step two / segundo paso

buenas tardes

It has been a week since I began my EDTC 300 learning project and like my fellow blogger and classmate Miss Savannah stated in her blog post Spanish Update: Week One, learning a language online is a little overwhelming.

There are a lot of resources out there and within those resources, there are many options. For example, I began searching for a podcast that I could listen on my commute to and from work, but there were so  many to choose from. It took a bit of trial and error to find a podcast that would be good for me to start with. I settled on Learning Spanish for Beginners Podcast via iTunes as the each episode is specific and to the point. 

 

Next, I did some exploring on YouTube to see what learning videos were available to target some specifics areas of the language. Again, there were many to choose from and I ended up starting with some videos that are aimed at children. One in particular I used this past week was, Spanish for Kids / Learn Spanish by Learning Time Fun, these videos were a good starting point and easy to follow along with.

I also began using the app Duolingo on my phone to learn and practice the language. Over the week I completed 2 Intro & Phrases levels and 1 Travel, Restaurant & Family level. This app is a great resource and allows me to focus on specific areas of the Spanish language. In order to learn the language, Duolingo uses multiple ways of teaching; images, matching, sentence translation (English< >Spanish), fill in the blank, audio, and speech recording.  This app also makes the learner do over and re-practice the questions/learning that you get incorrect.

Follow them on Twitter @duolingo

My other fellow classmate and blogger Shaelyn Knudson is also learning Spanish for her EDTC 300 learning project. In her blog post Spanish, Week One, she created a fantastic voice-over video outlining the features of Duolingo and how to navigate through the lessons.

A second app I began using, as it was recommended/advertised through the Duolingo app, was Tinycards. Tinycards is a free flash card app that helps you learn and memorize topics via bite-size lessons. This app is another great tool and allows me to continue to practice and memorize the Spanish language.

Follow them on Twitter @tinycardsapp

Going forward I will continue to use the above resources, as well I will practice my NEW learned Spanish on my boyfriend. (That will be a true test of my skills as he is very honest when it come to my pronunciation). I will also listen to Spanish music and try watching a TV show is Spanish with Spanish subtitles!

adios por ahora