Make Use of Software and Learn Spanish Fast

Posted by Alex Murray on Sep 23rd, 2009 | 4 comments home title

As you know there are many benefits to learning another language and in particular Spanish as it is so widely spoken through out the world. The only hard part can be choosing a method by which to learn Spanish because there are just so many ways.

This article is going to introduce you to the effectiveness of using Spanish learning software and why it is so much faster than conventional teaching methods especially when you want to teach yourself Spanish.

So Why Spanish Language Software?

You will want to choose Spanish learning software that is right for you personally and also adheres to correct teaching principles and these might not be what you thought the were.

Like most people it is likely that you learnt if not Spanish some foreign language in high school. This is not the way you will want to learn now.

The teaching practises used in high school do not provide you with a core understanding of the language and always end up with you trying to remember translations rather than teaching you to think in Spanish.

If you take some time to think back to when you learnt a language in high school you will most likely remember a lot of it involved writing down words and phrases and then their English equivalent. This means that every time you try to speak in Spanish or your language of choice from high school you are forever translating in your head, which is a far less efficient way to learn Spanish.

Consider how much of Spanish or the foreign language you learnt in high school you can actually speak now? Then realise that you had been learning for at least 2 years if not more and you may be slightly disheartened.

So not only will Spanish learning software not require you to memorise every word and phrase as a translation it will also allow you to think in Spanish making your speech much more fluid and not a jumble of words and phrases you have memorised in the back of your mind.

Which Spanish Language Software is Right for Me?

When it comes to choosing a Spanish language software package that’s suitable for you will want to pick software that is both thorough and engaging.

I have had a lot of fun and success using the Rosetta Stone software and would recommend it to anyone who is learning Spanish from a complete beginner to even someone who is more advanced.

Rosetta Stone is just such an in depth piece of software, for a start you get 3 levels of Spanish meaning you can start at a level that’s right for you. Not only will Rosetta Stone teach you by forming Spanish word associations with corresponding images (the same way you learnt to speak as a child) it can also test you on your exact pronunciation, grammar and listening skills.

It’s fair to say that for the all round package that also offers Spanish audio Cd’s so you can learn even when you’re not at your computer I can highly recommend Rosetta Stone Spanish.

However I do realise that the Rosetta Stone language software requires a large investment on your part and although I have never used it I have heard a lot of good reviews about Rocket Spanish. Rocket Spanish provides you with a similar setup to Rosetta Stone Spanish in regards to the way you learn new words by associating them with images rather than learning their translations. So as a cheaper alternative, which promises to teach you Spanish in 8 weeks I would definitely have a look at Rocket Spanish.

Remember though that more important than spending a lot of time over which Spanish language software is right for you is to put some time aside and just start learning. If you go with either of the above to software packages mentioned I know you will see massive improvements in hardly any time at all.

Start Having Spanish Conversations Right Now

Posted by Alex Murray on Sep 17th, 2009 | 3 comments home title

First off it’s important to mention right from the start that to become completely fluent in Spanish will require quite a lot of time, hard work and effort. However being able to hold a conversation in Spanish and being able to understand most of what other people are saying when they speak Spanish only needs to take a couple of weeks. Remember this is if you are starting from nothing if you already have a few Spanish words and phrases under your belt this process will be even quicker.

I will assume that as you are reading this article you must have a fairly thorough understanding of the English language. You will notice that a lot of the words used in Spanish sound similar to those used in English. By using the correct methods and techniques it will be pretty quick for an English speaker to learn the basics of Spanish. First of all you will want to identify and learn the core 1000 words of Spanish that will ensure that you are able to understand 70% plus of all conversations.

The next thing you will want to get to grips with is the fundamental grammar and sentence structure used in Spanish. While the grammar and sentence structure used in the Spanish language is a little different to that of English it is-in my opinion-a lot more predictable and learnable with some easy to follow rules.

By learning the most important words of Spanish first and then going on to learn the grammar you will find that initially you will become a lot more proficient at understanding other people who speak Spanish. Then when you go on to the grammar side of things you will become better at forming your own sentences when you speak in Spanish and it won’t be disjointed as it can be when other people try to teach themselves Spanish.

