If you are a little frustrated with grammar drills and vocabulary exercises then this article will show you the way to improve your Spanish in a fun way!
One of the main deal-breaking advantages of studying Spanish in Spain is just that, the fact that you have the privilege to be in Spain for a couple of months!
This is what is known as, “Total Immersion.”
You get to take dynamic Spanish language classes at your school and once you exit the building you find yourself in yet another classroom; Spain – and everything that it has to offer!
A limitless resource of Spanish language learning, and all at your fingertips!
Make the most of your being in Spain and follow some of these handy tips which are not only easy to do but already make up parts of your everyday life!
1. Listen to the local and national Radio stations, pod-casts and Spanish Music
This is a great way to train your ear and improve your ability to comprehend the things that you hear in Spanish. The things that you hear spoken by native speakers will also show you the right way to pronounce common everyday words and have you recognizing them a lot more easily. Try to follow weather reports, early morning comedy spoofs and sing-along to some great Spanish classics.
2. Read Books, Magazines and Newspapers
If you are a little intimidated by this, you could start slowly. Leaf through catalogues and fashion, sports, cooking, decorating or health magazines. Take in the images as you try to decipher the article headings and publicity slogans. Read books with simple story-lines non complicated phrase structures and with lots of illustrations – like books written for children and adolescents. Once you have expanded your vocabulary and feel more at ease, you could graduate to newspapers articles or texts of a more mature nature.
3. Watch loads of Television and Movies
Just think about it. You could watch television for hours without feeling the least bit like a couch potato because you will be indirectly working your Spanish language skills the entire time! Even the commercial would be useful to you. It is even more helpful if you could watch with subtitles in Spanish to complement your oral comprehension. Programs on television are a great way to learn a less formal everyday manner of speaking which can sometimes be neglected in a formal class setting. You could even learn some cool Spanish slang and impress your Spanish friends!
4. Make Friends and Talk about Everything!
One of the absolute best benefits of being in Spain is the possibility to mingle with actual Spanish people and form friendships. They would be the best to tell you about their country and show you around their city. And every minute that you spend interacting with them will serve as authentic high-impact Spanish language practice for you. This will also be a great way for you to get feedback on your Spanish outside of your school and attempt at acquiring a local Spanish accent.
5. Live the Life in Spain
Live live live! You are in Spain for crying out loud! Take advantage of the geographical opportunity. Go to national and local festivals, attend cultural events, listen to live musicians on the streets in the larger cities, take public transportation and read the signs, go to the supermarkets and look at the labels of all the food items, try to decipher the name of the dishes on the menu in local restaurants. Just live! Just being there in Spain is a great way to improve your Spanish all on its own. And the only thing you would need to do, would be to have fun!
Most of these tips you were already doing in your life at home. Now just do them in Spain in a great cultural setting and with Spanish as your preferred language of choice. It may seem daunting at first, but once you realize that you are outside of the classroom and adopt a no-pressure anything goes attitude, you will reclaim the fun within the activities and start improving your Spanish without even realizing that you are doing so!
