Here’s what you said:

Austin Cooper writes: “I have two schools that I recommend. The first is Cristina Serra in Denia, Alicante, Spain. I spent two weeks here and stayed with a host family and I had a great time. Denia is a really cool place to visit and has a nice small town feel. The people are super friendly and the Spanish is very easy to understand.

The second place is CEICA in Arequipa, Peru.  I spent one week there also with a host family. The culture is fascinating and the food is excellent.”

Terry Hull is keen on Instituto Chac Mool in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. “Spent two weeks. Outdoor classes in a nice environment, great family host!”

Tricia, another Voices en Español reader, has also attended Instituto Chac Mool (twice!) and took her family with her. She writes:

A reader writing under the pen name”Hola Holanda” made an intriguing suggestion:  “Probably this one would be more suitable for advanced Spanish speakers ready to take their Spanish to a next level: Casa Lamm – Centro de Cultura in Mexico City.”

Martha Kowalak-Perez recommends Instituto Hispanico de Murcia in Murcia, Spain. She’s studied there twice. “Class sizes were small, Classes were challenging to my intermediate skills, teachers were very skilled, and the city is beautiful!”

T.J. DeGroat writes that he had “very positive experiences” at InHispania in Madrid and International House in Mexico City (Condesa neighborhood). “The Madrid school, not surprisingly, attracted more students, mostly twentysomethings. Teachers at both were good…At International House I was there for 5 weeks and felt really comfortable. I only ever had one other student in my “group” class, so it wound up being a great deal – super personalized instruction for the group-class price.”

Anna Preziosi suggests AIFS – American Institute for Foreign Studies. “For college students that is very good. I did my junior year in Salamanca and then – and even now – the program is very good.”

Loren McWethy highly recommends the Habla Ya! language academy in Boquete, Panama. “They have really nice facilities, inexpensive prices, and very professional materials. I found that the teachers were good at identifying weaknesses and finding materials that could specifically address these weak areas. I’ve been to a number of language schools and this place was by far the best. I did a week of classes focused on Medical Spanish but had I known it was so good, I would have stayed longer. The school also has a lots of activities, community…and the town of Boquete is really chill and fun.”

Louise Choquette is a study abroad veteran.  She writes, “I have attended 6 different Spanish-language schools in Latin America and I can unconditionally recommend the Proyecto Linguistico Quetzeltenango located in Xela, Guatemala.

I can recommend them because they have very experienced teachers on staff, who actually have teachers’s qualifications. They are also dedicated at making the rest of the world aware of the political and social conditions and the inequities of this world. They reinvest their profits to make their communities a better place (programs for children, electricity, schools, etc.). They supplement their program with meaningful activities such as presentations by people who experienced the war, local artisans and visits to community-based initiatives.

They also have a new option offering distance learning through Skype. I am currently taking such lessons and find them very helpful.”

Have any more recommendations of Spanish language academies? Post them in the comments below. Gracias de nuevo to all of you who have contributed already. The information is very helpful!

How many times have you heard or read a Spanish expression and then consulted a dictionary for its meaning and turned up empty? Maybe you found a definition right away. But perhaps there have been a few occasions where it took a little bit of digging to find the definition.

There is an easy way to uncover the meanings of Spanish expressions and you can do it by using a monolingual (Spanish-only) dictionary. Here’s how:

Always look up the meaning of an expression by checking the dictionary entry for the first noun mentioned in the expression. The reason? A Spanish verb is more likely than a Spanish noun to be used in multiple expressions. For example, the verbs dar, estar, ir, tener, are used in plenty of Spanish phrases and expressions. An excellent Spanish dictionary will list expressions that contain those verbs, but if there are numerous expressions, most dictionaries usually only list the most commonly-used ones. That’s why you’re better off looking for the definition of a Spanish expression by first checking the entry for the main noun mentioned.

Spanish expressions (frases hechas) are combinations of words whose meaning adds up to something very different from their individual parts.

Take, for example, an expression like “ir al grano.” The verb ir means “to go” while the noun grano can be a seed, a grain of sand or a pimple on somebody’s face. But when ir is added to grano (ir al grano) the meaning changes from a literal translation to a figurative one.

When I checked the dictionary under “IR” there was no definition for the expression. But when I checked “GRANO”, there was the expression with its meaning. Ir al grano means “to get to the point.”

So, to recap, here’s a step-by-step process you can use to find the definition of a Spanish expression.

Step 1: First, look up the primary NOUN

Step 2: If there is no noun, look up the VERB.

Step 3: If there is no verb, look up the ADJECTIVE.

Step 4:  If there is no adjective, look up the PRONOUN.

Most of the time, you won’t have to go down that entire scale. You will usually find your definition by first looking up the noun or the verb. Usually the first two steps (checking the noun or the verb listed in the expression) is enough.

By the way, I strongly believe that once you reach an intermediate-level of Spanish, you should start using a Spanish-only dictionary. Why? A monolingual dictionary usually gives a more comprehensive definition. A good monolingual dictionary will also give you examples as well as multiple definitions. The average bilingual dictionary, because it contains two different languages, generally does not have the space, if it is in book form, to offer the same level of detail.

Of course, there are some electronic or digital bilingual dictionaries which are excellent, but another advantage to using a monolingual dictionary is that it forces you to think in Spanish. That means less translating in your head, which is a good thing.

Previous entry: “How to use a Spanish-English Dictionary”

Tell us a little about Lenguajero. What prompted you to create the site?

Lenguajero is a website that connects Spanish and English speakers for online language practice and cultural exchange. Natalie Gordon, (my fiancée and business partner) and I provide our members with three effective learning tools: Online Conversation Exchanges using a voice, video and text chat app., a Writing Club to practice writing in the language they are learning (native speakers leave feedback on submissions), and a Smart Flashcard program to help them memorize and retain new vocabulary.

While Natalie and I were living in Medellin, Colombia our Spanish really started to take off, and we started feeling comfortable speaking the language. It was around this point in time that Natalie pointed that, despite the thousands of language learning websites out there, few of them were focusing specifically on connecting Spanish and English learners with one another for conversation exchanges.

Given how much spending time everyday interacting with native speakers had helped in our own learning process, we thought that there was real potential for this type of site. We had our laptops with us, and just decided to start building something.

Currently there are several different social networking language learning sites such as Busuu, Live Mocha and iTalki. How is Lenguajero different from those other sites?

As I mentioned above, it was the observation that none of these learning communities were focusing on just Spanish and English learners prompted us to start working on Lenguajero. We had both tried Busuu and Live Mocha before we left the U.S., but we always felt like the wide open “any language you want” approach made the community more of a social site than a learning tool.

Our focus on just Spanish and English means that every user has something in common with every other user.  This makes it easy for users to connect with one another and help each other out.

How and where did you learn Spanish?

I’m originally from Washington state in the U.S. and Natalie is from Canada. Neither one of us are native Spanish speakers.  In fact, it wasn’t until about two years ago that I really developed an interest in learning Spanish.  I was traveling through Central America, and not being able to have normal conversations with people I would meet was pretty frustrating.  It gave me the motivation I needed to buckle down and start learning.

I took a few Spanish lessons in Central America, and studied on my own when I got back to the U.S.  Then, Natalie and I decided to move to Latin America and immerse ourselves in the language.

We took classes for six months while living in Cuba and Colombia.  We also spent a lot of time reading, watching movies, studying flashcards, spending time chatting with friends and acquaintances, and in general just living day-to-day life in a Spanish-speaking country.

What were some of the difficulties you faced when learning Spanish?

Getting past the initial “This is really hard, and I’ll never understand the Subjunctive” phase.  I remember that for the first couple of months, no matter how much progress I was making, I always felt like I would never be able to speak clearly. Once I just relaxed, and accepted that it was going to take time, I started feeling a lot more comfortable and started to notice big improvements.

What’s the size of your language learning community and when is it most active?

Lenguajero has roughly 5000 members, and it is a pretty even mix between English and Spanish speakers. The site is most active during the week, especially on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. I always wonder why mid-week is more popular than the weekends. Anyone have any ideas?

What is the profile of your native Spanish-speaking members?

About 50-60% of our Spanish-speaking members are in their 20s, and are either university students or young professionals. There is a high number of engineers, software developers, doctors and lawyers because it is really important in these fields to learn English.

