For those who are doubtful to trust a stranger’s advice, I am currently in Spanish 300 in high school. If you have questions or concerns about anything that I advise in this post, please feel free to email me at trevbork (at) gmail (dot) com.
Learning Spanish has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I have learned how to have confidence in my work, I have learned things about English grammar, I have learned to take notes, and the list goes on. What may sound weird is that three years ago, Spanish was one of my least favorite classes.
If you are in a place where you do not enjoy Spanish, it’s ok, Spanish is not for everyone. However, you should not let a course you do not like get the best of you. If you are struggling with the curriculum, or if you are thinking that you may soon be in over your head, allow the next several tips to become part of your Spanish learning habits.
Question: I have a hard time with memorization of oral presentations. What should I do?
Answer: I found that for myself, the key to solid and meaningful memorization was through reading the oral presentation aloud as you are preparing. Be sure to prepare the actual dialogue at least three days in advance (if possible…I know some courses are a bit more rigorous) and if it is permissible, prepare the visual presentations at least two days in advance.
If you read aloud, you will:
A. See the words you are to memorize
B. Hear the words you are to memorize
C. Be aware of the words you are to memorize
When you read aloud, or perhaps before you begin reading aloud, make sure you are pronunciating the word(s) correctly. If you do not know how to pronounce a word, read it, then highlight or take note of it, and ask a professional instructor, speaker, or teacher how to properly pronounce the word.
After you have read the word(s) aloud for at least two days, your next step is to write the words. A good technique to ensure solid and meaningful memorization is to write down what you are able to recite. Then compare your writing with the real dialogue and fill in the gaps and correct the errors. If there are major errors such as gaps in sentences, you should spend more time reading aloud and not worry about writing.
Question: I left all of my work for the last minute, and I have a TON of Spanish work due tomorrow. What should I do?
Answer: Waiting until the last minute is never a good thing. The results are hardly, if ever, good. Remember the ultimate goal of any curriculum is to learn the material. Grades are a separate entity used to measure performance on a completely different level from actual life-application or intellect. What you may consider doing at this point is to not worry about the grade you are going to receive, and instead, focus on learning. While remaining calm and relaxed, start from square one, and at no faster of a pace, begin reading aloud.
If you overload your mind with ton of new words it has never seen before, or if you do a half-effort job on ten pages of your workbook instead of doing a full-effort on five pages, chances are good that you will fail to retain any of what you crammed or rushed through.
However, if you take time to work from square one at the same pace that you normally travel, chances are good that you will be able to retain what you learn. The mind can only intake so much at one time. The more you give it at one time, the greater the likelihood becomes that the information being processed will not embed itself as deep into your mind as it would if you take in little chunks of information over a period of many small time periods.
Question: My schedule is so full, I don’t have time to study or do my assignments. What should I do?
Answer: The first thing to realize is that you are not alone with a busy schedule. Comparing who has the busiest schedule is impossible because everyone works and completes tasks differently. If you are feeling completely unable to study or complete your assignments, it’s time to analyze your typical day. Do this by writing or thinking about all the events in one day and highlight any brief or lengthy periods of free time, however long or short the period of time.
After you know all of the periods of free time in your day, find ways to integrate studying or working on assignments with that free time. Be creative with your ideas. Here are some ideas:
If you go straight from school to work on a semi-regular basis with little turnaround time between the two events, try to arrive at work 15 minutes early. Before you clock-in or check-in, or begin your work, spend your 15 minutes of free time studying. If you are unable to bring your textbook or workbook with you to your place of work, a good solution is to make a copy of the pages you need to study or complete. This way, you can fold up your assignment or study material and tuck it into your pocket when it is time to begin work. Now with your study pages in your pocket, every moment of free time or down time becomes a possible opportunity to study. If it is permissible by your manager or your supervisor (if applicable), you can pull your papers out during times of down-time or no work. You can also pull out the study papers during breaks or lunches.
