Recommended Reading
Common reasons I have heard for dropping a language at GCSE level were: "it's not my cup of tea", "I don't get the teacher at all", "I can't remember all the definitions by reading", etc. All those reasons are understandable but when one digs deeper they are not directly related to the language in question. It is often a case of the teacher over-relying on one teaching technique (most often writing and flashcards) without including practical activities, rhymes and songs into the session.
Most of us belong to a particular learning style or are indeed a mixture of the three. We can be either visual, auditory or kinesthetic. However, the dilemma hour is when your instructor uses a predominantly visual technique but you happen to have gotten 80% auditory on your learner skills test. Oops! An even worse scenario would be (as happened to me) you asking the teacher if they could modify the lesson with more listening activities (not just the tape) and they say "no" because "everyone else seems to get by just fine this way". The only option in this case would be to revise at home in as much auditory fashion as possible.
But HOW?
- Invest in a Dictaphone!! They are small, light, practical devices and are now reasonably priced. This way you don't have to read allt he grammar rules from the textbook and struggle through all the colour coded irregular verbs. You can simply record the basic rules and verb endings by reading them aloud and recording them on your Dictaphone. A few days later play them back (preferably around 8-9 pm since according to some studies that's when we are most realised and our mind's the most active) while sitting comfortably on the sofa!
- Make up rhymes using the vocabulary you already know in order to remember as much vocab as possible. For example try to find as many words that rhyme with suelo as you possibly can. In case you cannot look some up in the dictionary. This is fun and efficient way to learn new vocabulary.
- Don't hesitate to listen to the music in the language you are learning! Not only is it enjoyable but a lot of grammatical structures and new words will stay in your head that way. You can also google the lyrics to a particular song and look up any unfamiliar words or verb tenses. This a great way to indirectly learn about the history and the culture. For example I only learnt about the Desaparecidos of Pinochet's Chile and Uruguay of the 70s by hearing the notion in Manu Chao's song by the same name!
- Read aloud to yourself!
- Pay attention to the phonology and rhythm of a particular word (i.e. the phonetic difference between a perro and a pero)
- OK, this is a silly one but it sure works. To learn inanimate objects ASAP, stick a yellow post-it on a chair for example with its name written in Spanish. Every time you happen to look at it , say the name aloud together with the article (la silla). Oh, and do remove it before the guests come :-)
Hope this helps and buena suerte haciendo el crucero en espanyol!