With that said, the other 40-50% is a complete mixed bag (this goes for both English and Spanish speakers).  Our community is really diverse.  Almost anyone who is learning Spanish or English can come on and find people with similar interests to talk to. We have a 79-year-old Venezuelan and a 78-year-old American who are very active in the community.

Any new features or tools under development that Lenguajero fans can look forward to seeing later this year?

Yes! We just launched Lenguajero – Classroom which helps teachers integrate Lenguajero into their course curriculum, by allowing them to monitor what their students are doing on the site.  The feature is in beta testing right now, and we currently have about 25 classes signed up to try it out.  We will be working closely with the teachers of these classes to improve and expand the tool over the next six months.

We also are planning on adding a few more community features to the site to make it easier for members to interact and share with one another.

We are always looking for ideas on how we can improve the site, and offer things that other sites do not.  If anyone has any suggestions we would love to hear them.  You can reach us through our contact us page.

Follow Lenguajero on Twitter @Lenguajero

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This is a guest post by polyglot blogger Ramses Oudt. Although he speaks multiple languages, he has a passion for Spanish and writes about learning Spanish through immersion at Spanish Only.

If you didn’t listen to a lot of Spanish before starting to speak the language, it’s likely you have an accent. It might be a slight accent, but an accent nonetheless. Even if you’ve listened to hundreds of hours of native Spanish speakers on TV, in movies, in your neighborhood, etc. it’s possible to have an accent. Some people don’t mind, but many do.

Luckily not all is lost. I am a native Dutch speaker and Spanish is my third language. I used to have a terrible accent when speaking Spanish but it has improved tremendously in the last year or so to the point where now most native Spanish speakers don’t even notice it.

How did I polish my Spanish accent? I had to put in a lot of work to get a better accent. And no, it wasn’t something that just clicked, I really had to work hard to get better. But it was definitely worth it because now my Spanish is at a level where I can relax a bit.

Here are 5 steps I made to improve my accent. I believe they can help anyone who has the same goal of speaking more fluent Spanish.

Step 1: Find your weak spots
You can say, “Yeah, I have a foreign accent“, but if you don’t know which part of your speech is bogged down with your gringo accent, you’re going nowhere. So analyze your speech. Record yourself reading the letters of the Spanish alphabet out loud and then choose a short text, like three paragraphs or less, and read that out loud as well.

Once you have this recording of your voice, ask one or two native Spanish speakers, whose accent you like, for feedback. This step is very important. Don’t ask: “How do I sound?” because often they’ll just say you sound great. Ask them to critique specific sounds like the vowels, the letters t and r, etc.

Also, you may find that many native Spanish speakers won’t be able to fully articulate what exactly you’re doing wrong. They know that it doesn’t sound native but they can’t necessarily guide you on how to correct it.

If that’s the case, get a recording of them using the correct sounds plus reading a basic text and use that as your baseline of pronunciation. Then you should imitate, imitate and imitate some more, and keep asking for feedback to see if you’re getting closer.

Step 2: Open your mouth
A common problem for English (and Dutch) speakers is that we don’t open our mouths enough. It’s almost possible to insert something between your lips and not have it fall out and still speak English, that’s how closed we keep our mouths. So open wide in the beginning. When you pratice, pretend like you are speaking to a person who is hard of hearing so that you pronounce words in an exaggeratedly slow manner.

Step 3: Stick to the vowel sounds
The rolled R can be a pain in the butt, but mispronouncing vowels can also contribute to you not sounding Spanish. Spanish only has five vowel sounds, so stick to them. I know English has many more sounds, but Spanish doesn’t. Even diphthongs in Spanish are just combinations of those vowel sounds, so they don’t create new sounds. Focus on learning the five vowel sounds by heart (a, e, i, o, u, el burro sabe más que tú).

Step 4: Practise
Now you know where your pronunciation weak points are and more or less know how to sound, you can start practising. First listen to the correct sound repeatedly to get the precise idea on how to sound. Next copy the sound and produce it yourself. For some sounds (like the trilled r) you may need additional training and guidance, but don’t give up. Keep at it.

Step 5: Use the correct intonation
Intonation is essentially the melody of speech. It’s the way a language rises and falls when spoken and for many of us learning Spanish, it’s the reason why we’re so drawn to the Spanish language. Spanish intonation differs from region to region (just like in English), so it can be quite difficult adopting one that is right for you.

My advice is to pick up intonation little by little. Often this comes naturally if you listen to a lot of Spanish, but sometimes you need to concentrate on one aspect of a region’s intonation. Find a Spanish-speaking region’s accent that you like and have that be your guide.

Enjoyed this post? Follow Ramses on Twitter @spanishonly or visit his blog Spanish Only.

Photo: Gringo by Pragmagrapher

In Part 1 of this article, I talked about the benefits of doing language exchanges in a group setting. In this entry I’m going to give you some pointers on how to get the maximum out of these encounters. First things first:

What’s your primary motivation?
Be aware of your reasons for going. Are you serious about practicing Spanish? Or are you really just looking for people to hang out with? Only curious to see who shows up? Or is it a combination of all those things?

If you want to avoid speaking English or interacting with English-speakers be aware that there’s no escaping it. Since English is the “international language,” it is almost a given that the majority of people in attendance, no matter where they’re from, will speak some English. Also, many native English-speakers do attend, and often end up speaking together. My advice would be to go and to seek out the people that are also serious  about language-practice, and if you are going with friends, that they be similarly motivated to do so.

How can you tell if someone is serious about language practice? Well, they won’t be doing shots or knocking back drink after drink. In some settings, you may notice that they have a pen and paper or a small notebook on hand, and they will definitely be alert and focused on what other people are saying.

Don’t be afraid to approach someone and ask if they are there for the intercambio and if they want to practice. Of course “everyone is there for the  intercambio,” but when you ask this question it makes it clear that you are there specifically for the speaking practice. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy yourself or make friends, but if practicing Spanish is your primary objective, make that your priority.

Spend an equal amount time practicing both languages. It’s obviously the best way to be fair to each person or group of people. It is also OK to change conversation partners throughout the event to get a better mix of speaking (and listening) at different paces, hearing a variety of accents and interacting with a cross-section of people. There’s no rule that says you have to talk to the same person all evening.

Come prepared with a few unusual questions and some interesting and fun general statements you can make about yourself in the foreign language you wish to practice. At the beginning it is primarily small talk, but make sure that your conversations aren’t always limited to the same old topics (name, nationality, what are you doing in Spain, where do you live, where do you go out, etc). Although I have become an expert at rattling off this boilerplate information with uncanny precision, it’s a bit dull repeating yourself.

Ask a variety of questions – perhaps something cultural [Which city would make a better day trip? Toledo or Segovia?], or something a bit more personal [What's the biggest tip you've ever left a waiter?] , or even something totally left-field [Jamón Serrano or jamón íberico?] – just to keep things interesting.

But whatever you do, stay away from politics or religion. At least in that first conversation.

And now a word to the wise, especially to the ladies. “Will you be my English teacher?” is a popular and rather tired pick-up line at these group events. Although many people (i.e. men) sincerely do want to practice the language, there are some who view the group intercambios as a dating pool and their real intentions are to find their next date, girlfriend or future wife. Obviously, if you hit it off with a guy and want to take things to the next level, that’s your business. But realize that some of the attention you get as a chica at these events might be coming from (male) attendees who have other ideas in mind. Just be aware of that dynamic so that your signals don’t get crossed.

Of course, if you want to keep things strictly platonic, the group intercambios are a great place to go to make new acquaintances, especially if you don’t care where your friends are from or what their native language is.  People of all nationalities and ages are present, with the largest representation being, of course, Spaniards, and then people from the U.S., U.K. or Australia.

It’s extremely easy to sit down with a group of people you’ve never met, start talking, and end the evening with a bunch of new phone numbers as well as plans for the weekend. After all, for the majority of people in attendance, the primary reason they’re there is to make friends, so the atmosphere is open and welcoming.  Don’t hesitate to smile and strike up a conversation, and don’t be too worried if you are a wallflower because someone will probably approach you.

Whatever it is that gives you an interest  in attending a group intercambio, be clear on your objectives (solely language practice/find party friends/meet soulmate) and respectful of other people’s priorities and their varying degrees of interest in language practice.  With this information in mind, all of your goals can  be met during a language exchange (except, perhaps, the soulmate one).

