Form A Collection Of Spanish Books
After enrolling in a Spanish class, the first requirement is to fork out a few hundred dollars for the latest edition of the textbook. Unfortunate for students in the course, but good news for you! While the current editions can be quite costly, the price of the previous editions falls drastically every semester, even though the differences can be very minor.
Without a doubt, most Spanish textbooks form an extremely helpful language base, designed to teach the language in the most sensible and orderly fashion youd expect. While course curriculums may change frequently, outdated textbooks are still valuable tools for learning the language. By visiting a local bookstore, or even by going online, youre bound to find an abundance of past-edition textbooks selling for pocket change.
Puntos en Breve was once a popular textbook for introductory Spanish courses at many colleges. Published by McGraw-Hill, it also has a workbook that accompanies it. A used copy of this text, which helped many students easily and efficiently learn the language for years, can be yours for a very small cost.
And if you cant find that specific textbook, dont sweat it. There are dozens of other textbooks that can be just as helpful and inexpensive.
So why not go all out and splurge on a dictionary, phrasebook and a few other cheap texts to begin with? They will take you and your money far on your language-learning journey.
Span : Elementary Spanish I
For those with no knowledge of Spanish. Those with knowledge beyond the scope of this course will be required to take a higher-level course. While developing basic functional proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing, students acquire cultural understanding about the Spanish-speaking world. Graded: Letter Grade
Join A Language Learning Challenge
Learning a language is a marathon, not a sprint, and learners sometimes struggle with motivation.
One great way to solve this problem is to join a language learning community.
If you surround yourself with other people who are on the same journey as you, no matter the language, you’ll all be able to support and encourage each other in pursuit of your shared goal.
Learning communities can be offline or online. If you’re having classroom lessons, then I hope your class feels like a learning community! You’re all in it together, so why not help each other out and support each other?
Online communities can be powerful too. At Fi3M, we run a regular event called the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge. People from all around the world commit to having a 15-minute conversation with a native speaker of their new language after just 90 days of study.
Our participants have seen great results.
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Span : Spanish For Heritage Speakers Ii
Four hours lecture per weekCan be taken before or after SPAN 211. Designed for students accustomed to hearing Spanish at home, who can speak some Spanish, and who seek to develop their skills in the language. Includes study of Hispanic cultures in the U.S., Latin America, and Spain. Graded: Letter GradeCI Mission Category: International Perspectives
Best For Grammar: Easy Spanish Step
If youre looking for a Spanish book that is based on grammar, then Easy Spanish Step-by-Step might appeal to you. As its name indicates, this book teaches you the Spanish grammar step-by-step, but without using boring drills. Instead, the author claims that you will learn the way that people naturally learn a language, starting with the most basic grammar concepts, and advancing step by step.
The book also includes many exercises so you can practice and test your knowledge, lots of vocabulary, as well as many reading passages for practicing reading from the start. Many students enjoy the simple layout and organized structure of the book, as well as its affordable price.
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Why Should I Learn Spanish
Popular: Spanish is a popular second or third language, with 400 million speakers its the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world. It is an official language on four continents and is of historical importance elsewhere.
Better understanding of English: Much of the vocabulary of English has Latin origins, so you will find as you study Spanish that you have a better understanding of your native vocabulary. Similarly, Spanish and English share Indo-European roots, so their grammars are similar. There is perhaps no more effective way to learn English grammar than by studying the grammar of another language, for the study forces you to think about how your language is structured.
Make traveling fun: Learning Spanish is helpful when traveling the globe, since many countries speak the language. Some foreigners do speak English, but conversing in the native tongue is always more fun.
Cultural Understanding: Learning Spanish provides insight to the relevant cultures and customs of Spanish-speaking individuals. By studying Spanish, we heighten our understanding of how others think, learn, and feel.
Learning other languages: If you can learn Spanish, youll have an advantage when learning other Latin-based languages such as French and Italian. And it will even help you learn Russian and German, since they too have Indo-European roots and have some characteristics that are present in Spanish but not English.
Span : Advanced Spanish Grammar And Composition: Part Two
Prerequisite: SPAN 201 and SPAN 202 or SPAN 211 and SPAN 212 or Consent of Instructor and Junior Standing and successful completion of Golden Four GE Areas Continuation of SPAN 301. Further strengthens command of Spanish grammar and composition through the study of topics of cultural relevance in the Hispanic world. Also expands vocabulary through readings and class discussions. Graded: Letter GradeCI Mission Category: International Perspectives
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Why Take Spanish 101 Online
UNDs beginning Spanish online courses are intended for self-motivated students who can independently arrange for regular study and practice time needed for proficiency in a second language. It is expected that students should spend 30 minutes a day or more learning Spanish throughout their course time. Students can reach out as needed to an instructor with flexible office hours throughout the week for email, live phone chats or virtual classroom sessions.
