A GOOD LANGUAGE LEARNER 

Take a few minutes to read the following characteristics of a good language learner.  Which ones do you already have? Which ones are you going to work on so that you can become successful?  

• • Take academic risks - Don’t play it safe by just using basic language.  Try incorporating newly learned materials when possible.  Be detailed and descriptive.
    
    

  • Learn from mistakes - When you take risks, you will make mistakes, and everyone makes mistakes when learning new things, but the trick is to learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others. Don't feel embarrassed or discouraged when you make mistakes.
    
    

  • Take advantage of every opportunity to practice - To really learn a language, you need to practice constantly.  Look for ways to use Spanish in and out of Spanish class.  Listen to Spanish music and watch Spanish shows/videos.   Have fun texting/talking with your friends and family members who speak Spanish.
    
    

  • Be curious and ask questions - Ask questions about things you are interested in.  If you are genuinely interested to learn, then there's no "dumb" question.
    
    

  • Try to sound authentic- Try to imitate people who speak Spanish well. You may not have an authentic accent early on, but with practice, you will get there.
    
    

  • Use appropriate resources - Use materials the teacher gives you.  Use materials posted in the classroom.  Use Wordreference.com to look up words.
    
    

  • Do not worry about understanding every word - Use context clues, cognates, and what you already know to help you understand the big picture.
    
    

  • Do not give up - There will be times when you will feel frustrated or defeated, but don't give up. Try, try, and try again.  The rewards and benefits will be amazing, if you do not give up.