What’s been your experience with group intercambios? In the final analysis, what was the greatest benefit you got out of it?

This is a guest post from Becca Moy, an English teacher who has been living in Madrid for a little over a year.  She calls Connecticut and California “home(s)”.  She spends far too much time on the Metro (Madrid’s subway) but enjoys the free newspaper and the always pleasant live music.  She is obsessed with Spain, just like yours truly, and thinks that’s pretty obvious to anyone who has met her over the last several years. This is Part 1 of a two-part entry.

In Madrid, I wouldn’t qualify myself as the type of person that has smooth first encounters. By “first encounters” I’m including everything from meeting people, finding my way to a new location without getting lost, figuring out things at the bank/post office/doctor, and renting a car, etc.

Perhaps this is due to my nature as a person that doesn’t spend much time anticipating what I might need to say or do, and just “giving it a go.” Perhaps it is because I have long forgotten the categorized lists of vocabulary within the structured chapters of my high school and college Spanish books (i.e. “Going to the grocery store!” “Juan visits the post office!”). Perhaps it is simply because I live and work in a foreign country.

Either way, after quite a bit of serendipitous learning (trial and error—mostly error) and repeat “encounters” I have become much more versed at normally simple things that had suddenly been made almost impossible in a different language. The ultimate “first encounter” scenario, however, take place in the almighty group “intercambios” that are held throughout the city. I categorize them as such because meeting people is the main activity within them, but also because I think it is important to set the tone for your first visit, especially if you are like me and go into many things less prepared than you thought you were. Thus, I will use my special talent at learning from my mistakes to give you advice about what makes a “bad”, “good”, or “excellent” intercambio—the quality of my own experiences going in that exact order, like most other things.

These “cultural exchanges” are held with the premise that people from all over the world can go, socialize, and practice a variety of languages. They are interesting on several levels, but mostly because people aren’t accustomed to doing anything similar back in their home countries. Usually held in the more tourist-heavy areas of the city, some more popular intercambios are organized in well-known Irish bars. They are easily located, especially for those university students that spend more time than is probably advisable wandering (or stumbling) around these areas. There are also trips, cultural events, parties and even dinners that are organized apart from the main weekly event. For those that attend these meetings regularly, groups of long-lasting friendships are often created…long-lasting at least throughout the duration of their stay in the city/country.

Here are Becca’s picks for popular group intercambio locations in Madrid:

Beer Station - Thursdays starting at 10pm, cuesta de Santo Domingo 22 (Metro Santo Domingo/Callao)
O’Neils Irish Pub -Tuesdays from 10:00 pm, c/Principe, 12 (Metro: Sevilla, Sol)
Cafe Madrid – Thursdays, 9:30 pm to 2 am, c/ Escalinata    (Metro: Opera)
Star Studio – Fridays, 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. c/ Salud 9 (Plaza del Carmen) (Metro: Sol, Gran Via)

Outside of Madrid, check MeetUp.com to see if there are any Spanish conversation groups that meet in your community.

Becca will be back later this week with advice on how to get the most out of these public meetings. In the meantime, follow Becca on Twitter.

Photo: “Friends” used under license from iStockPhoto.com

Bablingua offers three categories of products: Videos, Icebreakers and Vocabulary Cards. The video category includes activities teachers can use with students to build background knowledge before students watch the video. There are also Spanish subtitles available in the videos. Post video activities to evaluate students and what they learned are also provided.

The Icebreakers are exactly like what their name suggests: Very short videos (1 to 8 minutes in length) on a variety of topics. They are designed to accommodate different learning levels, from Beginner to Advanced.

The Vocabulary Flashcards can be used to learn new words or can be used in individual or group games.

What I like about the products is that they offer a fresh, youthful vibe. The videos are filmed outdoors and the content is delivered by españoles a de pie (regular everyday Spaniards) in a kind of “man on the street”-style of TV news reporting. This is excellent because it trains your ear to hearing the voices of different real-life native Spanish speakers who individually may have their own particular way of speaking. By that I mean, some people, regardless of the language, mumble when they speak while others may sound like they slur their words, etc.

The presentation of everything is professional and well done and the Bablingua web site is easy to navigate. While you can preview the Icebreaker videos, the bulk of the Bablingua content, such as the teacher activity guides, audio exercises, PDFs and vocabulary cards, is for sale only. Prices range from as little as $1 for an Icebreaker video on telling the time in Spanish, to as much as $45 for the DVD-Teacher’s Book package about shopping in El Rastro, Madrid’s famous outdoor flea market. [P.S. They don't have an affiliate program, so no worries....any money you spend with them goes directly to them and not to me. I'm getting no commission for this. I just like what I've seen of their product and figured some of my readers might want to hear about it too. ]

Bablingua: Spanish language teaching videos

I couldn’t call him on Monday at 2 p.m. and Friday at 5 p.m. was really not ideal for me. I ask him if there’s anyway he can make 6 p.m. He says yes.

So we “met” on Skype last week Friday at 6 p.m. Skype is great because not only is it free to use, it also has a chat feature which you can have open and running while you’re speaking. It’s a great tool to use particularly when doing intercambios since typing out a word can often clear up doubts and mistakes.

Anyway, I get on Skype and look for this guy. According to Skype, he’s not online. I open up the chat and send him a message. No response. I then call, he answers. Turns out he’s got his visibility set to “invisible.” Okey dokey.

I ask him if he has the chat open and he says no, that he doesn’t like chat mode. I’m like “Huh?” I tell him that I would like to have the chat open because it is actually quite helpful for clearing up things that either one of us may not understand, etc. He initially refuses and then agrees to it. Okey dokey.

The thing that immediately struck me about him is that not only did he start the conversation in English, he did not acknowledge my responding to him in Spanish at the very beginning of the call when I said “¡Hola! ¿Qué tal? ¿Cómo estás?” Usually, I ask the other person or they ask me, which language do we want to begin with. This guy couldn’t be bothered with that. He was determined to speak English and English only.

His English was very good but there was an error that he made that I figured he’d want corrected. It’s a frequent mistake among Spanish speakers when they speak English. He was talking about his daughter and he kept using the pronoun “he” to refer to her. He said it three times, so it was clear that he wasn’t aware of his mistake. So I asked him, “Do you have a daughter or a son? Because you keep saying “he”. He got a little  uppity, like I had offended him, and said he had a daughter. He then went on to say that he doesn’t like to be interrupted when he’s talking. Okey dokey.

It was little bit like a therapy session, with me sitting on the other end listening and him doing all the talking. Whenever I could get a word in to ask a question or make a comment, he didn’t fully acknowledge it. He just kept right on talking and it was clear he wasn’t really interested in hearing anything I had to say. And keep in mind all of this is is happening in English, so that means I’m getting zippo out of the conversation.

We were exactly 58 minutes into the conversation when I was about to suggest that we switch over to Spanish when he interrupted me, and said “Oh sorry, I have to go. I have a German class in two minutes.” Okey dokey.

To say that I was pissed is an understatement. I doubt I will be speaking to this person again. Call me old-fashioned, but I think there should be some basic etiquette when it comes to doing language intercambios. So here’s the imaginary email I would send to this person if I thought he would give a hoot.

Hello  ___________,

Thanks for inviting me to do an intercambio with you the other day. I hope you enjoyed our chat. There are a few things, however, that I’d like to say to you. Maybe it was just a first-meeting miscommunication, but I was a disappointed by how the conversation went. It’s supposed to be good to get things like this off one’s chest and out into the open, so, here goes:

1). Don’t book your intercambio session right on top of some other activity you’ve got planned. If you know in advance that you’re not going to have enough time to do a full session, reschedule.

2). Don’t hog the conversation. Yes, I know you’re excited about speaking with a real life native speaker, but don’t be so hellbent on speaking that the other person is reduced to being just passive earphone. Which leads to point number 3….

3). Agree from the outset, that the very first conversation will allow BOTH PARTIES to speak the target language they wish to practice. First of all, it’s only fair. (Later on, both people can decide how to divvy things up going forward, whether that means doing alternating sessions of one language or doing both languages in the same session with a 50/50 split.) Second of all, both people need to see (or hear) what they’re dealing with.

