Spanish Oral Presentations

Oral Presentations and Speaking

Oral presentations are very important when learning Spanish. The whole point of learning a language is being able to communicate with others. "Speaking Spanish and being able to comprehend and vocalize new words, is key to learning any language. If you aren't speaking the language, then there would never be any communication" (Boyles 3).

For oral presentations and speaking in general, it is important to not rush when presenting. This leads to errors in simple things such as grammar and any need for conjugating. It is also important to practice all of your slides and give a mini presentation, beforehand, to someone close to you. Also, if you are one who gets nervous when speaking in front of a class, try not to look down, move a lot or stare off. Make sure when presenting, you are confident and focused throughout. 

When speaking to other Spanish speakers, remember to think of accent marks, pronunciation and not speaking to fast. Little differences in pronunciation  or accent marks can lead to completely different words and topics.  For example, "Make sure to check for accent marks!" (Boyles 58). In class when we studied family names, we learned that 'Papá' means Dad, whereas 'papa' means potato. As you can see here, a simple mistake in punctuation can lead to a whole new subject.

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Accessing Online Resources

Accessing Online Resources

Another crucial way of studying Spanish, is remembering all the access to information you have. The internet! Although flashcards and even taking notes are very effective, there are many more ways to study Spanish online. 

One way I have found studying online to be very helpful, is using Quizlet. Many teachers even suggest it or have made their own study sets for their students to use. Quizlet gives you the opportunity to first learn the vocabulary, study using flashcards and learn how to spell, write and match the vocabulary. Later on, there are tests and other games that you can do to finalize your knowledge. I find this site very helpful, but it is very important to know your learning style first. For example, "You must learn that everyone doesn't study the same. It is important to find the way studying for Spanish is the most effective and easy for you" (Boyles XXX). 

Another way to study for Spanish is by using Conjuegamos. This website is used to time yourself when rewriting the word in Spanish. I find this website very useful when trying to comprehend your learning as fast as you can. When using a timed mode you get to choose how much time you would like to study for and then you get your percentage right once the timer runs out.  As an example, "Working in a timed environment can teach you skills in working efficient" (Boyles XXX). 

Studying Spanish is something you can do in many ways and all you have to do is make sure you know how to study for yourself, not for others.

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011. 

Why Study Spanish?

Why Study Spanish?

Studying a language is obviously very important and even necessary for graduating high school. Learning a new language expands all of your opportunities for success throughout life and in all aspects of communication. In my opinion, studying Spanish is something I believe every student should do. "Over 340 million people who live in Spain, 18 Latin American countries, Puerto Rico, Equatorial Guinea, the Philippines and the United States speak Spanish. It is the second most common language in the United states and 3rd most commonly spoken language in the world" (Boyles XXX). After knowing this and already being enrolled in Spanish 1-2, I realized the importance of the class I was taking. There is so much to learning Spanish besides speaking. Learning this language involves me in understanding a new culture, expanding my soon-to-be career opportunities and to all in all enjoy and experience the culture surrounded by the Spanish language.

Spanish is key for understanding its culture. Language heavily surrounds and supports a culture, giving it a way for its people to communicate and share ideas. The world of Spanish-speakers is rich in food, art, literature, history and numerous traditions based on their fascinating culture (Boyles XXX). This allows you to learn about other cultures and helps you see other perspectives. After learning parts of a new language, everything after comes naturally in their culture, especially in literature and music.

Not only is Spanish truly interesting, but from what I have read, knowing how to speak Spanish is very helpful when getting a job. Businesses now-a-days are looking for employees that speak languages other than English. When workers can communicate with others in another language it widens their incoming customers, once they know they don't have to get a translator, etc. The amount of Spanish-speaking people within business is growing, so the employees have to too!

So far, learning Spanish, has introduced me to many possible opportunities. Clubs, projects, culture, and even daily homework, has been a good effect from this class. I believe everyone should take a language and especially Spanish because of its growing importance in the world.

What more could this language do in the World?

Boyles, Peggy Palo. Prentice Hall Realidades 1. Pearson Education, 2011.