thesmithtopher - What resources do you use to learn Spanish?

There is a great podcast called Trying To Learn Spanish.  It does not have lessons, it is a source of information on learning materials and methods.  There has not been a new episode in years but the archived podcasts and webblog are still available.  Here is a link.  http://ttlspodcast.blogspot.com/

Trying to learn Spanish

I am sorry.  The link in the above comment is not the best use this one http://tryingtolearnspanish.blogspot.com/

Hi Chris,

Spanishpod is my main resource, but I do have a Spanish exercise book that I am working my way through ever so slowly.  I think I should take a couple of tips from you and start reading some daily news in Spanish on line.  We don't get any Spanish cable stations but the telenovelas would be a fun and entertaining way to learn. 

Great question.  I have so many Spanish books, tapes, cards, software, you name it that one would think the more money you spend the faster you get fluent (cha-ching). If that was the case I would be the best spanish orator in the world.

My cable tv allows me to convert my movie channels into spanish, so I watch HBO, etc in spanish.  Like you and Kikuyu I have an exercise textbook that I love and it is very good.  I watch the news in spanish and read a National Enquirer-like spanish magazine named Mira! (muy bueno).

Last as you probably know, I'm into golf and my coach told me that she didn't want me to look at too many golf magazines for tips because I was beginning to get confused.  The relevancy here is that I'm starting to focus on a few things: Spanishpod, exercise book, Mira! and TV.  Hopefully the focus will help me reach my goals. Good luck.

I worked through some text-book courses; since I'm a rather slow learner of languages (in the sense that I rush through text books just to realize on the last page that I remember almost nothing), it was important for me to read multiple text books in order to repeat what I have already "learned" (but cannot remember :-).

My personal way of repeating vocabulary are small vocabulary books (currently I'm learning with a book that lists 3000 words, their main meanings and at least one example sentence for each word). I carry this book with me whereever I go; thus, I can always repeat a few pages.

Another particular useful resource is the free "Destinos" video course: http://www.learner.org/resources/series75.html

An interesting podcast is Democracy Now! in Spanish: http://www.democracynow.org/es because there is a Spanish transcript of the text on the web site, which was really important for me since I didn't like listening to podcasts in Spanish without a transcript for a rather long time.

Currently, I'm listening to several podcasts without transcripts (SpanishPod, Canadá en las Américas by Radio Canadá Internacional, BBC Mundo, Notes In Spanish, Spanishpodcast, SSL4YOU) and a free audio podcast: La Historia de Quíen Soy http://www.vozlatinaradio.org/radio-historia.php

I'm also watching DVDs in Spanish (preferably with Spanish subtitles) and I'm reading small books with translations of less common words or with a full translation. I think anything helps; the more time I spend listening and reading Spanish, the better. MP3 players helped me a lot to find more time to listen to podcasts.

I also like Destinos.

Here is a link you can uses to stream Spanish radio station from various countries  http://www.multilingualbooks.com/online-radio-spanish.html

Here is a link that you can use to read newspapers from all over the world  http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/flash/

I also like a site called LOMASTV.  It has short video clips with subtitles, in English and Spanish, and a easy way translate the words from Spanish to English.  It also has a game you can use to improve you listening.  You can see free samples before deciding if you want to pay for the service.  http://lomastv.com/product/home.php?

Great suggestions -- thanks to everyone.  I'm a little old-fashioned WRT my favorite way to learn Spanish currently:  I immerse myself in Spanish-language literature for young adults.  They're at the perfect level for me to just read, without tripping over a lot of unknown words. 

One of my favorites is by the Chilean author Isabel Allende.  It's the first in a series of adventure stories.  In Spanish it's titled La Ciudad de La Bestia.  (I've not read the English version, but the Spanish version is perect for immersion reading.)

Hey guys-- Have any of you tried the SPOD guided or executive plan with the teachers in Bolivia? It would be really helpful to get your impression of these services.  Thanks.

Anna it's probably coincidence that you asked about the executive plan as today I was seriously contemplating it.  I'm leaning toward doing the executive service.  I did a week long trial project for Spanishpod, prior to roll-out, a while ago to test the service.  I was duly impressed.

Based on my proctor's initial assessment, I focused on intermediary lessons and reviewed a lesson ahead of time, asked detailed questions, then was quized on various aspects of the podcast.  The main emphasis was to get me to speak about my own experiences relative to the podcast we were studying (what were my Christmas memories, did I have summer plans, etc).  Also I did role playing relative to the lesson where I played one role and the proctor was another, e.g. I was the waiter and my proctor was the customer - very cool.  I was at a level where the proctor spoke all spanish and it pushed me seriously.  I'm sure they customize the approach based on your level (newbie through advanced).  Also I realize that I really need to practice speaking.  I felt like I was getting so much better talking with my proctor.  I actually miss speaking with her.

We used skype to communicate and the lessons were only 10 minutes long.  I've been wondering if that was long enough, but the more I think about it I think it's about right.  It created a sense of focus for me and I really couldn't wait for the next day.  I'm a real type "A" personality so I tried to prepare for each class seriously, asked questions and tried to get the most out of each session.  I really liked the proctor, she was excellent, and we had a lot of fun. The proctor informed me which lesson I was to prepare for the upcoming day.