Recommended by all and challenged by no one is that the best way to learn Spanish is to move to a Spanish speaking country and completely immerse yourself. However if you are trying to teach yourself Spanish then it’s likely that that’s not an option. But don’t worry there are some very good Spanish learning materials that you can use from home to teach yourself the basics of Spanish in just a few short weeks.

To start off with audio Cd’s or mp3s on your ipod or mp3 player are absolutely essential. Most people don’t realise how much free time they actually have, when your driving to work or walking the dog, just put your headphones in or turn your Cd player on and you can start learning your all important Spanish vocabulary right there and then.

In addition to audio learning you will need a way to learn the grammar of the Spanish language. The simplest way to do is a simple text book that has Spanish exercises in the front and the answers in the back. However if you like things a bit more interactive there is some exceptional software around that can give you instant feedback on your grammar and sentence structure.

Continue to teach yourself Spanish by having a look at our Beginners Spanish information and get the important 1000 words that will set you on your way.

Identifying a Learning Style That’s Right For You

Posted by Alex Murray on Sep 15th, 2009 | no comments home title

Whilst there are many varied learning styles the 3 most predominant styles that I will talk about are visual (learning by seeing things done), auditory (learning by hearing about how to do things) and kinesthetic (learning by doing).

There are many tests, generally consisting of a list of rather obvious questions, that aim to determine your style of learning while in reality it is most likely that you have a mixture of 2 of the above mentioned learning styles. However having said this you will want to determine your predominant style for learning Spanish as it is always a good idea to play to your strengths.

One of the quickest ways to find out what learning style you prefer is to think back to your school days and remember the ways you most enjoyed learning. For example were you the person that loved to have things show as diagrams and charts so you could get a clear understanding of where everything was in relation to everything else? Then you probably already know that that’s because you’re a visual learner.

Did you just like to listen to the teacher speak and are you the kind of person that will remember sound bytes from a conversation rather than the cover of a new book? This indicates you much prefer to learn by listening and are therefore an auditory learner. Kinesthetic learners are perhaps the most easy to determine. If you were the kind of child that found it hard to sit still and concentrate on text books but jumped at the chance to do an experiment or something similar then you are most likely a kinesthetic learner.

Now that you have an idea of what kind of learning style you prefer how is this going to help you learn Spanish? Well if you know the way that you most enjoy learning and which provides you with the greatest amount of understanding then you can use this to personalise your experience when you teach yourself Spanish.

For a visual learner books (especially books that have some kind of pictures in them) and memorization learning such as flash cards will help the most. Oftentimes visual learner excel in reading and writing but come up short when conversing in Spanish. To combat this the use of software programs, which form a link between and image (visual learning) and the sound of the word, are far better suited to you than audio Cd’s or mp3′s.
If you have found that you’re an auditory learner then it’s your lucky day. Sticking some Spanish audio classes on while you’re driving, watching Spanish TV and listening to Spanish music or radio are all ways you can improve your conversational Spanish. It would also be beneficial to you if you can find a native Spanish speaker, either in your community or a relative, that you are able to talk to on a regular basis.
As a kinesthetic learnerit is important that you are doing something involving movement. Even if this is the simple act of taking notes as you read a text book or listen to Spanish audio classes just simply doing something will increase your concentration and improve your results. Spanish learning software that can provide some form of interactivity is especially useful for kinesthetic learners.

It is important to understand that there is no one superior learning style and learners of all types will face different obstacles as they progress with their education in the Spanish language. However by identifying your particular learning style you will be able to improve the quality of the time you spend learning of a regular basis and ultimately teach yourself Spanish faster.

Image courtesy of cnelson

Spanish Double R – Your Pronunciation Guide

Posted by Alex Murray on Sep 10th, 2009 | 2 comments home title

As I’m sure you’re aware the double R of the Spanish language is something you will want to get right if you are to speak Spanish with any kind of authenticity whatsoever. Now it goes without saying that you cannot pronounce the double R as you would with English instead you must roll your RR’s.

While most Americans can manage this without too much trouble it is usually harder for the Brits. The main reason is simply because of the accents of each country the tongue manipulation used in forming the RR sound in Spanish is more unusual to the British than Americans.

