Great Ideas for Learning Spanish

Introduction When we teachers are in the classroom, we’re energized and ready to spread the good word(s) of our favorite international language. While we may delight and motivate our students when we’re together, we do part ways at the end of class, and then students are on their own. Of course, there are those students who are the envy of everyone (even us!) and just soak up everything in class and never have to make an outside effort to learn. For the rest, it’s “not so much.” Following are 35 Great Ideas for Learning a Language. They are divided into seven categories, the first three of which appear in this newsletter, and the rest which will appear in the spring newsletter. We know that everyone doesn’t learn in the same way. The ideas shared in this article include procedures and techniques for those who are visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile learners as well as those who may just need help organizing their time and materials. There’s something here for everyone! You can use the list in many way, but here are a few suggestions. I usually distribute the handout at the beginning of the school year. I acknowledge that few, if any, of the students will read it carefully. (Let’s be real!) What I urge them to do is to skim it and choose three ideas they are willing to try. Remind them that any new activity takes a little time and practice, so they should give a new idea or technique an opportunity to “gel” for them. Sometimes I’ve given an opportunity for extra credit points on the first test – earned by mentioning the three study methods they have tried. If you have a peer tutoring program in place, be sure the tutor goes over this list with the tutee and helps the latter choose some new techniques. If you are helping a struggling student outside of class, you might inquire as to whether they have tried any of these techniques. If not, you could direct them to the list (again!) and ask them to tell you at your next meeting which ones they’re going to use. Then ask for a commitment to follow through. Sometimes I ask to meet with students who aren’t doing well. I go through roughly the same routine as above. The difference is that I’ve approached them because of their poor performance. Reaching out can make all the difference! Finding the right way to study is hugely important. Using idea #27, a former student of mine went from a depressing “D” to a beautiful “B.” It was absolutely one of my two favorite individual success stories! The other involved #28. I hope this list of Great Ideas will be as helpful to you and your students as it has been to me and my students over the years.

Great Ideas For Learning Spanish

So you’ve decided to learn Spanish. Congratulations! It will take some real work over a long period of time, but you’ll be very glad you put forth the effort. Not only is it rewarding to learn a new skill, but it will broaden your horizons, help you to meet people, make your travels more interesting, and perhaps help you get a special job. Presented here are some suggestions to help you in your study of Spanish. Try a few or try all of them. See which ones work best for you. Finding Time to Study

1. Never think there’s too little time to study Spanish. It’s true that you sometimes need a good, solid block of time to figure things out. But a vocabulary list, a verb chart, or a handout can be reviewed easily in one to five minutes. Therefore, put small lists and charts anywhere you might “sneak in” some studying: by the kitchen sink if you wash dishes, on the bathroom mirror, next to the T.V., in your purse or wallet. Use your normally “wasted” time by learning Spanish. Examples: T.V. commercials, waiting for a friend to pick you up, standing in line at a store, riding the bus.

2. Spend at least a few minutes on Spanish every single day – no exceptions, please. Whether or not you have a specific assignment, do something in Spanish daily: study a vocabulary list, listen to a Spanish tape, read in your text, go over your class notes, etc. Phone a classmate and chat in Spanish. Your family will be amazed!

3. You’ve heard the expression, “Sleep on it.” Let the “it” be Spanish! You’ll be happily surprised to see how much you’ll retain if you study Spanish the very last 5-15 minutes before you go to sleep and the first 5-15 minutes after you wake up in the morning.

4. Don’t fret about the time it takes you to write out a vocabulary list, a verb chart, etc. The writing itself is an aid to learning. Also, taking careful reading notes allows you to organize the material not only on paper, but in your head. In other words, getting ready to study is actually a step in the learning process.

5. If you’re really short on time, find a classmate with whom you can share the work. (“I’ll write five verb charts if you’ll make a vocabulary list for Lesson Two.”) Check each other’s work with the text or your notes (for errors). If all’s well, duplicate the work and enjoy twice the work in half the time!

