<![CDATA[La Clase de Español]]> en-us <![CDATA[Welcome back!]]>

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]]> <![CDATA[iHola!]]> Welcome back!
 
I hope everyone had a great summer!
 
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Here you will find a lot of great resources for you to use
in and out of school.
 
There are links to games, videos, activities, and plenty of practice to help you learn Spanish.
 
On the right side of the page (that way-->) there are a
bunch of sites to visit. I tried to make them easy to browse. If you need help, ask a friend, a parent, or
a teacher.
 
Have fun!
Take your time and explore everything I have added. If you find any good websites that you think I should add, please let me know. If any of the links do not work please let me know, too.
 
iHasta luego, amigos!
 
 
 
 
]]> <![CDATA[Top Ten Reasons to Learn Spanish]]>                                   Top Ten Reasons to Learn Spanish
                                       (source: www.studyspanish.com)
 
  1. Learning Spanish is necessary to keep pace with popular culture.

    Learning Spanish will enable you to keep pace with Hispanic influence on culture which is strong and getting stronger. For example, do you remember that Taco Bell commercial with the little dog? Did you know that his motto, "Yo quiero Taco Bell" is actually a play on words? In Spanish, "yo quiero" means both "I want" and "I love." So, that cute little dog was actually pulling your leg as he said both: "I want Taco Bell" and "I love Taco Bell."

  2. Learning Spanish is actually a medical device!

    Research indicates that knowing and using two languages enhances mental abilities in both children and older adults. Other studies show that studying languages can improve your memory. And studying another language makes you smarter! Your critical thinking skills will be improved as you learn to view things through a different lens. Learning a second language stimulates creativity!

  3. For many, learning Spanish is rapidly becoming a business necessity.

    Spanish is becoming more and more important with regards to business. Learning Spanish will enable you to better communicate with Spanish speaking employees or co-workers. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to offer your product or service to the 350 million people whose mother tongue is Spanish?
  4. Spanish, Spanish everywhere.

    With well over 35 million Spanish speakers in the United States and in Europe where Spanish is the second most popular second language after English, Spanish is the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world. Only Mandarin, English and Hindi have more speakers. If you count only native speakers, Spanish outranks English. Spanish is an official language on four continents and is the mother tongue in 21 countries. The number of Spanish speakers and their rate of growth makes learning Spanish a smart choice.

  5. Learning Spanish will (truly) expand your universe.

    According to Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, "the limits of my language are the limits of my universe." There is no doubt that learning Spanish will expand your own personal universe. Today, nearly all areas have some sort of Hispanic population. Wouldn't it be nice to say hello and chat with your fellow paisanos (countrymen)?

  6. Knowing Spanish will completely transform your travel experience.

    While it is certainly possible to travel to a Spanish speaking country without knowing any Spanish, your trip will in no way compare with the incredible adventure that awaits the traveler who speaks Spanish. If you only speak English, you will be forced to confine yourself to popular tourist resorts where nearly everyone speaks some English. But if you want to explore the area and get to know the local people, you need to know Spanish. Even simple things, such as reading signs and menus, asking directions or telling a cab driver where you want to go requires some knowledge of the language. Hispanic people are amazingly generous, and if you speak Spanish you will find yourself being welcomed in a way that would never happen if you spoke only English. Simply put, when you travel to a Spanish speaking country, knowing the language will allow you to move from the role of observer to that of an active participant.

  7. Knowing how to speak Spanish will enable you to help others.

    If you are the type of person who likes to help others, learning to speak Spanish will put you in a postion where you can help both Spanish speakers who don't speak English and English speakers who don't speak Spanish. Now that's what we like to call a "win-win" situation.
  8. There are reasons to learn language for language's sake.

    It cannot be denied that by studying Spanish you will without doubt gain a better understanding of English. Spanish is what we call a "Romance" language, meaning that it is based on Latin, and many English words are also of Latin origin, so when you learn vocabulary in Spanish you will simultaneously be expanding your English vocabulary. Also, as you study the grammar of Spanish, you will notice how it is similar to English, as well as how it is different. This will raise your awareness of the grammar of your native language. Because Spanish is very nearly phonetically perfect, you can look at almost any word and immediately know exactly how to pronounce it. This characteristic makes Spanish one of the easiest languages to learn. And, when it comes to learning a third language, such as French or Italian, already knowing Spanish will be a huge advantage because these languages, too, are Romance Languages.

  9. Learning Spanish will allow you to better appreciate Hispanic cultural contributions.

    For many people, developing a deeper understanding of Hispanic culture is becoming more and more important. There is no more certain way to gain this insight than to learn to speak Spanish. Reading Latin American or Spanish newspapers and magazines will open a window into the Hispanic mind. Knowing the language will prepare you to better appreciate some of the great Hispanic modern and classic cultural contributions. From Miguel Cervantes to Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Hispanic literary contributions are monumental. From the royal portraits of Goya to the surreal depictions of Picasso, Spanish influence on the fine arts has been substantial.  Learning Spanish can be the perfect excuse for enjoying the cuisine of Spanish speaking peoples. Burritos, tamales, paella, papusas, arroz con frijoles, ceviche, --- the list goes on and on, and is a delicious indicator of the vast diversity of Hispanic culture. Is it any wonder then that more and more people want to partake of these cultural delights?

  10. Learning Spanish is fun!

    Learning Spanish opens up lots of opportunities to have more fun. Who doesn't enjoy reading a good book or watching a good movie? Music? You bet! Food? The best! The satisfaction of accomplishment? It's there waiting for you to grab it! For all of the reasons mentioned above, and a whole lot that haven't been mentioned, learning Spanish can be one of the most enjoyable things you will ever do. Whether your motivations are practical, intellectual or sentimental, learning Spanish is something that will benefit you for the rest of your life!
]]> <![CDATA[Helpful Hints]]> Hover over the image below with the cursor. Then, click View Full Size.
Feel free to print this for your reference, or contact me if you have any questions. 
Remember, "It takes a village..." 


Here's a video, too. Click here.
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