For example, if the person sitting across from you (or at the other end of the line) can barely speak Spanish or English, it is clear that you’re going to have an extremely lopsided intercambio where one person is doing all the talking and the other person is just listening. In the long run, that’s neither desirable nor a sustainable language exchange. The most enjoyable intercambios are like a game of tennis, with two evenly-matched partners who can help one another as well as raise the other person’s game. There’s no fun and no challenge in playing tennis with someone who is light years ahead of you nor with someone who doesn’t even know how to hold the racket.

4). Ask questions. Don’t make speeches. You’re supposed to be having a conversation, a dialogue, not giving a lecture. If you can’t drum up at least a modicum of feigned interest in your conversational partner, find another one or just stick with private lessons where at least someone will get paid to listen to you drone on.

Now I throw it over to you guys….what etiquette points would you add to this list? What type of “code of conduct” do you want your intercambio partners to abide by?

Enchanted Learning has a stack of activities, coloring book printouts and worksheets for young children learning Spanish. Some of the materials are available for free but to gain access to the complete online library of detailed actitives and worksheets you have to buy an annual membership. It only costs $20 but it’s worth every penny, especially if you’re a teacher who likes to have an assortment of worksheets and activities on file for when you have a substitute teaching your class or you want to review concepts and vocabulary you’ve previously taught. I’ve used this site in the past (the English worksheets for my Spanish students), and several of the activities and ideas I got from it were a big hit with my first and second-grade students.

My second web site recommendation is more appropriate for Spanish teachers at the high school or university level. Canal Encuentro is an online TV channel created by Argentina’s Ministry of Education. Although it is a site that is clearly targeted at native Spanish speakers, it has such a wealth of information on numerous topics, from art to science, that it could give you some ideas to supplement your lesson planning, particularly if you teach motivated students with an advanced level of Spanish. Canal Encuentro also has some children’s science programming but it may be at too high a level, in terms of vocabulary and speaking speed, for kids learning Spanish.

In addition to its video programming, what also distinguishes Canal Encuentro is its “Espacio Docente“, a space where teachers can find pre-written lists of questions and suggested activities to immerse students in the subjects. Some of the topics currently featured include nuclear energy, the life of flying insects, the art of Salvador Dali and Surrealism.

Overall, the site is extremely comprehensive and it’s free. There’s no fee to access any of the materials on the site.  Argentina’s taxpayers’ pesos at work! 

So you’ve been studying Spanish for a long time now, but you feel like you’re in a rut – stuck within the confines of the seemingly unconquerable wall of native fluency. As difficult as it may seem, it is an attainable goal. I am sure it is frustrating to hear so many people around you speaking other languages besides just their native tongue…well they didn’t get there without hard work! Becoming fluent in another language takes patience, determination, and a lot of practice. Communication and interaction with native speakers is imperative to understanding the intimacies of the Spanish language.

Alternatively, perhaps you’re just starting out with your Spanish studies, and you need some extra motivation to make some real progress in the language. Have you considered enrolling in a language immersion program in a Spanish-speaking country? One of the great things about Spain and Latin America is that their language schools are highly reputable and popular holiday/vacation hot spots for language learners worldwide.

Not too sure where to go for your Spanish language immersion experience? Here are some recommendations:

SPAIN

Spain is an extremely popular European study abroad destination. It is where the Spanish language all started! Barcelona and Madrid are perfect for students who enjoy the busy, cosmopolitan lifestyle of a bigger city. Seville and Granada, in Spain’s southern Andalucia region, are wonderful locations infused with unique cultural and linguistic traditions. San Sebastian, on Spain’s northern coast, and Alicante, a beautiful Mediterranean fishing village, are both marvelous coastal/beachside study locations.

• Pros: Country with diverse terrains, giving you the opportunity to enjoy a wide range of outdoor activities; easy access to the rest of Europe, with many discount airlines available as well; abundance of cultural activities throughout Spain; many language schools from which to choose
• Cons: More expensive than Latin America; travel time and cost from the U.S. can be a deterrent; many students from the U.S., making it a bit difficult to make significant improvement in the language (unless you regularly practice your Spanish with native speakers)
• Ideal for: Spain is the ideal Spanish study destination for students of all ages, linguistic abilities, and interests.

MEXICO

Mexico is a country with a rich cultural heritage. Two of the most popular cities are Cuernavaca and Playa del Carmen. Cuernavaca is a beautiful city with colonial buildings, cobblestone streets, remnants of Aztec culture, and a delightful year-round warm climate that has earned it the nickname “The Land of Eternal Spring.” This charming university city is located just an hour from Mexico City and three hours from the stunning beaches of Acapulco. Playa del Carmen offers students the opportunity to explore Mayan ruins, enjoy water sports, or just relax in the sun on some of Mexico’s most beautiful beaches.

• Pros: Easy to get to from the U.S.; many language schools; fascinating history; US Dollar is interchangeable with the Mexican peso; affordable language study destination
• Cons: Popular Spring Break and summer destination, so you will find many tourists – making it hard to make rapid progress in the language
• Ideal for: Students who choose to further their Spanish studies in Mexico are usually beginners who are looking for a smooth, casual introduction to the language. You will also find many businessmen conducting business in Mexico.

GUATEMALA

The town of Antigua is an amazing place to learn Spanish; unspoilt by tourism — it is a location where you can truly experience the “authentic” Latin America and do so in a safe and welcoming town. Guatemala is a country filled with an intriguing history, culture, and wildlife.

• Pros: Extremely inexpensive study location; close proximity to the U.S.; gateway to Mexico and the rest of Central America; volunteer work is also popular in Guatemala; smaller class sizes at language schools
• Cons: Don’t expect air conditioning everywhere you go, as living standards are generally lower
• Ideal for: Students traveling on a budget; those looking for an escape from the big city; students who are enthusiastic to learn Spanish.

ARGENTINA

Learn Spanish in the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world! Discover the Argentine Tango, the beautiful Iguazu Falls, the capital city Buenos Aires, or even the delicious wine in Mendoza. Popular destinations include Bariloche, Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Mendoza, and Ushuaia.

• Pros: Learn a different accent with which Spanish is spoken; some of the most incredible landscapes and sites in the world (i.e. Tierra del Fuego in the south; Iguazu Falls in the north); close to Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, and the Andes Mountain range; wide variety of cities in which to study Spanish, making for a dynamic cultural scene; friendly and welcoming people
• Cons: A bit more expensive to travel to than other Latin American destinations; the size of the country can make it difficult to travel around, depending on where you are in Argentina; higher cost of living than other countries in Latin America
• Ideal for: Students who want to combine a Spanish language course with skiing in Bariloche; or Tango dance lessons along with a normal language course; and students who are learning Spanish for their job, with specialized courses such as Medical Spanish, Business Spanish, or even Spanish for Lawyers.

COSTA RICA

With its tropical beaches, beautiful rain forest reserves, and picturesque landscapes, Costa Rica is the perfect place to combine water sports, dance lessons, or ecological volunteer opportunities with an intensive Spanish immersion program. Choose from language schools in places such as Flamingo Beach, Monteverde (Mountain Rain Forest), and San Joaquin de Flores.

• Pros: Great volunteer opportunities in Costa Rica; close proximity to the U.S. and the rest of Central America; wide range of cultural activities available to students; home to some of the most eye-catching, picturesque, and panoramic landscapes in the world; one of the highest living standards in the region; low-cost airfares to Costa Rica from the U.S.
• Cons: Poor condition of roads means that travel time can vary from San Jose International Airport to various sites around the country; may be difficult to practice your Spanish with the locals, as they are used to speaking English to tourists; not as culturally diverse as other Latin American countries
• Ideal for: Students interested in volunteering, adventure travel, and ecotourism; students who want to study in a beautiful year-round climate

Whether you are a college student looking for the perfect study abroad experience, a couple looking for a new adventure in a different country, a mature student wanting to discover a new language and culture, or a professional looking for a truly alternative vacation, taking a language course overseas can be both educational and fun.

Whatever your level of previous experience, it is widely accepted that language immersion overseas is really the very best way to learn Spanish quickly and to a high level. The fact that it is a fine excuse to explore the world is just the icing on the cake!

Jeffrey Hayes was formerly a language travel consultant at The Language Travel Company in Boston.

You can read her full account here, (it’s the last comment in the comments section). Long story short…a seemingly normal beginning morphed into something very creepy when her Chilean intercambio declared his love for her and canceled his vacation plans to be sure that he would be in the SAME COUNTRY as Kelsey.

