Study Suggestions!

Helpful books!

Study Advice from the BBC

Tackling the Workbook and Laboratory work in conjunction with the text readings. Students have demonstrated that the absolutely BEST way to understand and retain the material is to follow this study procedure:

1) Read a grammar section that covers one grammar point (or a vocabulary section) from the assigned homework pages (not necessarily the entire homework reading assignment at once)

2) Go to the workbook and complete the exercises specific to ONLY that grammar point (or vocabulary section), then check the Answer key and see how you did.

3) Then listen to the laboratory exercises that correspond to only that grammar point (or vocabulary section), and again, check how you did with the Answer key (if one has been provided.) Keep your text with you as you listen to exercises.

4) THEN complete the homework that has been assigned from the textbook which deals with that specific grammar point (or vocabulary section).

5) NOW, you can read the next grammar point, and so on until you have finished the assigned readings and homework.

I can present and explain grammar paradigms, but only you can build up your vocabulary! A good way to tackle vocabulary (which can seem overwhelming at times) is to take steps to reduce the amount of terms you need to memorize. I've found that putting labels on my belongings, household and office items works well - post-it notes are great and temporary. When you look in the mirror everyday and see "espejo" taped to it, it is a daily reinforcement of the word espejo. Draw a poster with clothing and place it near your closet. As you get dressed you can remind yourself that you are putting on your pantalones and your zapatos. Explain aloud what you are eating for breakfast, lunch and dinner. These are kinesthetic learning prompts which offer you an efficient alternative method of learning a second language. You want to avoid relying solely on reading and homework. You will find it easier to focus on the grammar and content once you become very familiar with a large percentage of the vocabulary.
In regard to study techniques, many professors suggest creating a notebook of handy phrases. You can use these note cards or papers as flashcards. Reading over a section doesn't guarantee that you have retained the information. It's a good idea to have someone "test" you with your notes to see how much you have learned.

It is important that you read aloud. While listening to the audio material is critical to accustom your ear to the sounds and rhythm of Spanish, it is equally important that you practice saying the words yourself. This way you recognize the sound of the word, not just its spelling. So as you do the exercises, make sure you read them aloud to yourself.

Suggestions for reading practice

and for listening comprehension practice

A common concern among beginning students is that Spanish speakers "talk too fast." There are two reasons that Spanish speakers appear to speak rapidly. One is that students of Spanish are "trying" to understand the speaker. In making this effort, students tend to focus on every word. We really don't do this in our own language because we are familiar with our language's structure and phrases. We listen only for pertinent information. Learn to listen for key words or phrases that will tell you what the speaker is talking about rather than trying to determine exactly what individual words the speaker is saying.

The other factor that makes Spanish sound faster is the way words are pronounced. In English we have many words that end in consonant sounds. This results in a crisp indication of where one word ends and the next word begins. In Spanish, most words end in vowels which blend easily into the next word. This "linking" of sounds is called "liaison" and is responsible for 'mi hijo' (mee EE-ho) sounding like `mijo' (MEE-ho). We do this a little in English: rather than saying "I am going to", we often say "I'm gonna". In the South you hear "y'all" rather than "you all". With practice, you will become accustomed to the sounds and rhythms of Spanish.

The best part about learning a foreign language is that the goal of the course is communication - something all people do. For the most part Hispanics are very gracious and encourage Americans in their efforts to speak Spanish. Very few English-speaking individuals speak textbook perfect English in casual conversations. We also rarely speak in complete sentences. This is the same for Spanish-speakers. So don't be overly concerned about perfection. I will point out the vocabulary and pronunciation problems where you will need to be cautious.

Learning Spanish shouldn't be a stressful task. You will figure out what learning methods work for you. And I am here to assist you through the course! Please feel free to contact me at anytime with questions, problems or suggestions!

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