Speaking can sometimes be a struggle and I can’t lie when I say that it is very difficult. There is a lot of fear that builds up when you try to speak a language you are unsure about. However, this class has made me less fearful of speaking and it proved to myself that I am more than capable.
Speaking and listening is an important aspect of language learning. Throughout the class we were introduced to many films with different Spanish accents, which is helpful because the Spanish language is quite diverse. Listening to people speak and converse made it easier over-time to distinguish each word they are saying without thinking about it. I particularly liked the short film “Diez Minutos.” The conversation was interesting to watch and it also featured an accent from Spain which one I do not commonly hear. It is the youtube video below.
Apart from the films we also communicated between the students and professor, which helped a lot with getting real world conversation. If I did not know a word and it came up in a conversation I could easily learn it and use it for another occasion.
Reading helped a lot as well as it gave me an opportunity to learn new vocabulary. I also really enjoy reading in Spanish because it is exciting to see my progression, and how much more I can understand as I learn new words and phrases in a more complex fashion. It gave me time to study by myself and truly understand the material. The grammar lessons within the reading made it even more of a beneficial learning experience. I got more time with the subjunctive tense which I am much more comfortable using as a result.
Some supplemental tools I have used to elevate my speaking were music, shows, and news reading. I listen to Spanish music on most car rides and I love watching shows like “Caso Cerrado” because they are so entertaining. Doing these on my own time gave me a chance to speak without any fear and then being able to use words in real-world conversation.
Below are some of the writing that were done at the end of each lesson to wrap it up (Tertulia). These were written and also presented to the class by me.
Final Oral Presentation