May 31, 2009
Spanish – 7 Ways to Succeed
1) Look for free online lessons such as the ones we offer at our new SpanishLearningCentre.com site. The link is at the bottom of this article. You can join other beginners and experience our lessons, including the mp3 audios provided.
2) Listen to Spanish MP3s or Audio-CD courses in your car. Do you spend 30 minutes commuting to work twice a day? That’s over 5 hours a week that you spend in your car! So start learning Spanish in the car, instead of listening to the radio.
3) Carry flashcards with you. Make your own flashcards on 3×5 notecards using words from the course from which you are currently studying. Be sure and carry them with you; next time you are standing in line or waiting for whatever, pull out the flashcards, and do a quick review.
4) It really helps to have a good book (with a Spanish/English dictionary in the back). Not everyone learns best with audios; many students need to see and read the words for them to sink into their brains. Books will fill in gaps, such as grammar, and provide a quick reference when you need to lookup a word or phrase.
5) Give software a try. Many people find interactive software more interesting than either books or audios. Often, the software will judge your progress, and give you feedback.
6) Join a Spanish club or class. Maybe your local high-schools or colleges have continuing or “fun” educations classes like languages. The classes are often $25 or less, and you have the benefit of learning with others, and getting feedback from a teacher.
7) Dive-in and go to a Spanish speaking country. If you can live with a family where you are forced to speak Spanish for daily survival – you will learn quickly. Reading Spanish signs every day, visiting museums, and learning Spanish culture all contributes to the experience.
