subject: Tips And Guides To Learning Spanish [print this page] It is noted that Spanish is one of the easiest languages to learn. For one thing, Spanish words are more often than not pronounced as spelled and there are neither short nor long vowels. Communicative grammar, although still needs to intensely touch sentence structure and verb conjugation, is manageable to learn. But though his is the case, many Spanish learners are still having difficulty with learning the language. This is normal, obviously, especially considering that fact that the mode of instruction is generally in Spanish. Yet, there are some methods to make learning Spanish a lot easier and more fruitful. Here they're:
1. Train your ear with Spanish music and movies. One of the greatest ways to learn an overseas language is to listen to native speakers through songs, movies, and TV soaps. When you pay attention to a song or to an actor, center on the pronunciation, inflection, speed, and rhythm of the language. Similarly, take good note of the sentence structure. To have the best out of this activity, play any Spanish CD or movie or tune in to a Spanish radio station for 10 to 20 minutes and practice speaking whatever you've learned.
2. Have a brief but frequent study time. This is much better than having a long but infrequent time for study, research says. Put differently, 30 minutes of study scattered all through the day works more effectively than when you study three to four hours in a few days every week. This is more practical in essence especially because with a great deal of free time you can squeeze study time in. While driving, for instance, you can name the objects you pass by in Spanish, or construct Spanish sentences while having something to eat.
3. Craft learning tools. There is without a doubt you can learn from books and software, but there is one thing to be said about personalized learning materials, those that you made yourself and therefore address your requirements and fortify your weak points. For example, you can make flash cards with Spanish words on one side and the equivalent English word on the other side. You can also make a chart of present, past, and future tenses of verbs.
4. Make extra effort to practice. All the knowledge accumulation is laid waste if not applied in practical situations, so practice speaking the language every chance you get. You will recognize that you learn even better when you speak the language than when you just read and study it. Read aloud and chat with other Spanish learners. Don't be terrified of committing mistakes. If the only thing that keeps you from speaking in Spanish is your concern, you certainly miss on a great deal of things. Remember, speaking in Spanish is a skill, and you may never master it unless you practice and put that skill to a test. So, speak.
5. Learn actively. You can't learn by merely browsing through books, memorizing the rules, and reading mentally. Learning Spanish requires your active involvement and commitment. Speak, practice, hear yourself and track your improvement while continuously looking for ways to obtain better.
