SRA. ANDRIAN-
｡Bienvenidos!
CASTILLO
E.H.M.S.
SPANISH
7TH & 8TH GRADES
A word of explanation
In a few minutes Spanish class will
both when listening and speaking. It’s
Crossing that river is absolutely
begin. Hopefully you will be pleasantly
as if you were walking along the
necessary if you want to learn to
surprised to learn that the language of
countryside and came to a river of
communicate in Spanish. If you
communication in the class will be
murky water. There is no way around,
faithfully follow the classroom
Spanish. This may cause you some
neither is there a ferry, nor a bridge in
procedures listed below, your task will
frustration at first, but there is an
sight. You must cross. The only
be much easier.
extremely important reason for doing
solution is to lower yourself into the
this. I assure you that I do not want to
water and somehow float across. For a
torture you nor am I trying to make
while you may not be totally under
you feel dumb. It would be easier for
control, but eventually you will get to
me to teach you in English but that
the other side. Your tendency will be
would actually slow down your Spanish
to hang on to the willows along the
learning. To learn a new language, you
bank (your English) and not let go, but
have to learn to think in the language,
if you do that you’ll never get across.
1. LISTEN carefully to what is said, try hard to understand. At first you will not
understand all (or any) of what I say. I do not expect you to. But, don’t tune
me out and don’t panic. Stand your ground, grit your teeth, and try to catch the
gist of what I am saying. Watch for gestures, facial expressions, listen for words
that are similar in English, and other clues. While you will have to tolerate
some vagueness at first, a successful language learner is a good guesser; use your
imagination!
YOU CAN DO IT!
JUMP IN!
How to survive, learn and thrive in Spanish class
2. COMMUNICATE the best you can in
Spanish. At first, you’ll just be able to say a
few words, imperfectly spoken. For a
while you will have to return to the
speaking level of a young child. Try to
accept that. If you were learning to play
the piano as an adult, you would not start
with a concerto; you would start with
simple little pieces. As soon as possible, I
will give you tools to help you
communicate in class. We will practice
with a USEFUL PHRASES list. You should
use the words and phrases on it as often as
you can.
3. TRY NOT TO feel pressure or anxiety.
Do not have unrealistic expectations, such
as being able to speak Spanish as well as
you do English in a few months. Focus
your efforts on the process of ‘perfecting’
not on ‘perfection’. I am on your side and
I will set you up for success. I am eager for
you to learn Spanish. Accept my
corrections and suggestions with good
humor. Adopt the attitude that, “I’m going
to make a million mistakes before I learn
Spanish, so I might as well get started.”
Don’t be alarmed if others in the class
seem to understand more or seem to be
learning faster than you are. These
differences exist in music, art, athletic
skills, public speaking, etc. Evaluate your
individual progress in terms of your own
growth, not by the progress of others. If
you want to learn faster, just spend more
time studying and using the language.
4. LEARN WITH & FROM OTHERS.
Language is best learned with someone
else. Find a partner from class that you can
practice with before or after class or on the
phone. As you learn new ways to say
things, try them out on friends who speak
Spanish. Listen to what others say and get
ideas from them. If you can’t find another
So trust that the class activities I ask you to
do and the homework I assign will give you
person to practice with, then practice
prior to coming to class and to have
with yourself. Pretend, make up little
practiced the assignment. This way we
plots and conversations in your head,
can spend much of our class time using
practice what you would say in
that Spanish content to communicate
different situations.
with each other rather than using half
5. ASK FOR HELP or clarification if
the class to explain or lecture about it.
you need it. Don’t assume that you are
7. BE SPONTANEOUS &
the only one who doesn’t understand.
UNINHIBITED. Learning Spanish
Feel free to say, “No comprendo.” (I
can be fascinating and fun. Laugh with
don’t understand) or “Repite, por
me, with others and at yourself. Feel
favor.” (Repeat, please.) or “¿Qué
free to enjoy learning how to
quiere decir…?”, (“What does it
communicate in Spanish. Help me out
mean?”). I will be happy to try to
by smiling or nodding when you
explain in some other way. You can
understand. When you don’t, then
use, “¿Cómo se dice…?” to ask how to
shake your head and look confused.
say something. I will also help you
rephrase your question in Spanish.
8. THINK POSITIVELY.
Everything I do or say has a positive
6. PREPARE YOURSELF
interpretation. Respond by being
OUTSIDE OF CLASS. The grammar
positive too. I want to help you do
explanations presented in the written
your best. Everything I ask you to do
materials and video clips are quite
as class work or homework is for the
clear and we will not be spending A
purpose of setting you up to succeed
LOT of time going over them in class.
in improving your Spanish ability. We
I expect you to study the material
are on the same team! 