Make no mistake, the benefits of doing language exchanges (intercambios) can be tremendous, but no matter who you are or where you live,  your personal safety MUST come first. Don’t lull yourself into thinking that just because your conversational partner lives three time zones away on another continent that they may not have unspoken intentions that could radically affect your physical wellbeing and emotional state of mind. There are a lot of lonely people out there and while they may be harmless, you never know. Better to be safe than sorry. Read my entry on the 5 questions you should ask before agreeing to an intercambio.

Don’t be afraid to be upfront and direct, letting your conversational partner know upfront that the arrangement is strictly business. If a real friendship develops, great, but true friendship takes time. Meanwhile, if your top priority is to focus on improving your conversational Spanish, not finding a future spouse, be sure that this intention is crystal clear, especially if you pick up any vibe that the other person may be rearranging their life and/or thinking of having a more intimate experience with you. Also, keep in mind that cultural differences can come into play, especially with the way men view women and vice versa.  What is viewed as socially normal and typical behavior between platonic friends in one culture (for example, signing off with “un beso” in an online chat or phone conversation) could be misinterpreted as a signal of undying love by another person from another culture where such terms aren’t used in the same contexts.

Kelsey also offers up some excellent advice born out of her unpleasant experience:

• If you are planning on studying abroad, DO NOT contact someone near your destination. If you really feel strongly about meeting someone who lives in or has been to your area, I would suggest someone of the same sex.
• Even if you and your partner decide to speak every day, try to keep much of your personal information out of the conversation.

Great advice, Kelsey. Thank you for writing at length about this experience. This will be a big help to others facing similar situations.

Has anyone else had any horrible experiences with intercambios? How did you deal with it?

These tricksters are false cognates or cognados equívocos in Spanish. That’s their technical name. Informally they’re called “false friends” or falsos amigos. The reason is because they have spellings similar to English words (or, in some cases spellings that are exactly the same) but they have totally different meanings. A prime example is embarazada (which means pregnant) and embarassed. There are a ton of these false friends, too many to fit comfortably in a single blog post, that’s why I’ve put together a list of 101 of them.

If you’d like to get this free list, all you have to do is sign up for my e-newsletter. The sign-up box is on the right-hand side of this page.

If you’re already on my email list and would like to receive this eight-page easy reference guide to Spanish-English falsos amigos, just leave a comment below or drop me a line via the contact page and I’ll send it to you.

P.S. Just a quick technical note: To get the 101 Falsos Amigos guide, you MUST respond to the automated email that you will receive asking you to verify your sign-up. The service that I’m using to email this guide requires confirmation that whatever I’m emailing has been requested by the recipient and is not spam. If you do not respond to that automated email, you will not receive the link allowing you to download the 101 Falsos Amigos PDF.

Please check your junk mail folder if you don’t see this confirmation email after subscribing to the e-newsletter.

Sorry to be such a stickler about this but it’s the only way to ensure that you are getting stuff that you really want to receive.

Thanks!

Eleena

Some of the English consonants sounds we address are the following:

Sound “z” in zoo, cheese, exit

This is buzzing sound, like the sound of a bee. Does not exist in Spanish.

Sound “v” in vase, cover

This English “v” sound does not exist in Spanish. Just pronounce the “v” like a “b” when speaking Spanish and you’ll be perfect.

Sound “th” in think, anthem

This sound only exists in Castilian Spanish. The “th” of anthem is the same “th” sound used for the Spanish “z” in Spain. Zapato is pronounced “tha-pa-to”. But this in only in Spain. Outside of Spain, this “th” sound is not used.

Sound “h” in heat, ahead

The “h” is silent, i.e. mute, in Spanish. Avoid pronouncing the “h” at all times whenever you say words like hombre, hambre, hora, etc. Just pretend the “h” isn’t there whenever you say a Spanish word that contains it.

Sound r in horse, carry

The English “r” sound is very different from the Spanish “r.” Martín and I briefly mention the letter “r” in this podcast but we’re going to devote an entire episode to this bad boy of the Spanish alphabet, particularly his naughty twin, the double rr, who delights in throwing a wrench in English speakers’ Spanish pronunciation.

This episode is a little technical, but never fear, Martín has written a detailed explanation on his blog about the various terms (voiced and voiceless fricatives) he mentions in this podcast. He also gives us more examples of additional English consonants sounds (g, j, l,) that we didn’t have time to cover in this podcast.

The next episode in this series will focus on Spanish consonant sounds. Please leave feedback and suggestions in the comments section or send me a private message through the blog’s contact page. Thanks!

Here are four tips on the right way and the wrong way to offer corrections.

1. Never say “That’s bad English.”
Why is this statement not good? Because the listener will invariably hear only the word “bad” and take it personally. The human ego, particularly the adult ego, is fragile. And when it comes to learning languages, many adults can be hyper-sensitive and misinterpret a remark like this as criticism. It’s better to say “That’s not standard English” or “It sounds more natural to say ….”

2. Don’t interrupt when the other person is telling a story or a joke.
I once had an intercambio who frequently interrupted me while I was speaking. At first I welcomed it but then it became very disruptive and distracting. His corrections were so detailed and long-winded that 5 minutes later I had lost both my train of thought and any desire to finish whatever story or joke I was trying to tell.

If your language partner is seaching for a word or a phrase, of course, help them out, but don’t stop them dead in their tracks, in mid-sentence, with a lengthy explanation that could throw off their conversational rhythm.

3. Offer major corrections in the moment and small corrections at the end.

I define a major error as something that is so incorrect it leads to misunderstanding. In other words, it’s a mistake so big that it shuts down communication because the listener is confused by what the speaker is trying to say.

If someone makes a huge error, you should correct that right away. For example, one of my intercambios has the unusual habit of saying “your” when she means to say “his” or “her.” You can imagine how confusing this is when she’s talking about someone and she keeps using the pronoun “your” when what she really means to say is “his” or “her.” That’s a huge error. So I gently correct her in the moment as soon as she makes it.

But if it is a small error, I take note and wait until the end of the conversation to point out the mistake. That way the other person gets the benefit of expressing their thoughts as well as they can and build their confidence without the distraction of receiving corrections every five seconds. I discretely take notes in a small notebook to remind me of what the mistakes were so I can accurately refer to them later on at the right moment. (Sidenote: I also encourage and welcome the same treatment from my Spanish-speaking intercambio so that I can learn  from my mistakes and improve.)

I define a small error as something that is incorrect but not so bad that it prevents the listener from understanding what the speaker wishes to convey.

For example, it’s common for Spanish speakers studying English to say “The people is …” instead of “The people are…” It’s a natural mistake because in Spanish, “people” is singular, so “the people is” would be grammatically correct in Spanish. Although this same statement it’s grammatically incorrect in English, an English speaker would have no trouble understanding the rest of that sentence even with that grammatical error.

4. Acknowledge something that the other person did well.

Look for ways to give positive reinforcement. There is always something good you can say. Always. Maybe it was their use of adjectives. Perhaps they gave you a good book or movie suggestion. Or how about that useful explanation they gave you about a piece of slang you picked up from a song? Just the mere fact that the other person showed up for the intercambio is important and you can appreciate them for that.

Whatever you do, always look for a way to show your appreciation, to transmit something positive from the encounter, so that the other person leaves the session feeling generally upbeat about the intercambio and looking forward to the next session.

In what ways do you like to be corrected when you speak Spanish?

Photo by Fil and used with permission.

In today’s podcast I introduce you to my friend Gabriel (Gabi) Guillén, a Spaniard who has launched an interesting and unique language intercambio web site, specifically for Spanish and English speakers. It’s called Blogs Exchange.

Here’s how it works: You create a blog on Blogs Exchange and write posts in the language which you need help with. If you’re a native English speaker, you post in Spanish. If you’re a Spaniard, you post in English. The site can assign you a “learning buddy” who will give you written feedback on your postings. You can also give feedback to others in the network, even if they aren’t officially your learning buddy.

Blogs Exchange launched a few months ago in the fall of 2007, so it is still in beta mode. But it is open to any native speakers of Spanish or English. This would be a great site for high school Spanish teachers or Spanish college professors who want to arrange a group learning project in Spanish. It’s also fun for individuals, regardless of age.

If you already enjoy writing, why not try blogging in Spanish over at Blogs Exchange?

