Learning Language

Tools for Your Spanish Practice - Google Translate

2009-05-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

You need different tools for different parts of your language adventure, like tools to help you learn vocabulary (flashcard and repetitive study programs on the web/iPhone), tools to help you practice conversations (like 3dlanguage), etc.

But one tool I've found to be really helpful is a basic translator - Google Translate. Yeah, yeah, I know, another Google tool - pretty soon there will be Google toilet paper and Google air! But this translator is really helpful if you need to look up a specific word, or if you are trying to read something and struggling with the translation.

Try it out - if you put in on your Google home page, it's pretty convenient.

Phrase of the Day: Nos Vemos Pronto

2008-08-07T05:51:00.001-07:00

We'll see each other soon...

3DLanguage New Versions Available (Spanish - Ordering; ESL - First Version)

2008-07-29T06:21:00.000-07:00

3DLanguage, a revolutionary and immersive product for learning language, has finished its most recent releases - for its Spanish product, a new module on ordering food, and for ESL, its first product.

The software is available in beta for free - for more information, go to www.3dlanguage.net.

UK Language Teaching at All Time Low?

2008-07-08T06:31:00.001-07:00

An interesting article in the Register about the state of language instruction in the UK.

An interesting quote from the article (regarding recent changes to programs) -

Laws laments: "They reduce foreign language study to a functional skill that teaches the sort of thing you find in a 'get by' phrase book. It is selling young people short and is unlikely to inspire anyone to see languages as anything other than mechanical and boring."

Spanish Lesson Video on You Tube (Free)

2008-06-20T08:33:00.000-07:00

Just listening to this video lesson is great, because it gets you used to listening to a native speaker...check it out!

Ali G on Language

2008-06-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

OK - this doesn't have anything to do with learning language. But it is fun.

Phrase of the Day - Que tal?

2008-05-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

Que tal, amiga? Oh, not much, eh?

Very informal, but another great greeting to learn to address friends informally.

Phrase of the Day: Dejame en paz!

2008-05-12T08:03:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life hits you hard, and you need some time alone.

So you'll understand when I say - Dejame en paz. (Leave me alone)

No offense intended.

Phrase of the Day - Golpe bajo

2008-05-09T09:42:00.001-07:00

You gonna bring the King a "hit below the belt" (golpe bajo)? Think again. No puedes dar me un golpe bajo.

Phrase of the Day - Hacer la cama

2008-05-08T05:11:00.000-07:00

No puedo (I can't) hacer (make) la cama (the bed). I can't make the bed.

Well, maybe it's more won't than can't...

Phrase of the Day: No Me Digas

2008-05-07T05:04:00.000-07:00

This one has a pretty funny translation, according to online dictionaries. Well, I never!

No me diga evidently means "You don't say?"

Word of the Day - Paraguas

2008-05-06T09:51:00.001-07:00

Tienes mi paraguas? Oh, yes, the word umbrella is worthless...until it starts to rain.

Phrase of the Day - Hace buen tiempo hoy.

2008-05-05T07:07:00.000-07:00

The weather is good today. Classic conversational filler sentence...

Phrase of the Day - Te voy a dar...

2008-05-01T05:52:00.000-07:00

I'm going to give you... take your pick. Now you know the phrase, you have the power.

Word of the Day - Me Gusta...

2008-04-30T06:24:00.001-07:00

It's an important thing to be able to say - "I like..."

For example, me gusta helado. I like ice cream.

Word of the Day Triple Threat: ¡perdón! ¡disculpe! ¡lo siento!

2008-04-29T14:21:00.000-07:00

When you step on someone's toes, now you have options to say "Excuse me!"

Word/Phrase of the Day: Ha dormido bien?

2008-04-23T05:31:00.000-07:00

I look for daily opportunities, however, small, to use Spanish. If you don't live alone, this is one you might use:

Ha dormido bien? = Did you sleep well?

Note, there are those who might say "Dormiste bien" or some other phrase - I've been told that while this is very correct Spanish, it might seem a little old fashioned.

But hey, it works for me.

Word of the Day - Desayuno

2008-04-18T05:37:00.000-07:00

Mmmm. Desayuno. That's breakfast...

Word of the Day - Miércoles

2008-04-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

That's right, miércoles. Call it Wednesday, over the hump day, the day before recycling day (for me). To a Spanish-speaker, it's miércoles. As in Hoy es miércoles.