Class-related Work 6. When you are assigned exercises in your text or workbook, analyze the

examples carefully to be sure you understand what is being asked of you. Why spend time doing something the wrong way? Not only is it a waste of time, but you must then “un-learn” a mistake.

7. As soon as possible, go over homework, tests, and quizzes that have been returned to you. Be sure you understand what is wrong and why. Correct your errors so you can use that paper for later study. It will point out your difficulties.

8. Keep a list of the corrected version of mistakes you have made so you will have an easy way of studying words or grammar points that are difficult for you. Review the list frequently to avoid repeating the same errors.

9. Granted that some things take a while to “sink in.” However, don’t let yourself stay in the dark too long. If you’ve tried hard to understand, but have felt bewildered about something for a day or more, ask for an explanation. You’re wasting valuable time if you don’t.

10. Before class, read ahead a few pages in the text to get a “head start” on the rest of the class. You’ll enjoy the extra confidence it gives you!

Taking Class Notes 11. It is important to take good notes in class. Daydreaming is a deterrent to learning, and taking notes is a

great help in keeping you “tuned in.” Taking notes reinforces class learning. It provides a written record

of what has been covered in class. It provides study material. It helps you to know what could be on a surprise quiz.

12. Regularly taking good notes in class is a good way of knowing the relative importance of something. A major point will be covered several times, whereas something relatively minor may only come up once. Good notes will indicate what the teacher wants you to do with the information: learn it thoroughly or merely listen for passing interest. Use color, boxes, and stars to highlight important material.

13. It is wise to go over class notes as soon as possible to fill in anything that you didn’t write out well. This is much easier if the material is still fresh in your mind. Read carefully to see if you have written anything that contradicts something else. If you’re not sure about what you’ve written, check your text or ask your teacher or a reliable classmate.

Organizing Visual Aids 14. Fold a sheet of paper in half lengthwise. On the left side, make a column of Spanish words or phrases.

Write the definite article – la or el – with each Spanish noun so you will know its gender. On the right side of the paper, write the English translations. Study the words like this:

la casa the house el sol the sun hablar to speak cantar to sing

Imagine a house. Think of a sentence: Vivo en la casa azul. Say out loud: la casa. (Sometimes you should talk to yourself!) Having a mental picture for each word and a context in which to put it will help you remember the words quickly and more accurately. When you think you know all or most of the words, quiz yourself. Fold the paper again; look at the Spanish side. Can you recall all the English translations? If so, turn the paper over so you are looking at the English side. Can you say the Spanish equivalent? Mark the words you know with a small check. Work on the hard words until every word has a check. You will then have mastered the list!

15. Make flash cards. Put the Spanish word on one side (with a picture if you can: imagery helps!). Write the English equivalent on the other side. Use heavy paper or index cards. They will withstand frequent use and you won’t be able to see through the paper – not even accidentally.

16. Make as many verb charts as you need – either one for every verb you know or just an example of each regular conjugation and all the irregular verbs you should know. Here is an example:

HABLAR-to speak hablo

hablas habla

hablamos habláis hablan

17. Make a chart of endings for three verb conjugations. Here are the endings for simple present tense verbs. You can make charts for each new tense that you learn. Label them carefully.

-AR -ER -IR -o -amos -o -emos -o -imos -as -áis -es -éis -es -ís -a -an -e -en -e -en

18. Each time you learn a new tense, write out all the translations for one verb in both the statement and interrogative forms. Examples:

TRABAJAR – to work (present indicative) Statements Questions Trabajo. = I work. ¿Trabajo bien? = I work well??? OR I am working. OR Am I working well? OR I do work. OR Do I work well? Trabajáis = You work. ¿Trabajáis bien? = You work well??? OR You are working. OR Are you working well? OR You do work. OR Do you work well?

Preparing for Tests and Quizzes

19. It’s important to know what you don’t know! If you are having a Friday test, go over all the test material by Wednesday. At this point, you don’t have it memorized, just understood. Do this review very carefully so you can discover any points you need to have clarified by the teacher. In this way, your last-minute studying will be less stressful and more beneficial.