Question 1: Why do you want an intercambio? (Dating? Job? Help dealing with the future in-laws? Preparing for an exam? Just for fun?)

This question is so basic and obvious most people don’t bother to ask because many assume that the other person wants what they want — conversational practice. While this is true, often there are other underlying motivating factors, and if what’s motivating you (preparing for a test, let’s say) conflicts with the expectations of the other person (looking for a new girlfriend), it may be a short-lived partnership.

That’s not to say that divergent motivations can’t find a happy medium. But it’s better to know upfront the agenda of your prospective language partner.

Question 2: Have you ever done an intercambio before? What did you like or dislike about the experience?

The answer to these questions tells you whether or not there will be a likely fit or misfit between you and the other person. If you are an old hand at intercambios but the other person is not, be prepared for a little bit of handholding at the outset. Also, if the person tells you that their previous intercambio hogged the conversation or never came prepared with a topic, that also gives you useful information.

Question 3: How frequently can you meet and where?

Some people may want to meet twice a week while others only bi-weekly. While getting together with an intercambio can be a very enjoyable and social experience, meeting in a loud, dark and noisy venue is distracting and inevitably the conversation winds up being conducted primarily in just one language. My advice? Meet in a relatively quiet, well-lit environment first like a cafe or coffeeshop and save the drinks and bar hopping for later.

And if you are meeting online, via MSN Messenger, Skype or some other online service, be sure that you are clear on the time zone as well as the frequency with which you will meet. I’ve had intercambios assume that they could chat with me at length whenever they saw me online.

Question 4: Are you currently taking language classes?

Asking this question is a must, particularly when dealing with language partners who have a beginner to low-intermediate level, because some people are looking for free lessons. Obviously an intercambio is a perfect opportunity to clear up doubts or questions one may have about the language. But an intercambio should not be a class. It is a language exchange between two people willing and able to help one another with their respective native languages.

If it turns out that you or your partner needs more grammar knowledge or either one of you have a very limited vocabulary, be honest. Work on that aspect of your language skills before committing to an intercambio. It’s not fair to expect the other person to carry the burden of instructing you and vice versa.

Question 5: Do you want to be corrected?

Again, this is another obvious question but you’d be surprised at the number of people who don’t want to be corrected. They just want an opportunity to speak. If you’re OK with that, fine. Personally, I think that an intercambio without corrections is partially a waste of time, but to each his (or her) own. But there is a right way and a wrong way to correct someone. I’ll cover that in another entry in this blog.

What other questions would you add to this list?

Maybe it was that brief conversation you overheard (and didn’t understand) between two Spanish speakers standing in front of you in an elevator. Perhaps it was the tangled mess of words that came tumbling out when you took your Spanish for a test drive in public and tried to use it with a random stranger in a restaurant or shop.

Any of this sound familiar?

If you think you have to wait until your next vacation to Spain or Costa Rica to practice your Spanish, think again. Thanks to the Internet, you can find plenty of opportunities to do an intercambio (a language exchange).

The way that it works is simple: Two people agree to help each other with their native languages. It’s called a language exchange because the people take turns conversing solely in their respective languages. For example, Fernando from Madrid agrees to meet online via Skype with Harry from London. They spend 30 minutes speaking solely in English and then spend another 30 minutes talking only in Spanish. That’s just an example. There are plenty of ways you can arrange to do an intercambio.

In today’s podcast, I introduce you to one of these intercambio web sites. It’s called The Mixxer and it’s an easy way to meet native Spanish speakers eager to help you with your Spanish. In exchange you agree to help them with their English (or German, French, Chinese, etc., or whatever your native language may be.)

The Mixxer was created by Todd Bryant at Dickinson College. In this podcast, Todd talks about how the Mixxer came about and gives some tips on how to get the most out of the site.

And check back here tomorrow at Voices en Español for more advice on how to arrange a successful intercambio.

¡Hasta pronto!

Tim graciously agreed to talk about his experiences learning Spanish. Continue reading to learn how he fell in love with Spanish and became fluent in the language. (Click on “more” below the picture.)

Photo by Mor (bcnbits) and used under CC license.

How long have you studied Spanish?

About 10 years over all, but with some gaps.

How did you get started?

I started attending weekly lunchtime classes offered by my employer.
The teacher was a native Spaniard with a real enthusiasm for her subject
and a great desire to help the students learn. I think it was her
enthusiasm that helped to get me motivated to learn.

After a year of these classes I left that company and decided to take
some time out. My wife and I enrolled on a course at Academia Isla in
Salamanca, Spain. We signed up for 2 months of classes, 4 hours a day, 5 days a week. It was truly an excellent experience. The teachers were fantastic, and
Salamanca itself is a charming city.

After two months, we returned home. My wife went back to her job, but I
had no luck finding another (it being December), so I went back to Isla
for another month (this time for six hours a day).

After completing these initial three months I took and passed comfortably
the English A-level and the DELE Básico exams – I think this is a
testament to the quality of teaching at Isla and that of my first teacher.

Since then, I’ve been back to Isla several times (for a week at a time),
usually just before taking exams, at their schools in Salamanca and
Barcelona.

In the meantime, I’ve attended some evening classes (run by the local
town councils here in the UK), had some private lessons in small groups,
and now have individual lessons with another Spaniard. I also gained the
Open University Diploma in Spanish (after completing their 2
higher-level Spanish exams) and passed the DELE Superior. (This is a test of proficiency in Spanish.)

What has been the most challenging aspect of learning Spanish?

Speaking confidently with a decent accent while enunciating clearly (the
way your mouth moves speaking English is very different to how it needs
to move speaking Spanish, and getting used to this can be quite tiring).
The only solution is to practice, practice, practice. Luckily I have
several Hispanic friends from various Spanish-speaking countries.
How many times have you been to Spain? Do you have a favorite city or town?

Before learning Spanish, we went on a few of the typical package
holidays to Spain (and tried to speak the usual horrible holiday-maker
Spanish). Since starting to learn Spanish, excluding going to Spain for learning,
we’ve been back quite a few times. Being able to speak fairly well gave
us much more confidence in travelling around independently, so we’ve
done a little travelling around the North-West (Castilla-León and
Galicia), and from Madrid down to Valencia and up the coast to
Barcelona, by train and bus. We’ve also been to various places just for a week or so of relaxing.

When we went La Gomera in the Canary Islands the most gratifying part was that several local people assumed I was Spanish while I was talking to them (possibly
assuming my strange accent was from some odd part of the mainland!)

My favourite city still has to be Salamanca. It has a real warmth to it (even in Winter!), good nightlife (being a university town), and some great museums. My favourite is the Casa Lis  a wonderful Art Deco/Art Nouveau museum (although their collection of dolls always gives me the willies – some of them look really scary!)

What do you like most about the Spanish language?

The sheer joy of realising I can understand what people are talking
about and I can talk to them (and that they might understand me). Of
course, I still have problems understanding some people who talk very
fast, have strong accents or don’t talk so clearly.

One adjective you would use to describe Spanish?

Fast! While you’re learning and trying to talk with a Spanish person, no
matter how much you ask them to slow down, they’ll start speeding up
again! And if you want to hear just how fast they can talk, just listen
to the commentary on a football (soccer) match on the radio.

Do you have a favorite word (or saying) in Spanish?

“Te conozco bacalao aunque vengas disfrazao” (disfrazado)

This was the first refrán I learned and it has always stuck with me. (Literally, it means I know you, little codfish, even though you’re in disguise. In other words, I can see through you, I can see what you’re up to.)

Hindsight is 20/20. Is there anything you would have done differently in your quest to learn Spanish?

I don’t think I would have bothered with the Open
University courses. They have some very good resources with some
interesting articles and videos dealing with history and culture, but
after my experience at Isla there wasn’t much new linguistically. For
the same price, you could sign-up for a long course at a language school
in Spain and learn more of the language.

What does the future hold for your grammar web page?

To be honest, I’m not really sure. I’ve added a few more lessons since
it started, but I’m not sure quite what should come next.
At the moment I’m trying to learn Italian (I’m at absolute beginner
level) and find that I just don’t have the same motivation as I did to
learn Spanish. Maybe I might start adding a section on learning Italian…
What advice would you give English speakers who wish to study or improve their Spanish?

