Give time to your learning. You would not expect to gain any muscle if you only worked out one hour per week.  Why would it be any different with you Spanish learning?

The natural way of learning is one that includes time, practise, review, study, use, mistakes, corrections, curiosity and joy; one which integrates grammar, communication, high and popular culture and usage. We are learning all the time, in many diverse manners. Add a hobby in Spanish, such as cooking or drawing as part of your learning. Find a pen-pal or a speaking buddy. Read stories, even if you have to start with children tales, to gain vocabulary and see grammar in context. Learn songs, translate them and sing them. Post notes around your home with the name of objects and a few descriptive words. Make Spanish part of your everyday life. And enjoy learning.

Who's Afraid of Talking to the Loclas?

One of the things learners soon face in their journey to a new language is stage fright. They may understand what they are hearing, and in their mind they know exactly what they should say, but the fear of not being able to pronounce the words correctly, or express themselves properly or just sound a bit silly can turn the learner into a virtual mute. I used to be the one of latter one. When we first move to the USA, I knew a few English phrases, such as “My name is...”, “I’m fine, thank you” and “My pencil is yellow”.  My English teacher had been a lovely British lady, and, being these the dark days before cable and satellite TV, she had been my only reference to the English language.  So you may imagine my shock when I encountered the sing-a-long accent of the American south. If these people were speaking English, then I must have accidentally learned Chinese in school, because I could not understand a word they were saying. And it was in such circumstances that I started Middle School, after 6 years sheltered under the protective wings of a nun-run primary institution.

 So there I was, in a gigantic new school, in the middle of a sea of children who mysteriously disappeared when the bell rang.  A teacher came to me, babbling something which I understood to mean “why are you not in your classroom” and to which I answered with a blank stare. He took me to the principal’s (head teacher’s) office and after a few minutes of them asking my name and where I was from and me not answering, afraid I would get my words mixed-up, they send for someone, who I hoped, would be the Spanish teacher.  Instead, a Hindu girl entered the room and started to talk to me non-stop, and whatever she was speaking, Spanish it was not. Then it hit me.

Although I think I look pretty much Latina, the truth is that people all over keep mistaking me for someone from India. As the girl kept on talking, I realized that unless I clarify where I was from, nobody would be able to truly help me. So after a month of selective mutism, I opened my mouth and muttered: “me speak Spanish; me from Venezuela.” And surprise, surprise: nobody laugh at me. No one corrected me or frown-upon my poor grammar. The people in the room sighed relieved, called the Spanish teacher and sent me to my classroom. That day I introduced myself, asked for apple pie at lunch time, became part of a study group and met the girl who would be my best friend for years.  During that whole year, while I learned English painfully (no ESL classes, just total immersion learning) not at a soul mocked my accent, refuse to repeat when I said that I didn’t understand or made me feel stupid because of my Tarzan-like fluency. And in my experience, that still true for most language students.

Most native-speakers you will encounter will be happy to lend you a helping hand with your second- language acquisition. Some may be more humorous than others, and there will the occasional language Scrooge. But all on all, natives are pleased when foreigners do the effort to learn their language and most of them will show you patience and give you suggestions on your pronunciation and usage of the language. I have yet to meet the first person who thinks that a language learner is “stupid” or “silly” just because they are not proficient in their second language. If anything, most natives feel admiration for a person (especially and adult) that takes the time and trouble to start something new. So don’t be afraid to make mistakes in front of other people. Your tutor or teacher is there to guide you; your classmates are walking your same path; the locals appreciate your efforts in more ways that you can imagine. Every time you use your second language, no matter how roughly or imperfectly, you are telling them that you care: about their culture, the nation and their community. And that can only generate good-will and pave the way to true friendships.

I say tomato, you say...Latin or Peninsular Spanish?

One of the blocks I have seen people put on their road to Spanish, is this strange controversy of whatever Spanish from Spain is preferable to  Spanish from Latin America. I have read reviews in Amazon where a reader will give a poor opinion, not because of the book or video itself was bad (many a times they even admit is an excellent learning resource), but because the Spanish taught was Mexican or Peruvian or Argentinean. Some teachers also promote this idea, advertising that in their classes people will acquire “genuine” Spanish, since the teacher is originally from Spain. With all due respect, this is none-sense and a sad case of language snobbism.

Imagine that everyone who wanted to learn English would only consider “real” English the one spoken in England. Would they refuse to learn in English from American books, go to American language schools, or be tutored by a Canadian, Jamaican or Scottish? And which English exactly would provide the right accent? The one spoken in London? Manchester? Essex? Yorkshire?  For argument’s sake, let’s say that it is the London accent. Which part of London would be talking about exactly? East End? West End?  Docklands?  And does this mean that people from New York cannot communicate with people from Liverpool?  Or that you must take a translator with you when traveling to Trinidad?

It is true that someone from Wales will probably wink twice the first time he or she hears a person from Alabama. It is also true that after a few minutes, communication will occur, with a one or two amusing anecdotes on how different people give diverse meaning to some words when speaking colloquially. But the fact is that they will able to talk to each other and the experience will only enrich their vocabulary and cultural awareness. The same applies to Spanish.