But remember, always be careful on Wednesdays...see image.

Word of the Day - Abril

2008-04-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it's April! Or should I say abril.

Word of the Day - Adelante!

2008-04-11T09:59:00.000-07:00

Adelante! = Keep going! or Go ahead!

Gadgets, Gizmos, and Games Cites 3DLanguage As Prime Example of Future of Learning

2008-04-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

A new book by Karl Kapp uses the 3DLanguage product as an example of the new world of learning. It's pretty fascinating stuff - check it out!

Are Your Kids Bamboozling You? (Spanish for Kids)

2008-04-04T05:31:00.000-07:00

Looking at the New York Times archives this morning, I noticed this article. It holds some interesting ideas for anyone learning a language - but definitely for anyone paying for language classes for their children!

New Social Network for Spanish Speakers

2008-04-03T06:02:00.000-07:00

It's been said before in this blog - learning a language can be a lonely road.

But it shouldn't be, should it? I mean really, languages are meant to be spoken to other humanoids, after all.

So I'm pleased to announce that sometime in the next month, we'll be launching a social network just for you. If you're trying to learn Spanish, that is. The goal is simple - get us all connected, sharing knowledge about tools, giving each other a chance to practice with someone non-judgmental.

Heck, we're even toying with the idea of having some of the native speakers we know in the mix, just so they can serve as a expert resource.

If you're interested in getting access to the network, just email me or comment.

That's What I'm Talking About

2008-04-02T07:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's important to visualize "the prize." You have to love Spain - it's "un pais increible."

To Bug/Dar La Paliza (Don't Take This Personally, But...)

2008-03-27T13:32:00.000-07:00

It has recently been proven by millions of people everywhere that the internet is wasting more people's time today than it ever has in the past.

This little site by BBC is a great example of that fact - and of the fact that wasting time is FUN!

How can you not enjoy learning how to say "Se pasa el dia dandome la paliza en el trabajo"?

Check out the link - and enjoy!

New 3DLanguage Content - La Comida

2008-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Yeah! I'm happier than this guy and his music. Sure, we'll both need arthoscopic surgery when we're 40, but hey, life is good now.

Why? Simple - Coccinella is introducing new content, all about one of my favorite subjects. Food!

I'll post the link to the demo when it's done, but I think it is fair to say that 3DLanguage is going to continue to be a great way to learn a foreign language. I use it every day, as you know, and it's working great for me. But don't take my word for it - download it, try it. If you like it use it.

By the way, Coccinella is releasing Arabic and English as a Second Language applications shortly as well.

Spanish - English Dictionary - Online!

2008-02-11T14:36:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you want to know how to say a word. Now.

Try this site - if you have a cell phone with a web browser, you now have a neat little translator at your disposal.

Try it!

I just learned that "loser" is perdedor. So ...

Visual Dictionary for Spanish - Another Free Resource

2008-02-07T05:14:00.000-08:00

Ah, the smell of free vocabulary practice wafts through the air like freshly brewed coffee, calling me to expand my Spanish repertoire.

Spend 5 minutes with it - it's something new. Repeatability may be low, but I stress again...it's free.

Community Center Classes Are Often Ch...Cost Effective

2008-02-06T05:35:00.000-08:00

No matter what tools and techniques you use to learn, it's likely that at some point, you'll want to invest in a class. If you do, definitely check out community centers in your area. In the case of common languages like Spanish, you can often find a 10 week course for under $100.

Although the instruction and curriculum may not be mind-blowing, you'll find yourself with a group of like-minded people you can practice with!

Learning is Behavior Change

2008-01-25T10:09:00.000-08:00

NPR featured Dr. David Katz, ABC Medical Correspondent and Yale doctor. His topic of discussion was New Year's Resolutions, and how we can improve our chances of keeping them.

You've probably heard that about 3 weeks after a resolution is made, it falls by the way side.

His theory of why that is is rooted in the transtheoretical model of behavior change. Basically, he said, we make resolutions in a moment of inspiration, but we haven't made the preparations necessary to succeed. In other words, we haven't ticked off all the phases in this model.

The phases:
- Precontemplation
- Contemplation
- Preparation
- Action
- Maintenance

I find learning anything to, at its core, be about behavior change. Why?

