Posted by Why we have created Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish
When we first start out learning a new language, we often don’t have any experience of how to go about it. Certainly, if it’s our very first experience of learning a second language it can be quite daunting.
Where do we start? What is the best system? Where should I get advice?
A new language in just one weekend.
For the uninitiated, there can be a temptation to turn immediately to the courses that promise fluency within a very short space of time. Titles such as ‘10,000 words in your tea-break’, ‘Fluent in a flash’, ‘Native in No-time’ can all be extremely tempting not to mention costly.
We’ve lost count of the times that students have come to us saying that they had just completed a ‘speed Spanish’ course that claimed that grammar wasn’t important. They often comment that they were more confused after having finished the course than they were before they started.
Warning: Any company that promises fluency in less than a couple of years may be pulling your leg.
Are you special?
If you are one of those people that can learn anything to an exceptionally high standard in a minute and a half, then you needn’t pay much attention to what we are saying. Our message is going out to the normal, regular learners like us that need time to learn and to assimilate new information.
Warning: Never compare your learning speed with others. We are all different. Only compare your own progress. e.g. How much better is your Spanish now than say, six months ago?
Why Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish?
The reason we produced Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish is so that those normal people could have a framework upon which they could structure their learning. Why? Because there are so many roads to learning a language, and many of them lead to the same place.
However, as new learners we can get sidetracked or bogged down in learning systems that really don’t take us anywhere. For example, many people spend an inordinate amount of time focused on writing and fill in the gap exercises. That’s great as long as you combine it with lots of other things. Doing it in isolation, however, won’t move your Spanish forward at the right speed. When that happens, the learner ends up feeling frustrated and demotivated.
Important: Involve all of your senses every day; listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Where do I go now?
The next step in your learning journey is your choice. There is a wealth of great learning systems out there. Find the one that you are happy with. Learning should be fun. If it isn’t, then you are probably not doing the right course.
Warning: People often take learning far too seriously. Be kind to yourself, keep it light, keep it fun. Smile as you learn.
We hope you find the Ten Top Tips for learning Spanish valuable and we are here if you need us in the future.
un saludo,
Gordon y Cynthia:)
This was brought to you in collaboration with Sprachheld.de
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