If at all possible, go to a language school in Spain (or a
Spanish-speaking country) for an intensive course. Most of them will
accept people for even one week at a time. It’s well worth it, but do a
little research first. If you’re an absolute beginner you’ll need a
little hand-holding to start with (help when you arrive, finding
accommodation, etc), so make sure that they have someone there who can
at least speak enough English to help you get going. Then just dive in!

Nunca diré que no soy bueno. Cuando leo y escucho me diré a mi mismo, “buen trabajo”, aun si hay partes que no son siempre claras. Cuando trate de pronunciar el nuevo lenguaje y cometa errores, no me importara. Yo sé que estoy mejorando en forma natural. Siempre seré consecuente conmigo mismo. Trataré de no estar nervioso. Si cometo un error diré “No importa”. Si olvido una palabra diré “No importa”. Si tengo un problema diciendo lo que quiero decir, diré “No importa”. Yo seguiré adelante hasta que hable en forma FLUIDA.

There’s also a podcast recording of this manifesto that you can find on iTunes. Just do a search for “The Linguist” in the educational podcasts category. A fun and useful exercise is reading the text out loud while listening to the podcast. That’s an excellent way to work on pronunciation since you can check what you’re saying immediately against what the native speaker is saying. (In this case, the speaker is a woman from Colombia.)

But even if you don’t do that, having something like this manifesto at hand, either in written form (like a print out) or in audio form (on your mp3 player), could be just the little bit of encouragement you need to keep up with your Spanish studies.

Most of us can’t help it. We want to be perfect. When speaking Spanish, we want to speak it as fluently as we speak English (or French, German, Japanese, etc.) or whatever our first language is. But the truth is is that we’ll never get to that level of linguistic nirvana until we risk something and that means looking and sounding like an idiot from time to time.

Once at a party in Madrid, I was talking to a new mom about her baby and I kept saying pañuelos when I should’ve been saying pañales. Finally the mom, unable to take it anymore, said to me in Spanish, “Quieres decir pañales.” ¡Qué vergueñza! But that one experience cemented in my brain the two words and I know I will never use them incorrectly again.

Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t have the precise vocabulary to express what you’re thinking. Talk around it or talk through it and use the vocabulary you already have. Let’s say you’re telling a Spanish-speaking friend about a news story you heard about on TV. In the middle of recounting the story, you suddenly realize you don’t know how to say “witness” in Spanish. Instead of freezing, keep going and talk your way through it. Although you may not know or remember the exact word for witness (testigo), you probably know how to say “la persona que vio lo que pasó.” Hey, it’s not concise but it gets the job done!

So the next time you feel the urge to zip it when you’re not 100% sure how to say something in Spanish, déjate llevar, and go ahead and say what’s on the tip of your tongue. It may be that you’re not as far off base as you think. And in the worst case scenario you make a mistake, but you will definitely learn from the experience, even if it is something as simple as the difference between a scarf (pañuelo) and a diaper (pañal).

Do you get uptight about making mistakes when speaking Spanish? What helps you get past that anxiety?

Foto by Oscar Alonso

Bicultural Family Network has a magazine as well as a listing of bicultural playgroups in different states.

Bilingual Fun has books, music and other educational materials for children.

Spanishtown has listing of articles about raising bilingual children.

Multilingual Children has a parenting forum.

Bebés Latinos also has a parenting forum.

Example of a bilingual playgroup:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/juntosjuguemos/

More advice on creating a bilingual home:

http://www.talaris.org/spotlight_bilingual_sp.htm

This week the Pew Hispanic Center released the results of a new analysis of data collected over the past decade from more than 14,000 Latino adults. According to the comprehensive survey, English fluency skyrockets between the first and third generations in the United States. While less than 23% of first-generation Hispanic immigrants say that they speak English well, the survey found that the percentage jumps to 88% for their adult children, who would represent the second generation, and hits 94% for the third generation, i.e. the grandchildren.

In an article in the Los Angeles Times, Rubén G. Rumbaut, a UC Irvine sociology professor, gives his take on English usage among Hispanics living in the U.S.

“People get very upset about ‘Press 2 for Spanish,’ ” he says in the piece. But “there is no way English is being threatened by immigrants. . . . The switch to English is taking place perhaps more rapidly than it has ever in American history.”

The LA Times goes on to point out that this fading out of the native language is normal among immigrant populations. Research by Prof. Rumbaut indicates that among Mexicans, 96% of the third generation living in the U.S. prefer to speak English at home, according to the article.

“Like taxes and biological death, linguistic death seems to be a sure thing in the United States, even among Mexicans living in Los Angeles,” Rumbaut’s study said.

Hire a nanny or au pair who speaks fluent Spanish

This one step alone can go a long way to having a child who grows up very proficient in a second language. Of course, it’s not one that all families can afford, but if you can go this route, make it crystal clear that you expect the nanny to use her native language all the time with the children. The Bilingual Edge recommends taking a direct approach. You can say “The fact that you are a native Spanish speaker is one of the reasons why we wanted to hire you. We hope you’ll use Spanish always around the children.”

Create a playgroup

Playgroups are great for both parents and children, says Prof. Mackey. For the kids, playgroups provide fun interaction in the second language with other children of the same age. For parents, playgroups provide a source of moral support from other like-minded parents hoping to achive the same goal: raising bilingual children. Also, the playgroups can be geared to meet the needs and schedules of different families.

If you create or join such a group, be sure that a good percentage of the participating parents speak Spanish.

Involve Grandma and Grandpa

If you are fortunate to have grandparents who speak the target language fluently, be sure to encourage their involvement in the child’s life, says Prof. Mackey. This can be through frequent visits or via phone, Skype or email. If you have more than one child, try to arrange it so that each child has alone time with the grandparents to provide even more personal contact with the target language, she recommends.

Monolingual Mondays or Spanish Sundays — Set aside one day of the week to speak only one language

This is a step that Penélope Lara took with her two daughters when they were younger. Fridays were established as Spanish Only Fridays.

According to The Bilingual Edge, bilingual parents should use the second language consistently at home. “Given that two languages are never on exactly equal footing outside the home, parents should consider providing extra support for the weaker, minority language inside the home. Protecting the minority language at home by using it more than often, say 80% of the time, than the majority language can give children a better shot at becoming active rather than passive bilinguals.”

Do a family language audit

The book talks about this at length. “What we think is happening in our homes doesn’t always correspond to what is actually happening.” That’s where the language audit comes in.

The family language audit is basically a detailed look at the language activities that your child is engaged in throughout any given day. Prof. Mackey suggests doing an audit for one week. During that time, you would take note of how many of those activites were passive and how many were interactive in both the primary and secondary languages. Based on the results, you can see, at a glance, just how much real interaction your child is getting with the target language.

For example, watching TV in Spanish is a passive language activity, while going shopping with Grandma who speaks Spanish, would be considered interactive.

The Bilingual Edge has more detailed information about how to do an audit correctly so that it yields useful information.

Want to know more? Listen to today’s podcast with Alison Mackey.

