| Trying to learn Spanish on your own? It seems | | | | few seconds after it was said! Formulation and |
| like there is so much to do, especially if you are a | | | | performance Just as in the example of listening to |
| beginner or intermediate level student, so how do | | | | and understanding Spanish, speaking Spanish also |
| you decide what you should be concentrating on | | | | combines two distinct skills. The first is finding the |
| at any given time? If you're trying to learn | | | | words to express an idea; the second is to |
| Spanish at home on your own it can sometimes | | | | perform them. 3. Formulation Formulation is a |
| be difficult to decide what you should be | | | | question of finding a phrase to express an idea. |
| concentrating on at any given time. After all there | | | | You may find that you need to express yourself |
| seems to be so much that you could do, | | | | in a slightly different way when you lack |
| particularly if you're at the beginner or | | | | vocabulary and may need to fall back on a |
| intermediate level. Even if you are following a | | | | phrasebook or dictionary at first. As your |
| course, such as Learning Spanish Like Crazy, you | | | | vocabulary increases you'll find that many phrases |
| sometimes need to sit down and analyse your | | | | stick and you can use these as a model for |
| weaknesses so you can be more effective in | | | | producing new phrases. To start with you'll need |
| your studies. To work out what your actual | | | | to spend some time thinking of what you want to |
| weaknesses are it helps to break down the | | | | say and how to express yourself, but as you |
| language a bit. Think of it like this: Listening and | | | | become more proficient at Spanish and internalise |
| understanding You may think your big problem is | | | | it you'll be able to speak without thinking hard |
| understanding Spanish when it is spoken to you, | | | | about it first. 4. Performance Deciding what you |
| but in fact perhaps you really need to | | | | are going to say is great; it's the hardest part of |
| concentrate on your listening skills. The two | | | | speaking Spanish. However, you also need to |
| require different skills, but are entwined | | | | know how they should sound and reproduce |
| nonetheless. 3. Listening Listening is the process of | | | | them accurately; if you know a native Spanish |
| hearing the sounds that are spoken rather then | | | | speak them ask them to correct you whenever |
| interpreting them. When you have no Spanish | | | | you make a mistake. You may think that correct |
| knowledge then the spoken language sounds like | | | | pronunciation is optional providing the people you |
| an alien jumble of sound, impossible to interpret. | | | | are speaking to understand you, but it has |
| The sounds are unfamiliar and it is impossible to | | | | another benefit; you'll be able to understand out |
| distinguish words or phrases. To cap it all | | | | words and phrases that you hear better because |
| everyone seems to be speaking at maximum | | | | the model of the word carried in your head is |
| velocity! After a while of listening to the sounds, | | | | more accurate. When you pronounce Spanish |
| Spanish begins to become less busy. Although you | | | | correctly you also train your mouth muscles to |
| will be unable to understand what is being said you | | | | move correctly. Because Spanish sounds are |
| may begin to be able to make out individual | | | | different from English the mouth is used in |
| phrases. 4. Understanding While listening is a | | | | unfamiliar ways to produce the sounds; it takes a |
| question of becoming used to the sounds, | | | | while for your mouth to become used to this, but |
| understanding what is being said in quite a | | | | practice will ensure that your mouth adapts. |
| different skill. Once you have learned some | | | | Conclusion When you're learning Spanish it helps to |
| vocabulary, however simple, and can speak some | | | | identify what you're weak at to enable you to |
| simple phrases you'll begin to understand some of | | | | focus exercises to improve it. By sitting down for |
| what is being said, even though it may be | | | | a few minutes every couple of weeks or so and |
| individual words. Initially you'll find it difficult to keep | | | | planning what you aim to improve and how you |
| up because your brain isn't used to decoding | | | | are going to improve it you will find that little by |
| Spanish so fast and you may experience the odd | | | | little your Spanish improves. |
| sensation of understanding what has been said a | | | | |