The answer is simple, and that is because if you want to learn a language, martial art, be a better person, you basically have to change your behavior to achieve that goal.

Tired of present tense? I was...

2008-01-24T09:24:00.001-08:00

After you've spoken for a while, you'll get tired of present tense. Quiero tomar algo. No tengo unas aceitunas.

At some point, you want to revel in the past or the future. So here's something I learned today.

Estaba = first or third person form of estar
Estoy adentro de mi casa - I am in my house
Estaba adentro de mi casa - I was in my house

Conjugation covers a lot of ground, and it's difficult to learn just by reading the rules...as I struggle to learn it, I will certainly pass on what I learn.

Six Great Words To Know - Question Words

2008-01-18T06:24:00.000-08:00

Quien = Who
Que = What
Cuando = When
Donde = Where
Como = How
Porque = Why

You can do a lot with these words!

Making Requests

2008-01-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

You must love the internet. There are so many resources out there to take advantage of, it's just silly.

Today, I was thinking about making requests, and I found a little write up on Google Answers (credits to the folks who asked and answered - original link). I found this section most valuable, although it gets into a lot of theory. I put in bold the text most utterly valuable.

First, a clarification about the use of "podría". Podría is the verb
"poder", translatable as "can" / "could", "may", "be able", depending
on the context. The desinence "ía" is what gives its conditional
conjugation. But you wouldn't necessarily use this verb to ask
something in the conditional mode:

"¿Podría darme una servilleta?" corresponds exactly to:

"Could I have a napkin?" or "May I have a napkin?" or more literally
"Could you give me a napkin?"

But there is still to consider the equivalent to:

"Would you give me a napkin?" which is:

"¿Me daría una servilleta?" where the conditional form is given by the
desinence "ía" added to the verb "dar" = "to give"

One major difference between English and Spanish is that the latter is
strongly desinencial, so it doesn't need auxiliary verbs to construct
tenses, as English does (in this case, "would"). Now, this conditional
form, ommiting the verb "poder" ("podría", or "podrías" in a
colloquial context) is by large the preferred usage. Still, the form
preceded by the verb poder is not uncommon, as a way to emphasize
politeness.

Also, you can chose to ommit the conditional conjugation:

"¿Me da una servilleta?" The approximate English correspondance would
be: "Do you give me a napkin?", which would not be used in that
situation. Now, in Spanish, this option is at least as much used as
the conditional one, if not more. This one sounds closer to the
imperative form, but it's not it (what would be "Deme una
servilleta").

A slight and curious difference between the usage of the conditional
and non-conditional form for making a request:

"¿Me da una servilleta, por favor?" and "¿Me daría una servilleta?"
sound similarly polite. If you ommit "por favor" (please) in the first
case, you risk to sound a bit impolite (obviously, depending on your
general attitude and tone).

So, we can configure here an increasing scale of politenes:

1. Deme una servilleta. (imperative: mostly rude)
2. Deme una servilleta, por favor = ¿Me da una servilleta? (not
particularly kind, but OK, in the limit depending on you tone)
3. ¿Me da una servilleta, por favor? = ¿Me daría una servilleta?
(polite enough, most used)
4. ¿Me daría una servilleta, por favor? = ¿Podría darme una
servilleta? (particularly polite)
5. ¿Me podría dar una servilleta, por favor? (most polite)

Please take in account that not always the more polite the better,
specially in very colloquial situations where the excess of politeness
would sound affectionate or snob. To walk in the safe side, always use
options 3 or 4 and you'll do OK.

Basic Vocabulary Resource

2008-01-16T03:11:00.000-08:00

Here's a nice little free web-based resource for you. Covers some basic words, and allows you to click and hear an audio file of the word.

As you know, I practice Spanish every day - and I've found that some basic phrases I use repeatedly:
- Greetings - Such as Hola (hello), Como estas (How are you?), Buenos dias (Good day), Buenas tardes (Good afternoon), and Buenas noches (Good night)
- Basic questions - Donde estas (Where are you?), A donde vas (Where are you going?), Que haces (What are you doing?), Como te sientes (How are you feeling?)
- Basic verbs, you - Tienes (You have___), Quieres (You want____)
- Basic verbs, me - Tengo (I have____), Quiero (I want___)
- Basic verbs, he/she - Tiene (He/she has___), Quiere (He/she wants___)

Practice these, then try using them in conversation - it's actually quite a rush!