In a nutshell, here is why I'm leaning toward Spanishpod: 1) the community here where I can write and communicate to people like you; 2) the great lessons - working with material I like; 3) the spanishpod team who has been helping me get better; 4) the program flexibility - I can work with my proctor to shape my own learning style and 5) quality of my proctor.

I know this was very long, but I hope it gives you some insight into my thinking.  I'll let you know my final decision and if you have any other questions, I would be more than happy to answer questions about my trial experience.  Hasta pronto.        

Thank you Shep for that thoughtful and detailed reply.  It's funny -- I was kind of thinking of you when I asked the question. 

You make a very good case for this service with your description of the deft way SPOD integrates the private lessons into the web content.  The only ouch is the price...still, a month or two might be worth it -- maybe I'll ask someone to give it to me for my birthday, might be cheaper than hiring mariachis to sing me Las Mañanitas :-) 

I'd love to hear what you decide to do, amigo!

¡Gracias, nos vemos!

Anna if your postings are any indication then I think you're worth the mariachi band!  Tell your husband I said so. 

If I do anything, pretty sure I will, it will be the year long session.  The math works out so I think it's extremely economical for the value.  I'll keep you posted. Ciao

¡Jajajaja Shep, se lo digo!

stevestrv:

it took me a while but I finally remembered that I was listening to the "trying to learn spanish" podcast when it was first published. It definitely encouraged me to keep on looking for things that work for me. But I don't believe that was already two years ago. ;-)

Regarding Spanish-learning resources, one important change since that time was probably the publication of a couple of podcasts teaching Spanish: SpanishSense, SpanishPod, Coffee Break Spanish, SpanishPod101, ... you'll find them with iTunes. Of course, SpanishPod is the most important one. :)

Alma, the literature you're suggesting is what is my next leap.  I just purchased my first all-Spanish book and it arrived yesterday.  I'm a little scared, as I know I'll enjoy reading in Spanish, so I don't want to ruin the experience by jumping into literature too over my head.

Besides reading, I'm really trying to increase my listening comprehension.  I have a goal, which is to take a couple months of intensive classes at the end of this year.  Based on previous experiences, I know my fears lie in not being able to understand what I'm hearing from native speakers, hence the emphasis currently on telenovelas.

Kikuyu, I don't just watch telenovelas on TV, I've bought some and watch it on my DVD player (or computer).  They're pretty cheap to buy!  While watching, I put on the english subtitles (I haven't found any with spanish subtitles, odd).  I see the meaning as I read the english, and listen to the spanish.  Then I pause and break down a sentence, or slap a new word onto a flashcard, and study that way.  I find it brings enjoyment into learning spanish!

Thanks stevestrv and martinillo for all your suggestions, I'll have to try them.  But like shep, I also have more resources for studying than I have the capacity to use them all.

thesmithtopher:

Since we all have access to the internet, we all have more resources for studying Spanish than we could possibly use in our lifetimes. :) I guess the challenge for everybody is to find and choose the material that is useful at his/her individual point in the learning process. I don't think it's a question of capacity but of ordering and going through one after the other. I often came across material that was too advanced for me, but when I rediscovered the same material a year later, it was just right. Well, SpanishPod is an exception because it provides a rather large bandwidth of levels. Anyway, the best news is probably: the more advanced you are, the more resources of useful material are available - even for free.

Hmm, thinking about it, I guess a steady stream of new material in Spanish is extremely important for me to keep myself interested. And if something is too advanced, it reminds me that I still have a long way to go; if it is too basic, it reminds me of the things that I have learned already. The important point is to keep on going.

martinillo,

You're right, the more I look, the more resources I find for Spanish.  Luckily it's one of the world's most studied second languages!

What I've noticed though is that my most preferred study material is media that a Spanish speaker would read/watch.  But I also find that I'm so far away from participating in those media with any sort of ease.  My impatience and my desire to obsess over one thing at a time is making it hard for me to not quit my job and move to latin america right now!

Patience is a virtue....  i guess....  :)

Hola, todos.  Estoy un maestra viviendo en Tejas (Texas).  Etsoy vivo en el campo entre mucho grande ciudades de Houston y Dallas.

Estoy mirando para nuevo amigos en cuales puedo practicar con unas dias.

Por favor mandarme sin tu gustaria a practicar conme.  Estaria muy contento.

Salud,

Monica Patrice Poole

P.S.  Yo amo golf, comiendo, aprendiando lingue espanol, tomando viajes en la verano, y haciendo nuevo amigos ese hablan espanol.

Hola Chris,

Gracias por una buena idea!  Encontré telenovelas a la venta en “Amazon” y acabo de ordenar a uno.  No voy a tener la oportunidad de verlo hasta que regrese de vacaciones.  Te  diré si es buena.

Kikuyu,

Compraste cuál DVD?  Acabo de recebir dos más que compré hace pocas semanas, se llaman Rebelde y Clase 406.  Hace dos meses compré mis primeras series que se llaman Dame Chocolate y Betty La Fea.  Me gustó la primera pero no mucho la segunda...