In Spain, people from Madrid frown upon the Seville accent; the way of speaking of those who live in the North of the country differs from those who live in the South. It is just as likely to start a conversation with a pure-bred Spaniard in Barcelona, as with a Colombian, Cuban or Peruvian. Men and women from all Latin America live, work and thrive in Spain, independently of their native accents.  Spanish-speaking nations have strong ties among themselves, which allows their citizens to become familiar with expressions from other countries. Children in Ecuador learn from books published in Madrid. Young people from Venezuela dance to music from Dominican Republic. Aunts in Chile have nephews in Honduras. Grandmothers in Malaga follow Mexican soap-operas. That’s the beauty and power of Spanish. So don’t let a false perception stop you from a good-book, a good-course or a good-teacher. The Spanish language and the Hispanic culture is bigger than regional bigotries and when you learn them both, they will embrace you, accent and all.

Reflections

There is a great emphasis now-a-days on “natural” language learning, on acquiring a second language the way children learn their mother tongue, almost by osmosis, with hardly any thought in the process. While there are many positive things to say about the natural method, to follow it in its purest form may take away, I think, one of the advantages we have as adults: our capacity to analyse. It is through observation and reflection that you can fully grasp the mechanics and spirit of language. There are many ways to do this. Try to identify patterns as you learn new words and expressions. See the vocabulary in context. Look carefully at illustrations that may accompany a text and see how they relate to it. As you learn grammar rules, notice how natives really use them (or not) on a day to day basis. Imagine yourself as a detective and look for clues. Acquire original resources - that is, books, magazines, newspapers, songs, movies and TV shows made in Spanish speaking countries and see the new words in their natural element. Do speakers use grammar as taught in your course-book? What reactions do certain words seem to evoke?

Translation has fallen somewhat out of fashion when it comes to language learning. Yet, translating as literally as possible may help you see and understand better the thinking underlining the language. It shows you differences and similarities; it may shock you or give you an “Aha!” moment. When I was a pre-teen back in Venezuela, my friends and I would spend hours translating our favourite songs from English to Spanish and we would puzzle as English seemed to be a backwards language. In Spanish you usually say the noun first and the adjective second, whereas in English it is the other way round most of the time. Once I noticed this, I had little problem inverting my adjectives when I started to write in English.

Learning about the culture is also another way to help your language learning. As you find the source of sayings, you will not only repeat a particular expression like a parrot : you will also be able to identify it when it is just hinted at, and understand its use in context. So think about your target language; ask yourself questions and have them answered, if not right away (like in the middle of a class-drill) then later on, at a more appropriate time. Sometimes it’s easier to just accept some facts (like that H is mute in Spanish.) But many times it pays off to ponder, to find alternatives and different uses, to compare and contrast, to go in depth. Remember, every time you do this, you become an active participant in your leaning process; an equal-share partner with your teacher; the one true pilot of your language journey.

Learning by image association

It's been said that an image is worth a thousand words, but in this case, the authors hope it conveys one particular word. Some studies suggest that by creating an association between an impacting, even crazy picture, and a new word, it will be easier for the brain to recall new vocabulary, as the mind seems to remember images more easily than words. Here is an example.

Spanish Word of the Day

Does it work for you?

I think it is an interesting tool to experiment with, but I doubt that on its own will allow you to become proficient in a second language. Visual learners will probably gravitate towards this sort of of methodology and it can become the foundation for games and engaging language practise. Remember that everytime you learn a new word, it is helpful to use it in context as soon as posible, for the mind, as image-vias as it may be, is also hungry for meaning and personal reward. I think that if you can't see the uselfulness of the new word to your personal circumstances or goals, it will be less likely that your mind will consider it valuable enough to truly learn it.

The other me

What a wonderful tool. Either for the camera-shy or for those who want to listen to the pronunciation of Spanish words, Voki offers a great opportunity for the language learner and teacher. You can record yourself, but use an "avatar" and send it to your instructor; write a sentence and have an avatar say it out loud for you; or, as a teacher, create different avatars with different voices, accents and gender, to spark up your teaching. Visit www.voki.com and have a great time. Here are two of my experiments. Enjoy!




Hola amigos. Bienvenidos a Mi Mundo. Me llamo y Isabel y tengo catorce años. Soy española y vivo en Madrid. Me gusta leer, cocinar y pasear en bicicleta. Hablo español y un poquito de inglés. ¿Qué tal tú? ¿Que te gusta hacer? ¿Cómo es Chelmsfod?


Hello friends? Welcome to My World. I am called Isabel and I have fourteen years. I am Spanish and live in Madrid. I like to read, cook and go bicycle riding. Speak Spanish and a little English. What about you? What do you like to do? How is Chelmsford?


Note= the translation is a literal as possible so you can see the logic and works of the Spanish language


Get a Voki now!



Hola, me llamo Jorge. Soy de Mexico y soy profesor de español. Me gusta jugar tenis, leer y nadar. Tengo 47 años y estoy casado. Mi esposa se llama Linda. Tengo dos hijos, Roberto y Pedro. Roberto tiene 15 años y le gusta mucho jugar al futbol. Pedro tiene ocho y a el le encanta jugar video juegos.

Hello, I am called Jorge. Am of Mexico and am a Spanish profesor. I like to play tennis, reading and swimming. I have 47 years and I am married. Mi wife is called Linda. I have two sons, Roberto y Pedro. Roberto has 15 years and likes to lot to play football. Pedro has eight and he loves to play video games.