Does it have to be all or nothing?

A student this week mentioned that he has been feeling guilty for not working on his Spanish over the holidays, and confessed that he considered not continuing his classes because of his inability to spend a lot of time outside of class studying.

This student is one of many who confesses the same exact thing throughout the year. He is absolutely not alone in the way that he feels and in his thought process.

So let me ask you a few questions – a or b?

a – to not exercise at all, because you can’t make it to the gym five days a week like you would like, and be about as strong as a 5 year old?
b – or to exercise once or twice a week consistently, and ramp it up when time allows?

a – to stop eating veggies, eat McDonalds instead because it’s too hard to eat healthy 24/7, and end up looking like Jabba the Hutt?
b – or to eat well the majority of the time, knowing that a few times a week/month you will eat some unhealthy or fattening foods because that’s life?

a – to stop practicing Spanish altogether because you can’t practice every day as would be ideal, therefore not making any progress long term?
b – or coming to class once a week and doing the homework any time that you’re able to do so, and slowly but surely making progress?

Need I say more?

Besos,
Caro

Remember your level!

Spanish students often forget their language level when they’re speaking, which is something important to take into account.

Remember that if you’re in a lower level and trying to explain something very complicated, ask yourself “How can I make this more simple?”  You still want to tell the story, but there are often ways to simplify it to make it more level-friendly.

If you’re in a higher level trying to explain something complicated, don’t give up!  Find other words that you can use, ask for help, consult a dictionary, etc., but if you don’t make the effort, how will you ever get better at explaining complicated subjects?

The most important point is to stay in Spanish (no pic Inglich) and to tell the story in words you already know or can explain.  As you continue on your Spanish learning journey your stories will include more detail and more sophisticated vocabulary & concepts.  Poco a poco chicos…

Besitos,
Caro