learning through reading

As I’ve shared in one of my previous posts, reading in your target language is one good way to get a grasp of that language. I regret not being able to go deeper on this topic on that post, so that’s what I’ll be doing here. I’ll be giving you tips on how and where to go to learn Spanish by reading.

If you like being updated on current events, then reading the newspaper is a good option to go. El Diario La Prensa is a daily newspaper in New York City covering race, & ethnic society and culture. It’s published every day, so you’ll be sure to get fresh news IN SPANISH.

For online reading practice, you can go to http://www.spanishpronto.com/spanishpronto/readingpractice.html where you would find topics on Spanish culture, with highlights on terms that you might find useful in the future. The article is written in English, but you have the option to read it in Spanish by clicking on a link. The site gives you terms to remember depending on your level (beginner, intermediate, advanced), so be sure to check this out.

You can also visit http://www.ihes.com/bcn/spanish/reading.html, where you would find a vast selection of Spanish stories, novels and articles all written in Spanish. The sites are written entirely in Spanish, so you better learn if you don’t want to get lost.

May I also suggest using bilingual books for beginners? This is the kind of book where both English and Spanish texts appear side-by-side. Excellent way to practice your comprehension, as you could easily compare English with the Spanish translation. http://www.myibros.com offers excellent bilingual books for children while http://multilingualbooks.com/spanbil.html offers great selection for adults.

I am a wide reader myself, and I believe in the power reading has. You can certainly learn a lot from reading, and learning a new language is no exception. I hope I was able to help you through this post. Good luck!

One benefit of learning Spanish

We’ve heard it again and again. More and more Americans are angry at having to learn Spanish in their own country. Yes, their own English speaking country. Many people think it sounds ridiculous having to adjust to immigrants when they are the one who decided to live in our country. But we have to understand that times are changing and that we have to change along with it in order to survive.

You probably heard of a friend or a family who can’t find a decent job because they don’t know how to speak Spanish. This is actually very common in the United States, not just in New York. I know how outrageous this may seem, but we need to understand why this is happening.

Everything actually has something to do with the money. Businesses make money by reaching to people. The more people they reach, the more money they make. And one good way of making sure to reach people is by having employees who can speak different languages. If a representative can’t communicate with the customer, they would take their business elsewhere – and that’s not a good thing.

Bilingualism is becoming a fast trend around the world. English speaking countries need people who can speak Spanish, while Spanish speaking countries need people who can speak English. I guess that’s just how the world works. Be on the safe side, be bilingual.

I’m not asking you to take expensive Spanish classes, or to buy expensive software. There are a lot of options you can choose from in order to learn Spanish. You can go to community colleges, or hook up with somebody who speaks Spanish to give you a start in learning.

Please don’t get me wrong. I love my country and I love the language I’ve been speaking since I was a child but I choose to be successful. And learning Spanish is one of the steps I needed to take in order to reach success. Besides, learning is fun. And having the power to reach out to people of different race makes the learning worth it.

The making of a bilingual kid in NYC

Learning Spanish in Ney York City is not just for adults. You often read about raising bilingual kids in magazines, newspapers and you even hear about it on TV. My friend, Michelle, has two kids ages five and four. Michelle knows that I am learning Spanish and, probably influenced by Dora, she wants to have her kids learns Spanish too. Don’t get me wrong, I like Dora (and that “swiper-no-swiping” thing. Hehe…) but I don’t think that’s reason enough to push your kids to learn Spanish. Learning is fun, and learning Spanish will definitely benefit your kids in the future. But first, you would need to know if your kids are even interested in learning Spanish. I mean, sure, they’re shouting “andale! andale!” while running around your living room but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to sit in front of a computer with a Spanish software for HOURS.

Aside from learning if they’re interested or not, you would do well learning about their capability. It is important for you to understand that children have different levels of intelligence and what may seem simple for one is hard for the other. This is especially true for siblings. If you decide to have your kids learn a second language, Spanish for example, don’t fret if one is having difficulty. Even though some children are faster at acquiring a second language, don’t let this turn-off your kid from learning. Dedication, and not just intelligence is the key to learning.

Know your reason for wanting your kids to learn Spanish. Is it because you live in a Spanish neighborhood? Is it for their future? Or is it just for show? Whatever your reason is, please do it for the right reason. Your kids are not robots, learning is fun but it is also not easy. Understand that the way to learning is a rough road, and your kids will go through this road.

Remember that deciding to have your kids learn Spanish goes hand-in-hand with giving them your 100% support and patience. Your children can’t learn on their own. It would benefit them greatly if you are available whenever they have some questions (or at least somebody is), or maybe you can sit with them while they are studying. If you have not studied Spanish, then maybe you and your kids could learn together. However, whatever — I’m sure your kids would appreciate your support.