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atimeforeverything
Joined: 01 Nov 2007
Posts: 18
Location: Busan, South Korea
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 Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2008 2:19 pm Post subject: Learning Spanish- Go to a language school or just teach? |
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I am heading to Latin America (haven't decided exactly where yet) in January. My ultimate goal is becoming fluent in Spanish. Im debating if I should go to a Spanish school for a month or so first or if I should just go ahead and find a job and learn as I go.
I have experience teaching ESL, a degree and a TESOL Cert so finding a job shouldn't be a problem.
I'm just wondering what would be the best route for learning Spanish. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2008 2:28 am Post subject: |
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If you want to be fluent in a language, you have to immerse yourself in it. teaching English isn't the best way as the people you work with will want to practise their English.
Fluency is hard, if not impossible, to achieve at an older age. I've been speaking Spanish for 14 years, but don't consider myself, and never will, fluent.
If you want to learn Spanish, go to a school where there aren't many people who speak English, then try to immerse yourself by getting a job in that country where you speak spanish, dating or marrying locals help as well.  . |
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mise_me_fein
Joined: 04 Nov 2005
Posts: 24
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| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 11:15 pm Post subject: |
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If you want free lessons download Michel Thomas Spanish, all his stuff and also learning Spanish like crazy.....just get torrent files.....
in the meantime, practice with natives and after a year you should have a good level if you speak Spanish for 4 or 5 hours a day. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 1:57 am Post subject: |
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| mise_me_fein wrote: |
If you want free lessons download Michel Thomas Spanish, all his stuff and also learning Spanish like crazy.....just get torrent files.....
in the meantime, practice with natives and after a year you should have a good level if you speak Spanish for 4 or 5 hours a day. |
Do you have the link for that? |
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john_n_carolina
Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 700
Location: n. carolina
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| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:15 am Post subject: |
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| ...there are hundreds of Spanish schools in the tourist sector of Quito (Mariscal). Do a month intensive course, and you'll be fine. you'll also be close to the bars. (if that matters). if i remember, Simon Bolivar is a good Spanish school. |
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ghostdog
Joined: 13 Mar 2004
Posts: 119
Location: Wherever the sun doesn't shine
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| Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2008 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| For audio files, search one of the large torrent engines. My preference is www.isohunt.com. Personally, I found Michel Thomas kind of limiting, though it is good for confidence building at the beginning. If someone has a better suggestion for an audio learning system, please mention it. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 1:52 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| I'm just wondering what would be the best route for learning Spanish. |
Go to the country side where there are no other foreigners. Of course be careful. In some towns in South America they don't speak Spanish. Some places people speak an indigenous language(like Quechua).
Trying to join the Peace Corps might be better if you just want to learn Spanish. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 1:56 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| If you want to learn Spanish, go to a school where there aren't many people who speak English, then try to immerse yourself by getting a job in that country where you speak spanish, dating or marrying locals help as well. |
I might add that unless one reads newspapers, attends a university in the target language, or does an M.A. in Spanish Literature, one is not likely to achieve more than a conversational level in the target language. Just talking to your boyfriend or girlfriend can only get one so far.
I have begun reading Taiwanese children's history books to expand my vocabulary past the level of everyday conversation. |
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naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 3:34 am Post subject: |
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| JZer wrote: |
| Quote: |
| If you want to learn Spanish, go to a school where there aren't many people who speak English, then try to immerse yourself by getting a job in that country where you speak spanish, dating or marrying locals help as well. |
I might add that unless one reads newspapers, attends a university in the target language, or does an M.A. in Spanish Literature, one is not likely to achieve more than a conversational level in the target language. Just talking to your boyfriend or girlfriend can only get one so far.
I have begun reading Taiwanese children's history books to expand my vocabulary past the level of everyday conversation. |
Agreed, but I only need coversational level. I still teach English for a living. |
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JZer
Joined: 16 Jan 2005
Posts: 3898
Location: Pittsburgh
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| Posted: Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:05 am &nbs | |
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