A Free Practice Session

2008-01-08T04:19:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of Visual Link, this is a little free lesson. Although I am not impressed with the product, I think it always makes sense to take advantage of something free.

The Secret Sauce to Keeping New Year's Resolutions

2008-01-07T12:45:00.000-08:00

You may not go in for New Year's Resolutions. Let's face it, most people don't follow through on them. But I, for one, believe in making them, and I believe that just about everybody has the ability to follow through on them.

As long as you have the secret sauce recipe.

If you've been reading this blog at all, you may have guessed what I regard the secret sauce to be, so I'll just tell you. It's staying on track until your desire becomes a habit.

How long this transformation takes is for the academics to say, but let's just say that no one masters anything in a couple weeks. And when you set out to make something happen (learn Spanish, get a black belt, be nicer to people, grow an awesome beard), it usually isn't a small thing. I don't know anyone who resolves to "have a good day tomorrow" on New Year's Day, but those people are pretty much set.

In truth, as much as many of us are "immediate gratification-oriented" folks, we don't set our sights on immediate things. Because the easily gotten things are common. So they aren't the stuff of resolutions.

So how do you make it through the initial phase of learning? As someone who started with the resolution of "learn Spanish" just last year, I have some thoughts for you:

1) Can You Say "Pit Stop"? Right after defining your big, audacious goal, define some milestones. You need to give yourself a chance to see that you've achieved something after the first few weeks of working. For example, I wanted to be able to say a simple sentence to someone in Spanish in the first couple weeks - one that they understood. Gave me a thrill, kept me going.

2) Fail to Plan, Plan to Fail. It is possible that you can just achieve your goal through brute force - but it sure helps if you have some kind of plan, and you understand how to get there. Of course, this will help define the milestones above. For example, I needed some kind of structure for learning, so I settled on using our 3DLanguage product and some books for 15 minutes every morning (I also had to resolve to get up at the "crack of donut" in order to be sure I had uninterrupted time). A friend of mine uses a technique Jerry Seinfeld pioneered (I guess?) for tracking his progress, by marking his daily practice on a calendar, and trying not to break the chain. Hey, whatever works.

3) Focus on the Benefits. Write down the why behind your goal, and keep it posted. Personally, I think learning Spanish will make me cooler. Yup, I said it - and I'm sticking to that reason (actually, I'm kidding. Sort of). So I keep that in the forefront of my mind. And posted at my desk.

4) Incorporate Your Resolution into Your Definition of Yourself. The managing director of a consulting firm I once worked for told me, "If you want to be a great senior consultant, the first thing you need to do is go buy yourself a good suit, pen, and shoes. Dress the part. Pretty soon you'll start acting like a great senior consultant, and after a few years, you'll be one." As strange as it sounds, there's something to this. High performing athletes visualize themselves successfully completing high jumps, touchdown passes, etc. Why not you? We let things outside ourselves define who we are all the time. So use this to your advantage. For me, not just practicing Spanish but speaking it to my family was the key. I'm a Spanish speaker...very possibly a sub-kindergarten Spanish speaker, but in a while...

Bottom line, don't shy away from the resolutions! Set your sights high, and give yourself a chance to succeed. You can do it!

Change Up Your Language Practice - Games You Can Play

2007-11-29T06:59:00.001-08:00

Internet Polyglot has some games which you can use to vary up your language practice, and get some more grammar and vocab. Most of the games are accessible for free.

The site's interface leaves a lot to be desired, and the games actually require a little knowledge of Spanish, but I've become a big believer in the idea that you need to have a few options at your disposal while you are learning, simply because you might need a break. You don't eat Cheerios every morning, do you? (actually I often do, but sometimes eggs and bacon really hit the spot).

Conversational, spoken practice is the ultimate end goal for me, but building vocabulary is so important - so I hope this helps you stay focused on your goals, and your daily language practice.

What The Kids Are Using To Learn Spanish

2007-11-27T13:41:00.000-08:00

No, it isn't drugs or rock and roll. I'm actually talking about sites with interactive books, like this one from Scholastic. They put it out on the web for you, so it would be insulting if you didn't use it to learn Spanish!

The level of interactivity is not huge, but you can read sentences in Spanish, have the read for you, and pick up some practice. As long as you are down with Clifford.

