Spanish for Travelers: Start Speaking Today!
What you'll learn
- By the end of this course, you will be able to communicate on a basic level with Spanish speakers.
- In this course, you will focus on seeing the big picture and on communicating basic ideas. The goal is to begin to communicate, not to sound flawless. That takes years of practice.
Requirements
- No prerequisite knowledge or special software or equipment required
- Be willing to have fun while learning, and be willing to go out on a limb and make mistakes.
Description
Learning Spanish can be fun and engaging.
This course is intended to help you become conversational in basic Spanish. To become truly proficient in a second language requires years of practice, but this course is designed to give you an engaging, intuitive way to start communicating.
The course is designed around an imagined trip to a Spanish-speaking country. You begin at your destination airport, and are guided through various real-life scenarios that you would find yourself in if you were really in a Spanish-speaking country. These practical scenarios will be supplemented by clear and concise direct instruction in vocabulary and basic grammar. For those who are interested in more in-depth explanations of the grammar, there are supplementary videos linked throughout the course.
Throughout the course, you will learn to talk about the following things in Spanish:
• meeting people
• what you need and want
• making purchases
• what you like and don't like
• getting medical help
• restaurants and hotel accommodations
• travel and getting around
The length of completion varies based on how long you need to spend on each unit, and how often you go back to review things that you previously covered. Learning a language is not a race, so don't be afraid to take your time or to go back and review as necessary.
The course is designed to be self-directed, but the instructor will check messages at least weekly in order to answer questions or clarify concerns.
The course presents scenarios that you would encounter as a traveler, but most of what you learn could easily be transferred to other situations. For instance, there are many scenes in which you are a customer of some sort; you could just as easily view these scenes from the point of view of the seller, doctor, etc.
Who this course is for:
- new learners
- students who need extra help
- people who want to brush up
- homeschoolers
- travelers
Instructor
- 4.1 Instructor Rating
- 20 Reviews
- 6,709 Students
- 1 Course
I have spent seven years as a Spanish teacher, and all of that time has been in distance learning, meaning that I have considerable experience with using technology to create effective learning opportunities for my students. I have created courses not only for the students who are actually enrolled in my high school classes, but also for distribution through other platforms, before finding Udemy. I have been able to work with students from around the world, and look forward to continuing to do so through this course, which I consider to be my best yet.
My experience with Spanish dates back to my time as a missionary in the small South American nation of Uruguay. Although I had taken several years of Spanish in high school and college, it was not until I lived in Uruguay that I became anything near fluent. Through my own experiences and the experiences of others around me, I have come to realize what makes for effective language learning, and I hope to replicate some of that in this course.
In addition to spending two years in Uruguay, I have also traveled to several other Spanish-speaking countries, and I maintain contact with many friends throughout Latin America and Spain.
I graduated from Brigham Young University with a BA in Spanish Teaching, and more recently completed an MSE in Curriculum and Instruction from Arkansas State University. I am a firm believer in the individualization of education, and I am excited about the opportunities that the Internet is providing for us to learn at our own pace and in our own way.
I also have a passion for creating good content. I have spent years refining my approach to teaching and trying to find the best tools to create the best learning opportunities for my students. While I am proud of my past efforts, I feel that in many ways, this course represents my best work yet.