20. Remember that the purpose of “surprise” quizzes is to assure that you keep up in your studies. Therefore, it is clear that if you want to be well prepared for a “pop” quiz, you must regularly review your class notes. Remember that we sometimes cover material in class that is not found in the text. Also, reviewing your notes will remind you what has been discussed or practiced in class.

21. It is possible to ask for help studying even from people who don’t speak Spanish. If a classmate is not available, ask someone else to quiz you by reading English words, phrases, or sentences from your text. You can write down the Spanish translations and check your own work against the book when you’re finished.

22. Teach a friend what you’ve learned. If you can make her understand, you know it! 23. Long-term memory learning is seldom achieved by cramming. It is more useful to study

15 minutes every day for a week than to study two hours the night before a test. Since language learning is cumulative, you need this week’s information to succeed next week. Also, if you try studying for long stretches at a time, fatigue and/or apathy are likely to undercut your effectiveness. Study for the long term!

24. You can learn a great deal from language CDs if you go about it correctly. Work with them when you are wide awake. Be prepared to concentrate on what you are doing. If you find your attention wandering, stop! Better to take a break and come back another time. If the CD goes too fast for you, use the pause button or even go back a bit. Listen two or more times to “hard” parts. Do speak when you are supposed to! Remember that the best thing about the CDs is that you are hearing and imitating native Spanish speakers. The process, more than reading or writing, will help you to speak and understand spoken Spanish. These are important goals!

25. Talk to a tape recorder! Look at English words or phrases and record the Spanish equivalents. Play back your own voice to check the answers you recorded against what’s in your book or in your notes.

26. If you are an auditory learner (you prefer to hear things rather than read them), record yourself reading your textbook aloud. Read slowly and distinctly. Repeat the most important or most difficult concepts. Then study by listening to the tape.

27. Write out exercises taken from your text or workbook. Ask a reliable friend or the teacher to correct them.

Miscellaneous

28. Sit in the front of the classroom! Sometimes students who are having trouble try to hide in the back. In the words of one such student, “moving up made a world of difference!”

29. Every sense you involve in the learning process improves your results and accomplishes your task more quickly. Besides seeing, saying (and therefore hearing) the word, let yourself feel the word by writing it – on paper or even just with your finger on a table top or in the air. Try it; it really works!

30. Study words in categories (verbs, days of the week, etc.). It’s usually easier to remember words that “belong” together. “Opposites” or “pairs” of words are also more easily learned: night and day, salt and pepper, etc.

31. Use mnemonics to help you learn Spanish. These are memory devices that help you assimilate knowledge. Examples: The Spanish word for uncle is pronounced like the English letters T-O. The Spanish verb to send is pronounced like the English letters N-B-R. If you can picture these letters, it will help you learn the words. The first letters of the days of the week in Spanish are LMMJVSD – letters which could stand for: Larry Moss married Jeanie Voss on a sunny day.

32. Practice the Wiecha Reflex: Time yourself and talk aloud for 60 seconds in Spanish. Do not pause. If your mind goes blank, start counting to fill the time until you think of something else to say. As time goes on, make your rules tougher. For example, limit yourself to counting to ten (only) before you must go back to something else. At the beginning of Spanish I, start with 30 seconds. Eventually work up to three minutes.

33. Review constantly! If you’ve learned something well, a “once-over-lightly” every week or two should be sufficient to keep that information in your head. Frequent reviewing will allow you to retain what you worked hard for before. It’s a way of being good to yourself!

34. Remember that your teacher is an excellent re source! If you don’t understand something, ask her. She hasn’t yet turned down a legitimate request for help – nor is she likely to do so in the future. She wants you to learn – that’s why she’s here!

35. The most important point is to keep a positive attitude! Your frame of mind has a tremendous influence on what you can do (in Spanish or any other area of your life!). If you tell yourself you can learn Spanish, you will, and it will be easier and more fun with that “I can” attitude. Remember: You’ve nearly mastered the English language, and it’s more complicated than Spanish! Make realistic goals for yourself. Do your learning one step at a time. Take time to feel pride and satisfaction in each new thing you learn, each new mini-goal you accomplish. ¡Buena suerte!