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Yupi, it's summer! Our schedules open up. Life gets a little more flexible, but what should I do to help mi español??
Yupi, it's summer! Our schedules open up. Life gets a little more flexible, but what should I do to help mi español??
Whether you're working, vacationing, stay-cationing or something in between -- your summer schedule is different than your school schedule. One very important thing you can do is work on advancing your Spanish. Like anything else that we practice, the summer is either a time for you to capitalize on and improve upon your Spanish, OR you will lose fluency.
So, what should I do?
So, what should I do?
Pues...that depends a lot on your goals, where you are in school/Spanish level, and your current fluency level...
If you graduated, you can still utilize a lot of these recommendations to review and improve. TRAVEL ABROAD if at all possible!! If you are still in high school and will be taking the next level of Spanish, you can go to the class page on this site to read up on what all you can expect in terms of classroom and curricular expectations. Based on what you see on the class page and reflecting on your own fluency - you can focus on those things you feel you lack the most, or need the most attention. It's also a good idea to look through the General Resources Page on this site. It gives a lot of tips/ideas.
DEPORTES
DEPORTES
Do you like sports? Sports broadcasting in Spanish is one of the most easily accessible and realistic resources available. Telemundo and Univision have sports broadcasts in Spanish, not to mention - a whole lot of shows, clips, news, etc. There is SO MUCH, and it is authentic material. Not only does it incorporate many Hispanic and other cultures, but in many Spanish speaking countries Fútbol is a major part of many Hispanic/Latino cultures. You can even watch games "EN VIVO" (live).
Do you like sports? Sports broadcasting in Spanish is one of the most easily accessible and realistic resources available. Telemundo and Univision have sports broadcasts in Spanish, not to mention - a whole lot of shows, clips, news, etc. There is SO MUCH, and it is authentic material. Not only does it incorporate many Hispanic and other cultures, but in many Spanish speaking countries Fútbol is a major part of many Hispanic/Latino cultures. You can even watch games "EN VIVO" (live).
Whether it's La Copa Mundial (World Cup), Las Olimpiadas (the Olympics), or other national/international events - there is often something going on (in Spanish) in the world of athletics!
Searching how to cook authentic recipes is another great way to have authentic cultural listening practice. And remember - you can change the speed of most YouTube videos and activate closed captioning.
¡Ay, chuleta! as we would say in Panamá. YouTube has SO MANY resources for you to practice your Spanish. Not only are there educational/tutoring/class-type videos to support your understanding of language structures/grammar, vocabulary usage, etc. But more importantly, YouTube can connect you to so many native speakers of Spanish with authentic experiences, new ideas, different accents and vocabulary, etc. You can essentially visit other countries/cultures without actually traveling. During the summer especially, your have the time to increase your listening/speaking through YouTube and other resources. There are also many people who are speaking as non-native speakers, but all along the spectrum of fluency. With YouTube, I recommend that you find channels which focus on cultures or interests that are important to you.
One of my favorite channels is SuperHolly. Not only does she speak Spanish exceptionally well, but she is also humble and doesn't claim to be perfect - she exemplifies that we are all life-long learners. She has a special love for Mexico. Her family moved back and forth between Mexico and the US while growing up, so she (and her siblings) have a unique but authentic viewpoint for both Mexico and Los Estados Unidos.
She has language focused videos (both in English and en español). She also has travel and culture videos, and videos that share her personal experiences growing up between two countries (such as the video linked to the side).
Another great way to use YouTube is to search videos on something you are interested in or trying to learn about . Over the last few years, I've learned a lot about gardening through the channel La Huertina de Toni (video to the left on pruning and working with zucchini). Toni lives in Spain.
Also, as you search for topical videos (por ejemplo, el jardín, la cosecha, la cocina, etc.) - finding channels from multiple countries is another great way to learn about differences in cultures, as well as differences in vocabulary. Fruits and vegetables often have different names in different countries!
Whether it's Netflix, Hulu, Roku, Amazon Prime, etc - streaming shows en español is another great way to utilize some of your downtime to improve your Spanish.
SUGGESTIONS:
1. RE-WATCH shows/movies with which you are very familiar. Seeing them in Spanish or at least with Spanish subtitles will be easier than starting something new because you have the background/familiarity to help you with understanding.
2. KIDS SHOWS: Typically, kids shows will be more on the fluency level of a high-school (non-native) learner of Spanish. At the same time, they can be great vocabulary builders. If you have younger siblings, it can be fun to watch with them as you learn.
3. AUTHENTIC: As much as possible, watch authentic things (meaning things originally designed for and made by Spanish speakers. While that can be more of a challenge than re-watching an English language sitcom in Spanish, it is more realistic preparation and in the long run will give you more fluency growth.
4. REPETITION: Whether it is a movie or a series, when we were young, we learned by reading the same books and watching the same things "una y otra vez". Repetition is good. As long as you're not bored by something, REPEAT!
5. VARIETY: As with the YouTube suggestions, try to find things which are different culturally and linguistically. You don't want to find yourself only watching things with a Mexican dialect, or only watching movies from Argentina, etc. If you have a special connection with a certain country/culture - that's great...but still - VARIETY! If you are a native speaker - focus on things from OTHER cultures/countries to really GROW!!
6. GOOGLE: The channels and offerings change often. Sometimes you can find something you're really interested in just by Googling the service with "Spanish" and perhaps the month/year. You can often find great things this way that you wouldn't necessarily come across otherwise.
7. AMIGOS: ask your Native-speaking friends what they watch in Spanish. You might find something you love too.
Apps/Games/Etc
Apps/Games/Etc
- Duolingo - is a free app which is similar to Rosetta Stone
- NEWS apps - many Spanish language news sites have apps
- Vocab building apps - Quizlet, Memrise, Anki, etc
- www.spanishdict.com - even though you shouldn't rely on the translation function, you can sign up for a word of the day, and build your vocabulary
- Lingogo - an app to read books in Spanish
- Gaming - I am definitely not an expert here, but many students enjoy playing interactive/online games with Spanish speakers and interact with them through the game.
¡¡...y mucho, mucho más!!
¡¡...y mucho, mucho más!!
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