Don't lie to yourself now, you know you like Clifford the Big Red Dog. If you are honest with yourself, you may even admit that Clifford Puppy Days books are the last things you cast your drowsy eyes on before you sleep each night.

Have fun.

Free Resources for Spanish Practice - iGoogle Widget

2007-11-12T03:30:00.001-08:00

You may or may not use Google's Personalized Home functionality (called iGoogle), but if you are learning a foreign language, you might consider it.

I've been using a widget from braser.com each day to practice vocabulary (see image below). Setting up the widget is fairly easy - first you have to have iGoogle set up on your Google Account, then you add the widget to your page.

What you end up with is a new vocabulary word each day, with a phonetic pronunciation and the word used in a sentence. I look at it each day, to supplement the rest of my practice.

And, of course, it's free.

Culture Tips - Did I Shake Your Hand Too Hard?

2007-11-01T11:24:00.000-07:00

When learning language, learning cultural "do's and don'ts" can be really valuable. Of course, being able to say "Encantado de concerte" is important to meeting someone who doesn't speak your language, but nonverbal communication makes up a very high percentage of what you end up communicating.

So something as simple as how you shake a person's hand can say as much as your words!

For example, I learned this tip from a Korean friend of mine the other day. When shaking hands, he asked me "Is it the custom in the US to shake hands firmly, or to shake hands lightly?" Being a man, I of course replied "Firmly!"

Without thinking of whom we are shaking hands with, we usually default to whatever the most appropriate thing is in our culture. My friend told me, however, that it is most polite to shake hands lightly in Korea.

Had I not know him, and greeted him "Anyang ha sayo," while shaking hands, my fine use of a Korean greeting might have been completely undermined by a firm, and impolite, handshake!

Here's an article on the topic.

More Free Resources - Self-Test

2007-10-29T07:43:00.000-07:00

Another test, provided by Juan Ramon de Arana. Go on, take a spin.

BabelFish

2007-10-26T05:13:00.000-07:00

I recently received an email written entirely in another language, and rather than asking someone to translate, I decided that this would be a perfect chance to practice and learn.

So I found some tools, and translated the text - the language was not a common one, so I had to use special tools. But just after that, I learned about BabelFish. A great tool - you simply plug in the text, choose the to/from languages, and click submit.

I've used it since for German, French and Italian, and it works pretty well! Enjoy!

Parenting & Language Learning

2007-10-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

As an adult learner, it's hard to read an article like this and not feel a bit, well, cheated. But if you have children, it should really reinforce a) your attempts to learn language, and b) the impact of you learning a language on your child.

I find the idea that kids older than 5 or 6 have missed a window of opportunity a little hard to swallow, but on the other hand, it is also motivating.

There are also plenty of ways to expose a child to a foreign language:
- Video programming
- Friends who speak a foreign language
- Travel to foreign countries

The point made in this article that is most important to me is how crucial the parent is to language development. If you have kids, your learning pursuits can make a difference to them.

Motivating Statistics About Spanish, pt. 2

2007-10-24T03:49:00.001-07:00

Wikipedia has an interesting entry for Spanish Language in the US. Again, maybe the most important thing is gaining a little extra motivation for your study. If you aren't studying Spanish, you might look for a link for your language.

The table indicating the Spanish-speaking percentage of the population by state is really interesting!

Using the Verb "Tomar"

2007-10-23T06:42:00.001-07:00

For those of you studying Spanish, you'll find this article from About.com interesting.

Tomar is one of those words that means all kinds of different things. So it can either be a high value piece of vocabulary, or confusing as heck!

Free Resources for Spanish Practice

2007-10-23T06:34:00.001-07:00

In my regular search for resources to help me learn, I stumbled upon this test from the BBC. It will, at least, give you a sense for what you are learning as you practice.

Motivating Statistics About Spanish

2007-10-22T09:40:00.000-07:00

As I've mentioned in past posts, sometimes, keeping your motivation level up is the most important thing you can do to achieve your language learning goals. So here are a few "did you knows" (courtesy of the Baltimore Public Library Site):

Spanish is the official language of 20 countries
There are more than 30 countries and territories in which Spanish is widely spoken
Spanish is the third most widely-spoken language in the world? 250 million people speak Spanish as their mother tongue
Spanish ranks 4th in official language population. 280 million people live in countries where Spanish is the official language

Surviving the "Dip" - 5 Rules

2007-10-08T03:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a thought for you - 5 Rules for Surviving the Language Learning Dip.