Another study strategy to use at the workplace is the use of a digital recorder or MP3 player. If you find yourself with brief moments of free time on your hands at work, or if you are on a break or a lunch, you can record your reading (which hopefully is being done aloud), and you can review your recording by listening to it, and making changes and correcting errors. If you are bringing an MP3 player to work, it is a good idea to make sure that you have a microphone for your computer at home or a microphone or recording device integrated on the unit. If you own an Mp3 player without a recording device, chances are good that the manufacturer of your Mp3 player makes a peripheral recording device that you could either order online or pick up at your local retail electronics store. Also if you are bringing a digital recorder or MP3 player to work, you should make sure that you have a place to store and lock it so that you can prevent any loss or theft. The other highly important thing to make sure to do before bringing any sort of recording device or electronics to your workplace is to check with your manager or supervisor to make sure it is permissible to bring that sort of technology into the workplace.
For the most part, managers are understanding. If you explain to them that you are a student, and especially if you are a minor, chances are really good that you and your manager will be able to work out an agreement as to when and where you can study or review your schoolwork.
If it is not permissible to bring any outside papers or electronic devices to work, do not sneak them into work without expecting consequences. I do not encourage you to bend or break any rules, regulations, or policies that your employer may have. If this is the case, find other creative ways to review your course material. Perhaps you can play a mind game with yourself during periods of less work or no work. The mind game could consist of trying to remember as much course material as you can without looking at anything. Try to visualize the pages of you workbook and only review the words in your head that you are certain are correct. It is not a good idea to have doubts about a word and study it with redundancy because you are at risk for becoming prone to fusing your mind to a word or phrase that is incorrect.
If you have other responsibilities or obstacles which conflict with your study time such as a need to exercise, you can also use the Mp3 player strategy to solve your conflict. It is important to realize that the more you can surround yourself with what you need to learn, the more likely you are able to retain the information and be able to do well on whatever future assignment or exam that may exist.
Question: I have not paid attention in class for such a long time. I do not know where to pick back up again. What should I do?
Answer: First, talk to your teacher or instructor. Chances are good that your teacher or instructor is aware of your current struggle, and if they know that you have a sincere desire to change the way you participate, they will be more likely to offer other recommendations or advise. This will also allow the ability to express your problem to someone else which is sometimes a helpful technique for some people.
Second, if you can afford the expenses, find a tutor. Find a tutor that has been teaching for a long time, or has experience with adapting to alternative learning styles, or knows where you are coming from in terms of your struggle. If you can do this, chances are good that you will be able to pick back up again and rock at Spanish.
If you can not afford the expenses of a tutor, try finding someone who will give you tips or possibly even a volunteer tutor. Volunteer tutors are not always the best but they almost always help with academic support and motivation. If you can at least get someone to motivate you, this is key because if you feel good about your in-class performance or whatever you are learning, chances are good that you will soon be able to get back on your feet in times of academic struggle.
Question: I have a ‘bad’ teacher. What should I do?
The most important thing to do is to not take your anger or frustration out on a teacher, instructor, or peer. The teacher is there to represent the knowledge being taught in the classroom. If you are having a hard time with a teacher, talk to another adult, a friend, a trusted relative, etc about your struggle with a teacher. Do not confront the teacher about the problem as your first strategy.
After you receive advice from other trusted people, try to disengage yourself from the actual teacher and focus on what they are saying. If the teacher is rude, be bigger than the rudeness. You are there to learn, not to be negatively altered by the rudeness of a teacher. If the rudeness is out of line or inappropriate, seek necessary steps immediately. If a teacher is being overly mean or rude, you need to seek the advice of an administrative official, a human resources representative, etc. Make sure someone in a higher position of power knows about your situation.
The next thing to remember is to focus on learning and forget about defending yourself from the rudeness of others. If the rudeness is not to a level where you would seek external administrative help on the situation, make sure to ignore the rudeness and simply focus on being a student and/or a learner of the material being taught. If your physical safety is being violated, even if you are not being externally hurt, you need to talk to an administrator or higher power about this as well.
If the teacher or instructor is simply a ‘bad’ teacher – defined as someone who is unable to teach clearly, you should seek a tutor, or try to find help from another teacher. If you are unable to do this, talk with your instructor and ask for additional practice materials so that your instructor is aware of your desire to go beyond the requirements of the class, and that you can also have the advantage of additional practice.
If you follow the above steps, you will do well in Spanish. I can not guarantee anything, but I can assure that these steps have worked for me. If you have any comments about what you have just read, please feel free to comment on this. Your comment will not be blocked if it is in opposition to this article. Varying opinions are highly encouraged. Good luck.
