Alphabet of Success in Spanish Class

Abecedario del éxito en la clase de Español

Avoid heavy reliance on a dictionary.

Observe the context of the situation or written work.

Be assertive.

Make and take opportunities to use the

language in communication both inside and outside of class.

Compensate for any lack of linguistic ability by:

Asking for help (repeat, clarify, slow down, give examples, etc.),

Using mime and gesture,

Describing the concept for which you lack a word,

Using hesitation fillers when you need to think, and

Practice out-loud daily, occasionally in front of a mirror

Don't be afraid to make mistakes.

Evaluate your own progress.

Forget about your age or aptitude when learning a foreign language.

Guess when in doubt.

Hypothesize. Before you read a grammar rule, try to formulate it yourself by

analyzing the examples. When reading, read on and guess the meaning

of difficult words and concepts before resorting to a dictionary.

If you don't understand, just say so!

Just be persistent.

Keep a language diary.

Limit your expectations to those

that are reasonable and attainable. Be patient!

Memorize creatively using images,

rhymes, sounds, color-coding, etc.

Never give up!

Open your mind and develop a better attitude

toward the teacher, native speakers and the Hispanic culture.

Open your mind to new concepts and to new ways of learning.

Practice with a partner. Practice daily.

Practice out-loud. Praise yourself and then practice more.

Quit making excuses.

If you are not making improvements in the foreign language,

before you blame your teacher or textbook,

ask yourself if you are using the strategies of a good language learner.

Relax before you go to class and

before doing homework assignments.

Take a deep breath before doing something challenging.

Study with a partner.

Try not to translate in your head

when speaking. Instead, try to speak spontaneously.

Use this alphabetized list and refer to it periodically.

Record Vocabulary, verb conjugations and grammar rules in a notebook

-- but do it systematically. Also, put these same items

on 3 x 5 cards for easy review and memorization.

Wear your successes and reward them.

EXamine your own language learning strategies,

problems, successes, and preferences,

and talk about them with other students.

Also, learn from the successes of your classmates.

Yesterday's material should be reviewed systematically and regularly.

Zzzzzzzz... Wake up! Don't sleep in class. Perform every class activity.

Do it!

Make your success happen!

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