The best way to describe rolling the RR’s is to place the tip of your tongue curling upwards inside your mouth touching on the roof of your mouth about half a centimeter to a centimeter form your teeth. The trick is to then force air across your tongue whilst it is in this position but keeping your tongue flexible enough so it almost feels like it is vibrating.

Another way to think about forming the double R sound of Spanish words such as carro (car) and perro (dog) is to try and imitate the sound of a motorbike as it accelerates.

It is thought by some that rolling the Spanish RR’s is not something you can learn and you can either do it or you can’t a bit like rolling your tongue (no connection to being able to roll your RR’s). Let us know how you are getting on with your RR’s and if you have any tips for people trying to do the same as I’m sure this is a skill that can be acquired.

Image courtesy of LiveFromAmsterdam

Fundamentals of Thinking in Spanish

Posted by Alex Murray on Sep 7th, 2009 | no comments home title

In my last post I talked about the importance of teaching yourself to think in Spanish as you look to advance your knowledge, understanding and proficiency of the Spanish language. Now I would like to look take a more in depth look into why you would even want to think in Spanish, what advantages are there? and how you don’t need to wait until your advanced with Spanish to start thinking with it.

It’s interesting to think that not many of us consider how they learnt to speak English, or whatever your mother tongue may be, after all we don’t need to know how we learnt out own language we just “picked it up” along the way.

It’s always been said that to learn a language from the ground up, as you do when you are a child, is the most effective way to absorb and more importantly remember that language. All too often we jump in at the deep end memorize the most important words and phrases and then a little as a few months later wonder why we can’t recall what we learnt.

Of course there’s no substitute for enjoyment and enthusiasm when learning Spanish. Staying motivated and having fun at the same time is surely a recipe for success. However I also believe that continuous repetition of the most important words and phrases of the Spanish language as a way to embed and continue to build upon your own vocabulary is far too often overlooked.

It is clear that as a child or an active speaker of Spanish the same most fundamental words and phrases within the language are repeated over and over again, solidify themselves as the bedrock on which a fluent speakers vocabulary is built. It’s for this same reason that I encourage the use of children’s books as a way to build those basics and constantly reaffirm them, as you will no doubt become aware when you start to read children’s books that the same most fundamental words are used over and over again.

While it is common place to learn phrases, verbs and their conjugations one after the other ticking them off your list as you go this lack of repetition will surely lead to a reduction in retention. Curiously when in Spain or Latin America how often do you expect to see these standalone phrases in the same form provided to you in text books?

I do not say this to challenge you personally I speak to the collectivity of people who learn from phrase books and text books. The only real way to master a language as it were is to learn as you did your own language and start from the ground up. The result of this ground up philosophy is that through a constant reading (or alternative Spanish mediums) you will ingrain the fundamentals and thought processes of a truly wonderful language deep within you, from where it can be called upon for years to come.

Thinking in Spanish

Posted by Alex Murray on Sep 3rd, 2009 | one comment home title

This may sound like quite a challenge but to become completely fluent in Spanish you will eventually want to start thinking in Spanish. As with most people the tendency is to translate the words they read into their native language. Also when speaking Spanish the general habit is to think of a sentence in English and then translate it step-by-step into the equivalent Spanish sentence.

I personally promote these instinctive habits as a fast way to learn a new language and trying to think in Spanish right from the start I personally believe would be somewhat of a challenge. However to gain complete mastery of the Spanish language your end goal should be to think the way a native Spanish speaker would.

Thinking in another language as you can imagine is not a skill that is easy to explain or put into words. I mean it’s hard to imagine a world where your internal thoughts were not formed with the words of the English language let alone being able to switch between Spanish and English in your mind as and when you please.

Trying to teach someone how to think in Spanish is like trying to explain how to drive a car or ride a bike. No matter how much you told someone what the pedals in a car did and how you are supposed to use them they still wouldn’t instinctively know how to drive without actually getting in the car and giving it a go.

This is exactly the same thing when you want to teach yourself how to think in Spanish. You just have to start doing it. OK well I will give you one piece of advice. When your just out doing your daily activities; talking to friends, at work on the phone or looking at a sign try translating what you see, hear, say into Spanish. The same way every time you translate Spanish back to English for comprehension try doing the opposite and you will soon find yourself starting to build the habit of thinking in Spanish.

Image courtesy of arvindgrover