Learning a language is an interesting and very productive challenge
But sometimes the fear of not knowing how to choose the right word, misconjugate a verb or pronounce it incorrectly can cause us to block ourselves, feel bad and abandon this interesting project.
Do you want to know why these difficulties arise?
Fundamentally, because learning a language challenges your mind (your brain has to create new cognitive frameworks) and time (it requires sustained and constant practice).
Moreover, sometimes we insist on memorising a lot of words and rules for speaking a language, and this is a major mistake: in this way, we gain knowledge of the “language as an object”, but we encounter problems when it comes to putting it into practice and using it.
However, although it has its difficulties, studying languages can be fun and satisfying.
You just have to remember that your main goal should be to acquire new communicative skills in addition to grammar.
Keeping this in mind can also help you to perfect the language you are learning.
We recommend that you ask yourself these questions:
- Why are you learning this language?
- Is it for professional reasons, for pleasure or to communicate with your family?
- How much time do you want to dedicate to learning?
By answering these questions, you will be able to look for opportunities and formulas to learn what you need or what motivates you the most.
In addition to the Spanish courses at Taronja, we have some practical tips that can help you to improve your Spanish.
Some of them are:
1. Make video calls or start chat conversations in Spanish. It’s a simple, cheap option and can help you overcome your shyness.
2. Try reading Spanish-language newspapers – you can even make a short news summary every morning to stay well-informed!
3. Listen to podcasts in Spanish while doing sports or while walking around Valencia. Choose interesting programmes, make your own list and share it with us!
4. Sing songs in another language. You can go to a karaoke or do it at home, while you shower, clean or cook.
5. Learn to cook using video recipes in Spanish. And we’re not just talking about getting in front of the cooker: you can also practice making lists of ingredients, going shopping, learning cooking techniques, etc. If you have any doubts, our Chef Nando can help you.
6. Do a language exchange. This option is very interesting to improve your conversation and pronunciation and also to put into practice what you learn in your Spanish classes. It is also a good way to make friends and meet people with similar interests to yours.
7. Surround yourself with resources in Spanish. If you come to Taronja, it’s done! All our classes and activities are in Spanish so that you can live a “totally immersive” experience and learn our language in a quick and easy way.
