Supplemental Tools for Learning Spanish:
In addition to these 7 main ways of learning Spanish, there are also several other activities you can do to enhance your understanding of Spanish.
Websites
There are plenty of websites that offer Spanish lessons for free online, but they usually have a limited amount of information. In general, they don’t provide the focused, in-depth visual and audio instruction that you will need to properly learn a language. If they do, they will only provide a small portion for free, with the rest requiring paid access. Therefore it’s best if you use the Internet as a supplemental tool and a resource. If you really want to use the Internet to learn Spanish, find a good podcast and concentrate your online learning around the structure set up on the podcast’s website.
Movies/TV shows
A fun way to supplement your language learning is to watch Spanish movies or TV shows. You not only get to watch a good story, but you also get to absorb a bit of Spanish or Latin American culture. Watching Spanish movies and TV shows provides exposure to the rhythm of the language. It can help you to learn the current slang and colloquial speech, depending on the theme of the movie.
The disadvantage of watching Spanish movies and TV shows in order to absorb the language is that the action happens so quickly that you may get caught up in reading subtitles instead of listening to how the subtitles relate to the dialogue. Often the translation in the subtitles is not a literal translation – they take creative liberties and choose words to suit the context of the film, rather than provide a direct translation.
Radio
Listen to Spanish radio. If you don’t have a local station, you can listen to many Spanish-speaking radio stations online. Even if you can’t understand what they are saying, audio exposure helps you to understand the cadence and flow of the language. On the radio they are forced to speak clearly (as opposed to people in movies or TV shows), because the audience cannot see them and infer the meaning through imagery. The audience must listen to comprehend.
The downside of listening to radio broadcasts is that you may feel that they are speaking too quickly for your level of understanding. If you are beginner you may feel overwhelmed or discouraged. Don’t be - it’s not essential nor expected that you comprehend what you hear. You’re basically just listening to familiarize yourself with the rhythm and sounds of the language.
Children’s books or comic books
You can learn Spanish the way children do by reading Spanish children’s books. They will be at a basic level, and they will be tailored to youngsters with short attention spans. Therefore the lessons will include lots of pictures and be presented in a fun manner.
There are comic books for both adults and children, through which you can infer the meaning of the dialogue by look at the pictures. Keep a dictionary handy to fill in the blanks!
Books (Novels)
Once you become more advanced with your Spanish skills, you can start reading Spanish novels. There are books that have Spanish on one page with the English translation on other page. This allows you to quickly and easily go back and forth between the two languages. If there is a book you like that is available in this format, it will help you to reread the story in Spanish. Your familiarity with the story will help you fill in the blanks without needing to rely on the translation too heavily. This is also a great way to read new stories and to get familiar with the themes, issues, and topics in Spanish literature.
Penpal
This is similar to a language swap, only it’s done entirely over the Internet via email or Instant Messaging. If you prefer to write letters, you can always try the snail mail approach, although it will take longer. Corresponding with a Spanish-speaking penpal will aid your written skills and overall comprehension. You will become familiar with colloquial Spanish and you can find out firsthand what the culture is like by asking questions.
Flash cards
You can buy flash cards or create your own. Write the Spanish word on one side and the English translation on the other side. When you have a few spare minutes, quickly run through some flash cards. This is an efficient use of time, and as a supplemental tool it can maximize your absorption of Spanish.
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