Make Spanish Words Stick In Your Brain Using Mnemonics
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Mnemonics isn’t an entire study method in itself, but it’s still a powerful tool that every language learner should be familiar with.
Languages require a great deal of memorization: vocabulary, grammar rules, phrases, idioms, etc. There are better and worse ways to get all this information into your head, and the best way is to become skilled at mnemonics.
A mnemonic is a memory technique that uses imagery or other mental cues to help you quickly recall information.
There are many different kinds of mnemonics, but they all use the same underlying principle: when something is hard to remember, find a way to associate it with something that is easy to remember.
The topic of mnemonics goes deep. One advanced technique is the memory palace. You construct a mental image of a building you know well, and then imagine placing items at different locations in the building to remind you of certain words or concepts.
Mnemonic techniques like the memory palace take practice to get good at. Once you’re good at them, they easily repay the initial time investment. They’re an extremely effective way to memorize large amounts of vocabulary.
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I Dont Use Spanish So I Keep Forgetting It
Whisking off to Spain, the Dominican Republic or Cuba to practice the language would be great, but that simply isnt an option for most of us.
If you live in a city or state where a Spanish-speaking community surrounds you, thats a great alternative opportunity to strengthen your Spanish. But this is also not the case for some of us.
So what to do when you dont use your Spanish at all?
Take Individual Language Classes
Group classes might be fun, but they wont teach you as much as individual classes. Also, take advantage of the fact that the teacher is there for you. Ask questions about things youre unsure of.
It doesnt necessarily mean always paying for an expensive course. These days, there are plenty of language exchanges online. You can learn through Skype. My favorite site for finding natives is italki.com, with prices starting from $5 per hour.
As you can see in my Mexican dictionary, there are many differences between Spanish spoken in, for example, Mexico and Argentina. Most of the recordings in popular courses youre listening to online arent real-life situations. In reality, people speak much faster in their own vernacular and thats where your native speaker can help.
For language courses abroad I recommend either IH or EF. I have first-hand experience with both places and can vouch for them being legit.
Remember, every new language is easier to learn. If your first language is English, learning a new language might be harder than if you were lets say, French or German speaker. English basic grammar is less complex, so acquiring new rules might be challenging at first. Dont give up!
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Best For Beginners: Practice Makes Perfect Spanish Series
If youre looking to start with a beginner book and then move on to other more advanced and specific books in a series, the Practice Makes Perfect Spanish Series might be right for you. This series includes a book for Beginner Spanish, Complete Spanish Grammar, Spanish Verb Tenses, Spanish Conversation, Spanish Pronouns and Prepositions, and Complete Spanish All-in-One. The Beginner book contains many exercises as well as an online flashcard app that you can download, and streaming audio that goes along with the book.
Students enjoy the thorough but simple grammar explanations, which are accompanied by several examples and creative practice exercises. Also, you can find the answers to all the exercises, so you can always check your work. The lessons are short so that you dont have to invest too much time in each one.
Stop Speaking English Study Spanish Through Immersion
Related Learning: 16 Ways to Immerse Yourself at Home
When I broke through my barriers in Valencia and finally started making progress with Spanish, there were two reasons why I succeeded.
It wasn’t just that I started speaking Spanish as much as possible. It was that I completely stopped speaking English. For one month, I committed to speaking no English whatsoever, and succeeded. Not a single word of English escaped my mouth during these 30 days.
I’ve since used the same approach for many other languages: living in the country and having a strict policy of speaking only the language I’m learning.
This is the immersion approach, and it’s extremely effective.
The reason is simple. Forty hours of intensive Spanish immersion in a single week will be far more valuable than forty hours spread out haphazardly over a few weeks. The more often you immerse yourself, the less time you waste trying to remember what you learned last time you spoke Spanish.
My friend Scott Young took this approach to its extreme when he learned four languages in a year. The cardinal rule that helped him succeed? No English.
âBut Benny,â youâre probably thinking, âyou got to live in Spain! It must have been easy to immerse yourself there. What about people who canât do that?â
Donât worry, you don’t have to travel to a Spanish-speaking country to immerse yourself. Iâve learned several languages while living nowhere near the countries where theyâre spoken.
