In this new entry of our blog, we are going to talk about the smallest of the house, the children. Learning a new language for them can be either a complex task or a game, it all depends on the way you deal with it. The main reasons why many children learn Spanish are: they change their country and the official language is Spanish or because their parents want them to learn a second language. Whatever the reason might be, the key lies in the way parents present this idea to their children and how the teachers organize the classes, that is, the methodology they use. We can’t forget that children are children and besides learning new things they need to enjoy their free time: playing, interacting with more children, going to the park, etc. Sometimes, some parents worry too much about Spanish classes, more classes equal better results, and this provokes in the child a feeling of rejection that is quite strong. They see Spanish classes as a punishment from their parents, they have to go to some classes and learn something they don’t want to, simply because their parents think it’s a good idea. Base in our professional experience we think the best way to introduce Spanish lessons to children is presenting Spanish lessons as an extra fun activity more like basketball, soccer, dance, etc., so the child wouldn’t feel pressured and his/her attitude would be very different. With a positive attitude, the child would come wanting to learn and have fun. This way it is much easier and more comfortable for the teacher and the child,...
Why Tenerife? The answer is very easy: Because it is the perfect destination for your language course. It is that simple. However just in case, you would like to have a more detailed explanation, we prepared something for you. Tenerife is an exotic island, where sunny days are normal Tenerife forms a part of the Canary Islands, an archipelago situated 100 km west of the African continent in the Atlantic Ocean. It is the biggest of the 7 main islands with a surface of 2034,38 km². Thanks to the diverse geographical and meteorological conditions, the island provides a mild and warm climate with lots of sunshine throughout the whole year. No wonder, that people like to call Tenerife “ the Island of eternal spring”. You can study at the beach after classes The great weather brings us to the next point. How does it sound to you, to do a language course with a picturesque backdrop of majestic mountain tops and where you can complete your homework at the beach afterwards? Here it is possible! Tenerife offers fascinating and amazingly beautiful landscapes. From the extinct volcano Mt. Teide in the center of the island, up to green pine and laurel forests as well as black and white beaches. It is impossible to get bored in Tenerife, as there is so much natural beauty to discover and enjoy. Tenerife, a wonderful place to learn Spanish Canarian Spanish is a variant of standard Spanish spoken in the Canary Islands and really similar to Western Andalusian and to Caribbean Spanish and other Hispanic American Spanish. Canarian Spanish is the only Spanish dialect...
Illuminated streets, family atmosphere, music, Christmas shopping, and of course, the lottery. The Spanish Christmas Lottery or simply Lotería de Navidad is a national lottery. In the Spanish-speaking media it is sometimes just called El Gordo and is the second longest continuously running lottery in the world. The Christmas Lottery is one of the most deeply rooted traditions in Spain. Share tickets (décimos) with family members, with the group of friends, with coworkers … and dream about everything that can be done if you buy a ticket. The lottery administrations, during these months, are filled with people full of hope. The “décimos” are given or shared, because as the slogan of the Christmas Lottery says, “the best gift is to share it”. On December 22nd, the date on which the lottery of Christmas is held, all the Spaniards follow the live draw on the radio or televisions at work or at home, consulting the internet via mobile … everyone wants to know if they or someone they know have won something. From the first draw, the children of San Ildefonso were in charge of singing the numbers of the Christmas Lottery, which until 1913 were printed on papers. As of this date, the system of drums and wooden balls that is still used today was implemented. Currently, the maximum prize has a value of 4 million euros. Although the statistics prove that the chances of winning are very low, each year the prize of this famous lottery makes someone happy, and this fact feeds the illusion of others who resort to lucky classics like rubbing the “décimo” by the...
Why is it a roller coaster? Well, because learning a language is full of ups and downs. It also makes us face our insecurities and fears. Learning Spanish is a process full of positive emotions and frustrations, the moments of clarity and total confusion. At the very beginning any foreign language seems very difficult to learn. Students often come to the first date with a new language full of fear (pretty much like any other first date) about the pronunciation and complexity of grammar. Thus we often enter the first class full of preconceptions about the language. We slowly progress through the first lessons: basic grammar, phonetics and vocabulary. In no time, we start to understand, the fears are dissipating and we regain self-confidence and security. That is when first obstacle is defeated and frustrations dissipate, we accept the logic of Spanish language. It begins to work its way into our minds, we feel that first “rush” that makes us believe that it is not as difficult as we had imagined it. Soon we find ourselves back in comfort zone and, hence, start thinking that we will be fluent in Spanish in no time. Then things start to get more complicated and more complex structures appear and make us return that the initial frustration. As a result we find ourselves in the learning pit again. Don’t we all have a false belief that the more we know, the easier it is? But how to overcome the ups and downs in the learning process? To be successful in your learning you have to count on two very important things, your...
Is Halloween celebrated in Canary Island? The answer is – no. In Canary Islands Spanish celebrate the holiday known as “finaos” that has similarities with Halloween. On the evening of Finaos children go around their neighborhood similar to Halloween trick or treat. However they knock on the doors collecting dried fruits (no candy;-). Spanish families get together and recall their deceased ancestors (“finaos”). Almost all families serve grilled chestnuts with honey rum and sign folklore songs. In Canarian culture this festivity is an opportunity for families and neighbors to get together to honor the memory of the deceased. Remembering the dead is considered the way to show love and respect. At the same time it is a celebration of life that intends to drive away the fear of death. One of the tradition of this festivity is to visit cemeteries and bring flowers to the graves or to attend a mass. Spanish speaking countries have different traditions to commemorate their dead family members. In Mexico, for example, people bring food for the deceased to their graves. Moreover they stay for a bit and have a meal at the graveyard. This way they show respect to their deceased family members. Mexicans also believe that they are still present in the lives of their relatives, at least once a year. Although there are more and more people celebrating Halloween instead, the tradition is still maintained, especially among older people. Unlike Halloween, “finaos” has a deeper religious...