1) Have clear goals & write them down - When you hit the tough times, if you don't know why you are working so hard, you will be more likely to quit. Have a goal(s) written down in your study area so you can refer to it daily. Make it exciting and challenging - mine is, "Learn enough Spanish over the next year so I can go there to live for a month or two." Always helps if there's a reward in it for you.

2) When you get bored, shake things up - Vocabulary drills can be mind-numbing. Although I do practice vocab, I don't do it daily. But if you're getting bored, change things up - find a foreign language paper online, and try reading a sentence. Look up the words you don't know. Flip on an foreign language internet radio station - try writing an email to someone in Spanish (you don't even need to send it).

3) Stay focused, practice daily - Think of it the same way you would think about exercising - if you don't work at it daily, you won't get in shape. Make time for it each day.

4) Challenge/reward yourself regularly - Nothing is more motivating than taking a risk (such as speaking to a native) and being rewarded with a positive reaction ("Your accent is great!"). More traditional rewards are good too - you might also set a short-term goal (learn how to conjugate verbs...) and then buy yourself that iPhone you've been waiting to buy...

5) Work within a community - This may be the most important thing of all - seek out people who are also trying to learn, people you can talk to. That way, you'll have extra motivation to learn, and support during the rough times.

Can I Talk To A Native Speaker?

2007-10-04T06:05:00.001-07:00

No matter how much you practice, you will probably never be entirely comfortable in talking to a native speaker. Let's face it - it's the same reason that talking to an attorney about law or a professor about their discipline can cause you to roll over and agree with anything they say.

They are the experts, right?

Although I've been practicing Spanish diligently for months, I still get tongue-tied and make mistakes when I try to actually speak with a native.

Speaking to another person is a lot like public speaking - you may feel as if your whole value as a person is being judged! But working through that feeling is valuable.

So here's a technique I've recently developed - feel free to use it. You don't even have to give me credit:
1) Pick some people you know are not primarily English speakers (regardless of what language they speak)
2) Learn one or two words in their language (I recommend hello and goodbye)
3) Every time you see those people, use these words
4) If they correct you, try to implement what they suggested next time. If they don't correct you, ask them if you are saying these words correctly.

Although you may learn 5-10 words in languages you will never speak, you will get practice using simple words to speak to someone in another language. And that practice will help you lose your fear of speaking the language you are trying to learn.

Staying On Track By Getting Off Track

2007-10-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

A post from Thomas Crawford about a Seth Godin idea called the "Dip" - definitely something for you to read if you're starting the adventure of learning a new language. The post also references Karl Kapp (whose recent book Gadgets, Games, and Gizmos features our product), who reinforces the same idea from a different direction - that of trial and error.

Take the two ideas together, and you end up with an empowering idea for anyone trying to learn - it's OK to get stuck in a rut, and varying and rethinking your studies, even if it means a loss of productivity (getting off track) might hold the key to getting you back on track.

This is a knowledge fractal you'll see show up across lots of disciplines - my Tae Kwon Do instructor talks about periods where you "plateau" in terms of your development, and no matter how much effort you put in, you don't seem to move forward. Times passes. Then you hit a magical breakthrough point, and you're off again.

Look back at Thomas Kuhn's Structure of Scientific Revolutions and you'll find the same idea of "punctuated equilibrium" or paradigm shifts.

Bottom line - Expect to have periods in your process of learning where you seem to be running in place, and when those times hit, get out of your routine and try something different. And give yourself a break. Part of the solution is time passing...

Entertainment and Learning

2007-09-25T14:11:00.000-07:00

Today, my son and I were watching this video of the original introduction to the Spiderman cartoon. He loves watching it - and so do I actually - we repeated it 4 times before I had to shut it off.

I noticed that he was carefully practicing the lyrics and trying to get them all down, so afterwards I asked him, "Was that cool or what?"

His reply was yes - and it illustrated for me the importance of entertainment in learning, especially for people doing self-study. The excitement helps fuel the learning process.

Vocabulary Flashcards

2007-09-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

Flashcard Exchange is a great tool if you like to use flashcards for your study. They offer a free account, and I've found there are a few free resources specifically for language study - take a gander at them!