Chris,

Compré la telenovela "La Otra".  Tiene buenas reseñas.  Te  diré mi propia reseña después de verlo.

Ciao!

Bueno Kikuyu, y ahorito te doy mis reseñas de Dame Chocolate y Betty La Fea:

Me gustó Dame Chocolate pero fue la primera que he visto.  Los personajes fueron emocionados, locos, parece que fue muy típica la telenovela.. y fácil de ver.

Todavía no he terminado de ver Betty La Fea pero no me gusta mucho, es un poco estúpida y la actuación es muy mal!

Tengo una pregunta que te quiero hacer, ¿que es lo que significa tu nombre?  ¿Fue creado por ti?

Chris, gracias por las reseñas. kikuyu es un pasto en Hawaii que planté para evitar la erosión en una gran ladera.   Pero mi verdadero nombre es Lynne.

Suena como una expedición de ingeniería civil, con la estabilización de una ladera, qué fascinante!  Soy un ingeniero civil (geotecnical) entonces eso es la razón por qué me interesa.  Disculpe pero según yo, tu nombre todavía es kikuyu!  Tu sobrenombre puede ser Lynne  :)

Thanks alma, I will have to check out Isabel Allende's "La Ciudad de La Bestia".

Hola todos!  Que buena discusion!  Tengo que regressar pronto de leer todas estas sugerencias, y ponlos en effecto, cuando no esta tan tarde aqui y tengo muchooo sueno.  Pero me gusto mucho saber las estratagias que ustedes estan usando.  Ahora, estoy escuchando los podcasts, leyendo un poco de "Harry Potter" (que me encanta) en Espanol, y traduzcando los canciones de Juanes.  Tengo que comprar su nuevo CD, pero creo que yo puedo cantar casi todo de sus primeros discos.  Creo que yo encontre este discusion un mes demasiado tarde, pero si hay alguien mas que tiene otras sugerencias...espero que podemos reanimar la discusion!

theSmithopher,

Te querría saber cómo me gustaba mi primera telenovela “La Otra”. Por cierto, nunca he visto ni siquiera una telenovela de América. Al principio, yo no podía creer como ridículo que era, pero luego, después un rato, yo realmente me lo metí. Es gracioso, porque es tan ridículo. Y es una gran manera por aprender más español. Por supuesto en el futuro voy a comprar otras. 

Fue ridícula la telenovela?  Entonces fue como las mías! 

Nunca has visto ninguna telenovela hecha en América?  Cuando era niño y tenía un resfriado, yo solía ver las favoritas de mi mamá.  No las soporto, pedo sí en español son buenas maneras de aprender más español y por eso las miro.

Dame Chocolate también es exagerada pero me gustó.  Ahora miro Amar en Tiempos Revueltos, de españa, ambientada en los cincuenta.  No es mala.  Puedes verla al sitio http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/abecedario/index.html

Como saben, es bueno estudiar pero es mejor hablar con gente.  Es por eso que frecuento el sitio spanish.meetup.com donde hay grupos de estudiantes y hispanohablantes que se reunen regularmente.

El grupo de Calgary es bastante activo, con reuniones cada dos semanas.  Me imagino que también hay muchos así en los Estados Unidos.

If you are enrolled in a formal class and need practice, colby.edu/~bknelson/SLC/ is invaluable.

Destinos is useful, as are many other sites.  But don't forget those old school paper materials like all of Dorothy Richmond's books.  Incredible, and a lifesaver if you're stuck with a class that uses a textbook that is, well, bad (que horible).

Rosetta Stone (didn't use much but this is good)

Fluenz Spanish (didn't use much but still good)

Bueno Entonces (This is absolutely fantastic)

Harrap's Espagnol Débutant (french adaptation of Michel Tomas Spanish audio self-course)

Espagnol Débutant published by Livre de Poche (another french audio self-course, comes with a workbook and transcripts of dialogs)

Living Language Ultimate Spanish (audio self-course that comes with a book with transcripts of dialogs)

Rapido, Rapido (self-course with audio and workbook)

2 Books from Harrap's (in french), one grammar and one for verb conjugaison.

a book from Besherelle (in french) ,5000 words sorted by theme, 650 statements sorted by situations/context

Watching movies with spanish audio and french subtitles.

I like spanishpod.com, there is also spanishpod101.com.

BBC Languages Website offers good resources for learning spanish too, and it's free.

Lomastv.com

Lingus.tv

:)

I take a multifaceted approach.  No one resource is enough.  I use Spanish textbooks, and I also very much like to listen to Spanish radio on XMRadio satellite radio.  Spanish movies are good if they have matching subtitles.  I'm always on the lookout for audio instruction that I can use to listen to in the car.

Instant Immersion Spanish

Really enjoying Spanishpod.  I'm learning a lot.  I also listen to the news every day or two on BBC Mundo.  Try to read a little everyday from El Paiz.  I watch latin TV and I also use Notesinspanish. And for some good grammar tips, Spanishdict.

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