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Study Abroad In A Non
Becoming fluent in a language often requires total immersion. One of the best ways to immerse yourself in a foreign language is to study abroad and, if possible, participate in a homestay. Living with a host family forces you to communicate in your target language. If you live in a residence hall with other English-speaking students, chances are you’ll be frequently tempted to switch to English.
Obtaining A Prerequisite Waiver To Enroll
Step 1
If you have completed the “equivalent” CSN World Language Department prerequisite to enroll in the next level of Spanish class and have documentation, follow the steps indicated here below. If you do not presently have documentation, please contact our Spanish Lead Faculty:
- 1. Send a short email to the CSN Spanish Lead faculty
- 2. Attach an unofficial transcript
Please include the following in the body of the email:
Please send the documentation as an attachment to the email.
If you are presently enrolled in a required prerequisite course, and the semester has not finished, we can waive the prerequisite upon receipt of proof of enrollment in the college and in the prerequisite class along with proof of good standing .
Step 2
Enrolling in the course and unblocking the prerequisite: When we have received the email with all the appropriate information and unofficial transcript, we will evaluate the completion of the prerequisite. If approved, you will be notified by email that your request has been approved or denied. If approved, your information will be forwarded so that the prerequisite for the course and section in which you wish to enroll can be unblocked. At that time you the student would need to attempt to self-enroll into the class and correct section. No one can enroll for you or place you in the course.
Approval is based on the following criteria:
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Episode : The Flamenco Class
After surviving the supermarket challenge, the contestants were ready for their second mission: take a Flamenco dance class taught entirely in Spanish and learn some specific choreography. This challenge tested their listening and comprehension skills, as well as their ability to ask questions and to critique each other in Spanish. Again, Jordan, Deb and Jenna surprised us with their willingness to dive right in and give the challenge their all.
As youll see in the video, Deb asked several questions during the dance lesson, and judging by the look on Jennas face, she wasnt expecting Deb to take such initiative. That was the moment when you could feel the competition intensifying. When it was time to perform the combination in front of their opponents and the dance instructor, the contestants really shined. Even the instructor, Tatiana, was impressed with their Spanish comprehension and dance moves. But when it came time for critiques, who was judged most harshly? Watch the video above!
What You Can Do About It
What do we do when faced with a new challenge? We stick to things that are familiar to us!
Youd be surprised at how similar English and Spanish can actually be, particularly when it comes to the logic of verb tenses and vocabulary. In fact, if you know the words actor, capital, crisis, musical, natural or vulnerable, you already know some español!
Not only do these words exist in Spanish, they also have the exact same meaning. Why not start by taking advantage of 54 Spanish cognates youll instantly recognize and 68 familiar Spanish words that came from English?
If you speak a Romance language other than Spanish, you have even more of an opportunity to focus on the many cognates, borrowed words and similar grammar rules among this group of languages.
Extra tips! Focus on vocabulary or grammar that seems more relevant to you, rather than learning vocabulary that youre unlikely to use or be interested in. This will help you narrow down your study materials and set specific goals based on whats meaningful to you.
Working in Spain? You may be interested in business-related lingo. Are you an exchange student? Start by focusing on colloquial language for your target country. Whos interested in some slang from Spain, the Dominican Republic or Colombia?
Another great tip is to use resources that are specially designed to encourage an environment of learning. If you can slowly incorporate Spanish into your everyday life, you can overcome these early hurdles.
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Go To Spanish Language Meetups
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A language exchange doesn’t have to be one-on-one.
In many cities you can find language exchange events, where people from all over the world get together to speak and practise many languages together.
Meetup.com is a good place to find events like this.
The popularity of Spanish as a second language means that most major cities have meetup groups that are just for Spanish speakers who want to learn English and visa versa. Some meetup groups are more open-ended, open to speakers of all languages.
The danger of events like these is that you can end up having the same conversations over and over with the people you meet: where are you from?, what do you do?, etc.
The best language exchanges avoid this problem by adding some structure. For example, you may play some language games together or be given specific conversation starters or topics to talk about.
If there are no Spanish language groups in your area, go ahead and create your own. Anyone can create a group on Meetup.com, and youâre bound to get several members joining up who have been hoping for a group like this for ages.
Should You Take Foreign
Learning a language can improve your career opportunities and enrich your personal life. But some college students might find their schedules too packed to effectively commit to studying a second language.
Ultimately, if you can find the time and motivation to dedicate to language learning, you should definitely consider pursuing it.
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