"Stretch" & Learning

2007-09-25T03:38:00.000-07:00

In creating a daily learning routine for yourself, you're probably making choices about which drills and practice you do, just like I do. Well, I've noticed that it's incredibly easy to fall into the trap of rehashing the same ground, and not challenging yourself quite as much as you should.

Put another way, once you have a piece of vocab down, you don't have to practice it as much to keep it fresh in your memory - so you should move to more challenging vocabulary.

While that makes the administration of learning a bit harder, it's important to set up new challenges for yourself on a regular basis, so that you continue to build your skills.

I'd set a time each month to take a look at your routines and "up the ante"!

More Free Resources

2007-09-18T04:15:00.000-07:00

Variety is pretty important in learning a language - once it gets boring, you're fighting a battle.

Fortunately, you can supplement whatever you are doing with interesting and free resources, like the video below, offered through YouTube. Although this video is structured as a lesson, you can watch other Spanish language videos and get the same effect - hearing native speakers talk, and getting your ears around the language.

Surviving the "Dip" - Theory

2007-09-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

Like marathon runners, learners of any subject go through times where there excitement is high, and times when it is a real struggle to practice. But regardless of the tools you use, or the subject you are "training" in, you need to weather the dips.

Just like a marathoner running a race, you are eventually going to hit a wall - the marathoners typically hit the wall in the last miles of the race, ironically enough. But they often experience smaller dips earlier in the race.

So if you are learning a foreign language, when do the dips hit? What do you do to overcome them? In past posts, I've thrown out some ideas, but my most basic one is this - language learners often hit a wall because they can't easily apply what they know to real life.

What I mean is this - if you read books and do written language practice at home, but never write a letter to anyone in that language to actually communicate to them, it's...well, always just academic.

Real life application is really important. I play guitar and have played in bands for a long time - but I often have an irresistible urge to play a show or record the songs I've written. It isn't good enough for me to play or practice every day - there needs to be a fulfilling end to your efforts, not just a goal.

So, if you are learning a language, what is your fulfilling realization of your efforts? The goal might be "learn to speak Spanish" but when you think about it, that just isn't motivating! If the real end is to read the writings of a famous Spanish author in the original text, or to travel to Spain and speak only Spanish - well those are examples of fulfilling realizations of your efforts. More importantly, you can set up intermediate milestones (speak to a friend at work who speaks Spanish, read a Spanish newspaper, etc.) that will keep you from tiring of your pursuit.

Like a marathoner, don't just train to be fit! Train to run the race - the fitness will happen on its own!!

Notes in Spanish Podcasts

2007-09-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

In my never ending pursuit for content which can help me learn Spanish, I was referred to this site, which features podcasts to help you learn or maintain your Spanish. For me this works well for road trips for work, when I need an alternative to NPR.

TIP: Speak to Your Kids, Friends, or Family

2007-09-08T05:43:00.001-07:00

One of the things I've noticed lately is that speaking to your kids (or friends, spouse, etc.) on a daily basis even if they don't speak the language has a huge impact.

I routinely use phrases like "A donde vas?" or "Que quieres?" with my son. He now knows what I am asking, and responds in English most often. The weird thing is, after so much repetition, I also don't think about the English translation!

Now I'm starting to try to say other, more complicated things using what I'm learning.

It really helps retention.

The Importance of Variety

2007-09-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

Recently, in my quest to learn Spanish, I've noticed that one of the walls I hit is one of interest.

As many of you who have used books, like Pimsleur or Berlitz, or tapes/CDs, will understand my point. It gets boring to drill on chapters of a book repeatedly - not to say that it isn't worthwhile to go through a book or CD/podcast from time to time.

I have a couple books, sites, and products that I'm using to learn (apart from the actual interactions I'm trying to have with people):
- Muzzy - The content is a little outdated (it appears that they are really trying to maximize the value of an investment by the BBC years ago), but it is still a piece of media. Some buyers I've talked to say they hate it - but I do pop in the DVD or CD from time to time, because I find the repetition helpful. At over $200 a language, it isn't a cheap thing, though. I bought it for my kid - as a substitute for Thomas videos.

- My First Spanish-English Visual Dictionary - This is just a kid's book - but it has a ton of vocabulary, and pictures too. I leaf through it from time to time, again, to reinforce vocabulary.