Nowadays learning languages has become a necessity, not only for work reasons, but also at the social level. It is a complex challenge. Speaking another language does not only imply knowing its grammar and structure, but also means thinking in different way. This seems a bit difficult at first, however with time, dedication and practice can be achieved by every language student. What is the main reason for learning languages? Learning languages can change your life completely and open doors to a completely new way of life. I have been teaching Spanish for a long time. Long before that I was a language student myself. From my personal experience I believe the only way to truly learn a language is to immerse yourself in its culture. And this language immersion, in one way or another, transforms you. For years I studied English at school as a child, and later at private academies. Despite all the effort it wasn’t until I went to England and started to experience its culture when I really began to internalize English language. By internalize, I mean I stopped translating in my head, and started to create new mental schemes. The best way to tell whether you really speak a foreign language is when you are able to express an idea in that language in a way that you are not able to do it in your native language. And that is the greatest gift that speaking another language can give you, learn to think in a more diverse way. But this is not the only advantage of speaking foreign languages Expand your abilities Developing...
When we decide to learn a new language, we always do it with great enthusiasm! But there is a high risk that we drop it soon. Most people who begin to learn a foreign language gradually lose interest or quit right away, but why? Common reasons – lack of time and, above all, not having chosen the most effective method of learning. You must have already researched different options of courses to learn Spanish, we have reviewed each one of the them to outline pros and cons. When choosing a course, the first thing to take into account is the time available, the money you are willing to invest and, the most important, the commitment you are willing to make to learning. The first decision to make is to start studying in your country or take the big step and study abroad. From the economic point of view it is always better to start in your country, but from an educational efficiency point of view, the best way to learn a language is linguistic immersion. Sign up for a language school in your town You decided to start learning Spanish in your country. The cheapest method is to take course in a public language school. You get several classes a week and an official degree. But it has 2 serious disadvantages: Non-native teachers: Most state schools have very good teachers, but most are non-native. It is not bad, but it is always better to hear a native teacher to work on your accent. Students who have a language in common – a temptation to use your own language in...
The cinema is a window into the culture and reality of society. It reflects on the personalities and the way of understanding the world in a very creative way. Watching movies can help us better understand the culture and idiosyncrasy of another country, and therefore, can help us to better understand the language. Spanish cinema is very particular and different from American movies or the aesthetics of other European cinema. To get you started we have selected 10 best Spanish movies. Here Spanish movies we highly recommend watching We have selected movies, that in our opinion, reflect the personality of the Spaniards the best. So get comfortable and enjoy watching and improving your Spanish! ¡Bienvenido, Mister Marshall!, Luis García Berlanga (1953) Number one on our list – classic of Spanish cinema. “Bienvenido, Mister. Marshall” is a funny satire of the international isolation that Spain was put under because of the Franco dictatorship. It is a sardonic look at the program of economic aid of the American government to Europe after World War II, known as Plan Marshall, contrasting it with the Castilian rural environment and with the international topic of Spain of bulls and flamenco. Despite being a 50’s film, in many ways it is very current. Tesis, Alejandro Amenábar (1996) The second out of 10 best Spanish movies on our list is a psychological thriller that presents a subtle critic to the morbidity that every human being has over the forbidden, evil and the pain of others exemplified in the virulence of snuff movies. Not suitable for apprehensive people. El milagro de P.Tinto, Javier Fesser (1998) Number three is...
Spain is a country with a long history, a manifold culture and plenty of beautiful places to visit. We know it can be hard to decide, where to go. Especially, as almost all Spanish cities possess this typical traditional flair, for which Spain became famous. But do not worry, we created a short list of the best cities to visit in Spain in order to help you choosing the right one for your next holiday in Spain. Of course, these are just thought as an inspiration to the question “What are the best cities to visit in Spain?” and do not claim to be complete. The best cities to visit in Spain Madrid Madrid is the capital of Spain and with 3.2 million urban and 6.5 million metropolitan inhabitants also the third-largest city in the European Union. Here you can lose yourself visiting many popular landmarks such as the Gran Vía, the Cervantes Monument on the Plaza de España, the Prado National Museum and the well-kept, gigantic park El Retiro. It is also home to the Royal Palace of Madrid, the official residence of the Royal Spanish Family and to two football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, that are famous all over the world. Enjoy exciting days discovering the city and have fun in the vibrating nightlife full of bars, clubs and events! Barcelona Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, the second-largest city of Spain and the largest metropolis belonging to the region of the Mediterranean Sea with more than 1.6 million inhabitants within the city limits. In Barcelona you can...
Have you ever thought about learning or improving your Spanish, but got somehow confused about which of many ways to choose? We wanted to give you a first orientation about the topic and hope, it will be of help to you. So, what is the best way to learn Spanish? First and foremost many different sources and common experience agree, that having a Spanish girlfriend or a Spanish boyfriend will definitely help you to learn and improve your Spanish significantly. However this method might not be the most appropriate one for everybody. Nevertheless and to put it more general, you should try to practise with native speakers as often and as much as you can. This will not only train your application of the language, but it will also widen your vocabulary and broaden your knowledge about it. You can listen carefully to how they pronounce words and the way they speak, what will help you when trying to speak yourself. The reason, why practising with a native speaker is seen as very efficient, is the fact a full immersion to the language is often considered as the best way to learn Spanish. What means a full immersion into Spanish language? Often we tend to understand by a full immersion some kind of drastic exposure to the language, for example by being surrounded by Spanish people without being able to speak a single word. Even though such a hard confrontation with the language might bring effects as well, we would still like you to opt for a more varied type...
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