I declared today a lazy day. Not out loud, just in the back of my head. I'll need to report back to work unofficially over the next few days to set up our Spanish department and my classroom. As a third year teacher, I'm gaining a little more traction on planning ahead and setting up organizational systems. Ideas are flowing to create a successful learning environment, but the future execution of said ideas will be the tried and true assessment. With that being said, I indulged in one last "do nothing at all before the school year crashes in and consumes my life with stolen pencils and gradebook adjustments and pronunciation practice and so forth" day. Whew.
But I refused to let that "do nothing" spirit keep me from posting today. While my experiences in the classroom have yet to begin for this year, there still exists a few things that render worthy of sharing for the time being. I've stumbled across many resources throughout my acquisition of a second language, some ehh and some tried and true. So here I am spreading the good news. Go on, take a gander and meander through this list of resources and helpful things that have guided me through the Spanish-speaking world.
1) http://www.spanishdict.com
I've found this website to be one of the most thorough and reliable resources for a Spanish-English/English-Spanish dictionary, as well as a fountain of verb conjugation charts and other helpful tools. When all else fails, this is a one stop shop for many of your verb and vocabulary needs.
2) https://www.duolingo.com
This website/app teaches multiple languages, and it comes completely free! Duolingo functions like a game, teaching you a language as you go, unlocking levels as you progress and taking away hearts (or lives) if you fail. It encompasses the four main components of language learning: listening, reading, writing and speaking. While the vocabulary seems limited and repetitive at first, the further you progress the more you obtain.
3) http://www.forvo.com
Forvo brings me to a happy place. A really cool, ear-tickling happy place. Why? Forvo brings the pronunciation of words in multiple languages to your very own auditory senses. For example, I would like to know how the phrase "hasta mañana" is pronounced in Spanish. So I type it in, and multiple responses appear with pronunciations from around the globe, including Spain, Mexico, and the Philippines. With those pronunciations I can hear the nuances of the language from country to country, and realize that if I venture to Argentina and pick up a lisp, I'm not alone.
4) https://www.youtube.com
Here's my obvious resource for the day, although it's not always as obvious as it seems. While we know Youtube hosts a world of funny videos and song covers, it also provides an innumerable amount of resources to the common man. These resources include lessons on how to fix a running toilet to enlightening TED talks to - you guessed it - learning a language. If you decide to venture into that video-driven world, you'll find multitudes of lessons on AR verb conjugations, Spanish-speaking countries and capitals, differences between SER and ESTAR and more. And hey, you learn for free.
5) iTunes
For me, iTunes is the gift that keeps on giving.
// Speaking academically, iTunes U supplies a good chunk of free teaching and podcasts that cover a variety of topics for language learning. Visiting there will not leave you disappointed, but go in with a topic in mind to discover.
// On the other side of things, iTunes itself has boosted my senses, emotions and energy throughout the language learning process. I love discovering music that I connect well with, and I've encountered multiple artists and songs that I enjoy listening to in both English and Spanish. One of the most rewarding and worshipful experiences I have as a Christ-follower is singing along to music in both languages. There is something so humbling and yet so empowering that I feel in those moments that I rarely forget the impact they have on me, and those moments perpetuate my giving and learning spirit.
To conclude, I'll leave you with a gem.
-Alli
But I refused to let that "do nothing" spirit keep me from posting today. While my experiences in the classroom have yet to begin for this year, there still exists a few things that render worthy of sharing for the time being. I've stumbled across many resources throughout my acquisition of a second language, some ehh and some tried and true. So here I am spreading the good news. Go on, take a gander and meander through this list of resources and helpful things that have guided me through the Spanish-speaking world.
1) http://www.spanishdict.com
I've found this website to be one of the most thorough and reliable resources for a Spanish-English/English-Spanish dictionary, as well as a fountain of verb conjugation charts and other helpful tools. When all else fails, this is a one stop shop for many of your verb and vocabulary needs.
2) https://www.duolingo.com
This website/app teaches multiple languages, and it comes completely free! Duolingo functions like a game, teaching you a language as you go, unlocking levels as you progress and taking away hearts (or lives) if you fail. It encompasses the four main components of language learning: listening, reading, writing and speaking. While the vocabulary seems limited and repetitive at first, the further you progress the more you obtain.
3) http://www.forvo.com
Forvo brings me to a happy place. A really cool, ear-tickling happy place. Why? Forvo brings the pronunciation of words in multiple languages to your very own auditory senses. For example, I would like to know how the phrase "hasta mañana" is pronounced in Spanish. So I type it in, and multiple responses appear with pronunciations from around the globe, including Spain, Mexico, and the Philippines. With those pronunciations I can hear the nuances of the language from country to country, and realize that if I venture to Argentina and pick up a lisp, I'm not alone.
4) https://www.youtube.com
Here's my obvious resource for the day, although it's not always as obvious as it seems. While we know Youtube hosts a world of funny videos and song covers, it also provides an innumerable amount of resources to the common man. These resources include lessons on how to fix a running toilet to enlightening TED talks to - you guessed it - learning a language. If you decide to venture into that video-driven world, you'll find multitudes of lessons on AR verb conjugations, Spanish-speaking countries and capitals, differences between SER and ESTAR and more. And hey, you learn for free.
5) iTunes
For me, iTunes is the gift that keeps on giving.
// Speaking academically, iTunes U supplies a good chunk of free teaching and podcasts that cover a variety of topics for language learning. Visiting there will not leave you disappointed, but go in with a topic in mind to discover.
// On the other side of things, iTunes itself has boosted my senses, emotions and energy throughout the language learning process. I love discovering music that I connect well with, and I've encountered multiple artists and songs that I enjoy listening to in both English and Spanish. One of the most rewarding and worshipful experiences I have as a Christ-follower is singing along to music in both languages. There is something so humbling and yet so empowering that I feel in those moments that I rarely forget the impact they have on me, and those moments perpetuate my giving and learning spirit.
To conclude, I'll leave you with a gem.
-Alli