- Mommy Teach Me Spanish - A line of DVDs on the level of the Baby Einstein series by Julie Aigner Clark. The production values are similar - looks like someone produced it fairly inexpensively. However, it is, again, a fairly effective way to get some repetition and variety. The DVD was a gift to my son - and it is interesting in that it uses real kids in it, so kids may identify with it more readily.

- 3DLanguage - Full Disclosure - I'm part of the company that produces 3DL - Together with these other materials, 3DLanguage is really helpful in getting you listening to and speaking Spanish sentences. Unlike phrase books, the interactions are realistic and extremely interactive, so I get a chance to try my hand at words and phrases, and get real feedback. Kind of like a dress rehearsal. Rather than go into an extensive comparision of products out there, I'll just say that, based on using other products for Japanese and other languages, I find 3DLanguage to simply be more engaging - and that is a huge advantage when it comes to sticking to your language learning plan.

More later...

Investing in The Future - Pushing for 6 Weeks

2007-09-05T03:42:00.000-07:00

One of the toughest things I've found about learning language is persisting through the rough spots, where you would rather just give up.

In fact, learning a language and getting in shape seem to be kind of similar. At first, you have all adrenaline of a new adventure pushing you forward - but after few weeks, the work is not nearly as exciting as it was, and the results haven't really shown up yet.

As with exercise, you can get a personal trainer - but for most of us, spending big $$$ on a trainer for a year or two while we get ourselves in shape is not feasible. I've heard it said that if you can last 6 weeks with a new routine, you can make it part of your permanent schedule.

I guess it comes down to self-discipline, and staying focused on what you want to achieve. I just passed the hump of 6 weeks, and it did get hard to stay focused. But I kept telling myself - "If you can make it one year, and you have some fluency, I'm taking you to Spain!"

Maybe a little reward every so often, or a big one when you hit your goal will be motivating?

A Few Observations...Right Off The Bat

2007-09-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, I've noticed a few things that it might help to know - and certainly helps for me to keep in mind as I practice.

I know that my personality type is different than others, so some of these may not work for you - but they have for me:

1) Make a learning "appointment" - The reality of my situation is that I have to get up at the crack of dawn to study language. I tried for a time just practicing whenever - but it was very easy to put off, and just didn't happen. Getting up early worked for me in college (a lesson I learned 3rd year...), and it is even more true now, with kids who will not leave me alone when they are awake.

2) Surround yourself with the language - I try to turn on the Spanish speaking sports channel when I'm in the car, or read a kids book in Spanish, or just look at "word of the day" sites. My son also has the "Muzzy" line of Spanish products. While those little things don't really impact my spoken Spanish much individually, collectively, they help support what I'm doing.

3) Focus on speaking - OK, I have to admit a bias, since I'm part of the 3DLanguage team. But honestly, it is a heck of a lot more meaningful to practice spoken language than writing. After all, you learn to speak before you learn to read...I really recommend getting a tool that can help you with spoken language. With full disclosure then, try 3DLanguage if you think speaking will help you - Spanish is available now, with English and Arabic under development.

4) Get a partner in crime - My oldest son, unwillingly, has been drafted into my Spanish practice. I try to say what I know to him - and it's funny, but he's young enough to not question it. He routinely responds to me in Spanish now. I can't tell you how motivating that is.

One Man's Journey To Language?

2007-09-04T12:53:00.002-07:00

A few years ago now, I took my first trip to Spain. Like the founder of 3DLanguage, Dave, my experience with the country was enough to make me want to learn the language.

I'd studied more than a couple languages, having lived overseas for a while, so I thought to myself "Hey, this is going to be great. After all, Spanish is really similar to English, right?"

I spent the first couple years reminding myself - "You need to learn Spanish. Get on that."

It wasn't until I had kids that it kind of dawned on me - if I wanted them to have fluency in two languages, I was going to have to get on it. So a couple months ago I decided to try to really supercharge my efforts, and get disciplined for a year. To see if I could really make a dent in my goal.

I decided to start this blog to keep a record of my own progress in learning, both as a resource for others and myself. Of course, I'm using the 3DLanguage tool on a daily basis (I'm targeting 10 minutes a day...). To get a free demo of it, click on this link - then the icon with the face.