]]> http://spanish-podcast.com/2007/11/30/5-ways-to-create-a-bilingual-home/feed/ 6 alison mackey,bilingual,bilingual children,bilingual edge,kendall king,language audit,Podcast,raising bilingual kids,teaching children foreign languages OK, so you want to raise bilingual kids but you’re unsure how to go about doing it. Here are five steps you can take, suggested by Alison Mackey, co-author of "The Bilingual Edge: Why, When and How to Teach Your Child a Second Language." OK, so you want to raise bilingual kids but you’re unsure how to go about doing it. Here are five steps you can take, suggested by Alison Mackey, co-author of "The Bilingual Edge: Why, When and How to Teach Your Child a Second Language." Hire a nanny or au pair who speaks fluent Spanish This one step alone can go a long way to having a child who grows up very proficient in a second language. Of course, it's not one that all families can afford, but if you can go this route, make it crystal clear that you expect the nanny to use her native language all the time with the children. The Bilingual Edge recommends taking a direct approach. You can say “The fact that you are a native Spanish speaker is one of the reasons why we wanted to hire you. We hope you’ll use Spanish always around the children.” Create a playgroup Playgroups are great for both parents and children, says Prof. Mackey. For the kids, playgroups provide fun interaction in the second language with other children of the same age. For parents, playgroups provide a source of moral support from other like-minded parents hoping to achive the same goal: raising bilingual children. Also, the playgroups can be geared to meet the needs and schedules of different families. If you create or join such a group, be sure that a good percentage of the participating parents speak Spanish. Involve Grandma and Grandpa If you are fortunate to have grandparents who speak the target language fluently, be sure to encourage their involvement in the child’s life, says Prof. Mackey. This can be through frequent visits or via phone, Skype or email. If you have more than one child, try to arrange it so that each child has alone time with the grandparents to provide even more personal contact with the target language, she recommends. Monolingual Mondays or Spanish Sundays -- Set aside one day of the week to speak only one language This is a step that Penélope Lara took with her two daughters when they were younger. Fridays were established as Spanish Only Fridays. According to The Bilingual Edge, bilingual parents should use the second language consistently at home. “Given that two languages are never on exactly equal footing outside the home, parents should consider providing extra support for the weaker, minority language inside the home. Protecting the minority language at home by using it more than often, say 80% of the time, than the majority language can give children a better shot at becoming active rather than passive bilinguals.” Do a family language audit The book talks about this at length. “What we think is happening in our homes doesn’t always correspond to what is actually happening.” That’s where the language audit comes in. The family language audit is basically a detailed look at the language activities that your child is engaged in throughout any given day. Prof. Mackey suggests doing an audit for one week. During that time, you would take note of how many of those activites were passive and how many were interactive in both the primary and secondary languages. Based on the results, you can see, at a glance, just how much real interaction your child is getting with the target language. For example, watching TV in Spanish is a passive language activity, while going shopping with Grandma who speaks Spanish, would be considered interactive. The Bilingual Edge has more detailed information about how to do an audit correctly so that it yields useful information. Want to know more? Listen to today's podcast with Alison Mackey. voicesenespanol.com no http://spanish-podcast.com/2007/11/30/vee-007-raising-bilingual-kids-part-3/ http://spanish-podcast.com/2007/11/30/vee-007-raising-bilingual-kids-part-3/#comments Fri, 30 Nov 2007 06:42:52 +0000 eleena http://spanish-podcast.com/2007/11/30/vee-007-raising-bilingual-kids-part-3/ Alison Mackey, co-author of “The Bilingual Edge: Why, When and How to Teach Your Child a Second Language,” dismantles some of the myths related to raising bilingual children and gives us advice on how to create a bilingual environment for children. This is the third and final interview of the “Raising Bilingual Kids” series. Interview is in English.

In the article, Carmen Juri writes about how her 5-year-old daughter Natalie has already decided that speaking Spanish isn’t for her. After some relatives from Venezuela came to the U.S. for a visit, Natalie asked Carmen what Venezuela was like. Carmen told her that it was a beautiful place where the people spoke Spanish. Natalie’s response? “Oh, then forget it. I don’t want to go there.”

“Before I had kids, I would look disdainfully at bilingual parents whose kids couldn’t utter a syllable in Spanish,” Carmen writes. “Now, I know what they were up against.”

The reaction of Natalie is a normal and frequent response from a child living in a bilingual home, according to experts. Children desperately want to fit in and not be considered different from their peers. And if speaking a second language, makes a child feel self-conscious, they may decide they don’t want to speak it.

Also, children are sponges, they absorb whatever they see and hear in the home and in society. That means if the child comes to associate the second language as being inferior or less than in any way to the first language, they may decide they don’t want to use it.

Seattle mom Penny Lara talked about this in yesterday’s podcast. And tomorrow’s podcast will be with Alison Mackey, a linguistics expert, who is going to talk specifically about how to get past this rebellious stage.

If I could get a message to Carmen, I’d tell her to hang in there and not to give up. One day Natalie will thank her for not giving up on teaching her Spanish.

To read Carmen’s story, click here.

The Bilingual Edge identifies 10 myths related to raising bilingual children. Here are four that I think are particularly important. You’ll have to buy the book to read the other six myths.

Myth 1: Only bilingual parents can raise bilingual children.

Not true. Bilingual parents don’t always raise bilingual children. A case in point: The United States. There are millions of immigrant family households where one or both parents are bilingual and their children don’t always wind up having the same native level of fluency as their parents. The reasons? Well, English is the official language of the U.S. and monolingualism is considered the norm. Also, most children automatically pick up on which language is considered the dominant language in the society in which they are raised and quickly learn it.

The truth: Monolingual parents can raise bilingual children but to learn a second language takes planning, organization and consistency.

Myth 2: You have to start while the child is still in diapers.

False. It’s a common misconception that the younger a child is, the more able he or she is to learn a foreign language. That’s not necessarily the case. According to research, what matters most is motivation as well as the amount and type of exposure children get to the second language that counts most. An older child or even an adolescent can be a better candidate for becoming bilingual than a toddler, depending on the circumstances.

The primary reason why it’s good to start early is because young children aren’t really expected to know much or to have big vocabularies.

“Learning a language from a young age is advantegeous because older children, adolescents, and adults have to deal with higher expectations and more sophisticated social situations while learning a second language,” says a passage in the book.

Myth 3: Only native speakers can teach children a second language.

Wrong again. According to The Bilingual Edge, “the truly critical factor is rich, dynamic, and meaningful interaction with speakers of those languages” (and that can come in many different forms).

Myth 4: TV shows, DVDs and “edutainment” like talking toys, are a great way to learn a foreign language.

Not necessarily. They can be a great supplement but should not be relied upon to teach a child a foreign language.

So, what are the best ways to raise bilingual children? Check back tomorrow for the special podcast and some specific tips.

¡Hasta pronto!

But when Isabella and Atenas started to grow up and become more aware of the English-speaking world that surrounded them, they started to rebel in their own way. Speaking Spanish wasn’t something they wanted to do, even though Spanish was the first language they were exposed to. But Penny eventually overcame this obstacle by hanging in there, being consistent and teaching her daughters to have pride in their Mexican heritage.

“Lo mas gratificante es ver crecer a mis hijas, siendo unas ciudadanas responsables y muy orgullosas de ser de origen latino. Cuando mi hija Atenas estaba en segundo grado, llegó a casa y me platicó que tenia una amiguita que era un cuarto inglesa, un cuarto francesa, un cuarto canadiense y un cuarto americana, y me pregunta, ‘Mamá y ¿nosotros somos un cuarto de cada qué?’

Mi respuesta fue de que nosotros eramos un 100% mexicanas, y eso le dio mucho gusto, me imagino que porque no tenia que explicar sus origenes con fracciones como su amiguita! Pero ahora ella lo repite con mucho orgullo.”

Penny’s advice to parents who want to raise bilingual children? Be consistent. Make sure the children have plenty of contact with relatives, like grandparents, aunts and uncles, who speak the second language. Encourage the use of books and music and participate in activities that that will expose the child to the language and culture in a positive manner.

Hear more about Penny and her experience raising two bilingual daughters in today’s podcast.  (Foto courtesy of Foto Mía)

Here’s an excerpt from a Wall Street Journal article entitled “That Isn’t Baby Talk You Hear”:

The idea builds on Noam Chomsky’s theory of universal grammar, the seminal idea in linguistics. In 1957, Prof. Chomsky asserted that basic knowledge of how language works — that it is made of words, has nouns and verbs, and has rules to move words around (You are here to Are you here?) — is innate and resides ultimately in our genes.
 Because every child, no matter her DNA, easily learns the language she was born into (“easily” relative to the effort needed to learn a second language as an adult, that is), universal grammar must be general enough to work for any tongue. That means each of the world’s 6,000 or so living languages is just a variation on the theme.

“Only the grammar actually used in the child’s linguistic environment will not be contradicted, and only the fittest survives,” Prof. Yang writes. “Children learn a language by unlearning all other possible languages.

Want to read more? You can find the book in the Voices Amazon store. It’s listed at the bottom of that page.

The first podcast is with Paola C. Taylor. She’s a telecom engineer, translator and working mom. Originally from the Basque Country in Spain, Paola now lives in Seattle with her American husband Andrew and their cute baby girl Sophia.

For Paola, raising her child in a bilingual household was the plan before Sophia was even born. With Paola’s side of the family back in Spain, it is very important that her daughter be able to speak and understand her Spanish relatives. And although Paola’s husband Andrew, doesn’t speak much Spanish, the two have worked out a system to ensure that their daughter gets consistent and complete exposure to both Spanish and English.

Listen to today’s podcast to find out more.

(P.S. I recorded this interview via Skype at the local public library, so at times the connection wasn’t the greatest. Sorry!)