I've been re-learning Spanish for about 8 weeks. It's been a painless and reasonably productive experience so far. I definitely recommend the
How to Learn Any Language book: it offers a set of techniques and strategies that are easy to apply and that yield results.
My approach has been to :
- read Spanish language material (novels and short stories)
- while reading, when I encounter words that I don't know
- highlight the word if I can guess its meaning from context
- otherwise, look it up in my e-dictionary (Franklin DBE-1470) and add it to the dictionary's learn-list
- periodically look up the highlighted words and add them to the dictionary's learn-list
- periodically make flash cards from the dictionary's learn-list, and delete those words from the list
- carry a set of about 30 flash cards at all times and review them in 2-3 minute segments many times per day.
- periodically read or re-read a section from my grammar book
- watch an episode or 2 of Destinos every week - it's on PBSU early Friday mornings, and I have a DVR.
I make the flash cards from blank business card stock. So far I've gone through about 350 cards. After I've retired cards from my 'active' deck, I periodically review them, and any that I hesitate over I move back into my active deck.
This approach seems to be working well. My vocabulary is growing at the rate of about 15 words per day, and I'm only spending maybe an hour or so per day studying.
The one glaring omission in my strategy is actual face-to-face communication. I've gone to the Spanish conversation group at my local Barnes and Noble about 3 times, but the problem there is that many of the participants are either novice learners, or they have horrible accents (gringoitis), or both. Those few that are competent speakers are much in demand, so it's hard to initiate and maintain a conversation with them. I'm not sure how to fix this problem.
My total cost for materials has been about $100, including the $45 electronic dictionary. My goal is to be able to read at close to full speed and comprehension in Spanish by March 2006. I seem to be on course for that goal.
I recommend the Franklin DBE-1470 dictionary. It is much easier and faster to use than a paper dictionary. You don't have to look up verbs by their infinitive - you can enter any conjugation of a verb and the dictionary will generally figure it out. It has a 40-word 'learn list' : when you've looked up a word, you just hit a 'Learn' button, and the word is added to the list. It has a set of word games, which work as aids to memory. In all, it's easy to use, esy to handle, reasonably comprehensive, and compact. The 'easy to handle' part is pretty important: it is really hard to juggle the book you're reading and a paper dictionary while you look up a word. It's even harder to then write down the definition of that word.
... If you're interested in 'How to Learn Any Language,' you'd probably like to know the rubber-meets-the-road stuff. How does the author address the 'How' of his title? Mr. Farber outlines a 'multiple track attack' that has you pursuing your target language on several fronts. Here are the tools he wants you to get: a basic grammar text, a dictionary, a phrase book (such as those for tourists), a magazine or paper or simple book written in the target language, language tapes, blank tapes, and flash cards, including homemade ones. First step: Study patiently and well the first five chapters of your grammar. Mark anything you don't quite get; take your question to a native speaker if you can. Second step: You're ready to bring on the other tools. Continue with the grammar text, but now pick up the newspaper (or magazine or book) and read the first paragraph. Highlight the words you don't know, look them up, and make flash cards. You'll review the cards when you're on hold, waiting in line, etc. (Read the English side of the card first and think your way into the target language before you flip it over to confirm your answer.) A couple of days later, perhaps, move to paragraph two. You should now begin cherry-picking your way through the little phrase book and listening to your tapes. (Tip: The highly interactive Pimsleur sets are pricey but excellent; do an Amazon title search for 'Pimsleur' and your target language.) The phrase book will supply you with things that the grammar book won't. Don't just memorize these basic phrases and expressions. Plot a conversation and practice your responses. The tapes, if they're good, allow you to hear and imitate native speakers. By now you should be on chapter seven or eight of the grammar. And you should be looking for people to speak with. One chapter deals with clever mnemonic devices for memorizing new words. Example: I've remembered that 'kar lo' means 'he is cold' in Hebrew by imagining my friend Carlo shivering. The more far-fetched, the better, probably. All this seems to make good sense. Why limit yourself to one approach when you can more nearly approximate the total immersion method by drawing on a wealth of resources at hand?
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