Mexican Independence Day, September 15, 1810: Welcome Back!

The fun thing about a new year is the fresh start! As you come back to Spanish class, remember that this is an opportunity to learn a new language. Think about what you expect from this class. It is an opportunity to learn basic communication skills in Spanish. Are you going to take advantage of that opportunity and get another A on your report card at the same time?

There are some things that you should expect from Spanish class this year:

-A "syllabus" or "course map" that tells you where were are now, what we are going and when we will get there.

-You will know when you get quizzes and exams at the start of each chapter, and how much each activity will be worth.

- Clearly explained homework assignments.

-More music.

-More group work.

-More reading.

-I will still be available at lunch to answer any questions or to help you get your work done.

-We will keep the Word Olympics going!

I think that is all good news for everybody! But it also comes with my expectations:

-We will move through more material more quickly.

-Good participation and good attitudes will be rewarded.

-All students will turn in all homework assignments.

-All students will participate in class. If you do not know where we are when you are called on, your participation grade will suffer. If your are disrupting the class, your participation grade will suffer.

-If you are absent, you will see me to make up any missed assignments.

-If you do not have an excused absence, late homework will ONLY be accepted the next time we meet for class, and you will only receive 50% of the credit you earn.

Remember, if you ever want to know about what homework has been assigned and when, go to your class archive, it is all there!

*NOTICE* you have to click on 2009 in order to bring up the class archive menu and find your class. All classes are filed in 2009!

¡Estoy muy contenta, let's enjoy the new year!

TOP TEN TIPS FOR LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE

Don't expect to be perfect!

Can you remember when learned to ride a bicycle? Did you ride perfectly from the first time you sat on the seat? When learning a new language, expect that you will make mistakes, and don't be embarrassed by them!

Work on developing an "ear" for Spanish.

Remember that language is first and foremost oral communication. A written alphabet is merely a collection of symbols used to represent the sounds of the language, and cannot be expected to capture every nuance of sound and intonation. Try to develop a "good ear" for Spanish. An easy and fun way to do this is by listening to Spanish music, watching Spanish movies, or watching Spanish cable TV.

Practice SPEAKING!

The only way to learn to speak a language, is by actually SPEAKING. You can study for years, and master all of the grammar rules, but unless you actually practice speaking, you will never speak well. When you are practicing speaking, remember to do it out loud, at normal conversational volume.

Be consistent.

To really learn a language takes time and committment. Consistency is by far the most important factor. If you can devote a solid twenty minutes a day, nearly every day, you will be far more successful than if you "cram" for an hour or two, but only sporadically.

Talk to yourself.

When learning a foreign language, it is common for listening skills to develop more rapidly than speaking skills, leaving the learner in the unfortunate situation of being able to understand, but unable to respond. A good way to surmount this problem is to talk to yourself as much as possible. Because there is no one else around, you won't be weighed down by the inhibition that so frequently burdens the beginning language student.

Use flashcards.

One of the best tips we can give you is to make and use flashcards. Make cards that are small enough to easily carry with you, and write the English on one side and Spanish on the other. Be sure to ALWAYS have some cards with you. This way, you can capture "wasted" time (standing in line, riding the bus, waiting for class to start, etc.) and turn it into productive study time. Even if you only have a couple of minutes, you can use it to study a few flashcards.

Label your surroundings.

Make labels for things all over your house. For example: la pared (wall), la puerta (door), el escritorio (desk) etc. Remove the labels only after you have mastered the vocabulary.

Be patient.

Progress in language learning does not follow a straight-line graph. You cannot expect to make the same amount of progress, day after day, week after week. You may find yourself struggling at times, seeming to make no progress. Don't let this discourage you. It is normal to reach plateaus in your learning progress. If you find yourself "stuck" try spending time going back and reviewing things that you already know well. Often this will help prepare you to break through to the next level.

Find a partner.

Try to find a native speaker who can be your conversation partner. This can be your greatest asset and perhaps you can also provide assistance to your partner in your native language.

Read out loud.

Try reading out loud. You will get all of the benefits of reading, plus you'll get really good pronunciation practice. In fact, as a beginner, you should read aloud as much as possible.

3 comments:

Maddi H. said...: Hey Sra.Malisa, i tried going on to quia but i can't remember my user name.; January 4, 2010 at 8:55 PM
Kat S. said...: Same as Maddi.:/ i just dont remember the numbers at the end; January 7, 2010 at 4:59 PM
Señora Malisa said...: The usernames are mostly the first letter of your first name and your last name (but that is not always the case, unfortunately.) The numbers are 692.
Thanks for trying to get on Kat and Maddi!; January 12, 2010 at 11:38 AM

Mexican Independence Day, September 15, 1810

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Amigos for learning SPANISH

Welcome Back!

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TOP TEN TIPS FOR LEARNING A NEW LANGUAGE