How To Really Learn Spanish - by Ricardo González, Founder & Executive Director of Bilingual America

Table of Contents
Forward - Dr. Jane Madsen Introduction
Chapter 1 - The Importance of Methods
Chapter 2 - Assess Your Abilities
Chapter 3 - The Fruit and the Root
Chapter 4 - The Power of Patterns
Chapter 5 - You're Not A Native...All About Immersion
Chapter 6 - The Four Secrets To Long Term Retention
Chapter 7 - The Cozy Comfortable Classroom
Chapter 8 - Eight Reasons Why Telephone Tutoring is Better Than Face to Face Tutoring
Chapter 9 - What To Expect From a Great Tutor
Chapter 10 - What To Expect From Great Course Materials
Chapter 11 - Mastering Pronunciation, Speech Flow and Comprehension
Chapter 12 - Put Your Products on the Shelf!
Chapter 13 - What to Do When You Already Speak Some Spanish
Chapter 14 - Cultural Training and Language
Closing Thoughts


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Introduction

I speak daily with people who are frustrated and confused about learning Spanish. People who have tried to learn Spanish in one way or another but simply have not achieved their goal.

Many of these people honestly believe it takes at least two to three years of dedication to be good at the language — not highly proficient, just good. Many believe they have some type of mental block or learning disability when it comes to learning a different language. Many believe they are the problem.

The things I will say here are from both my heart and my head. They are borne from years of experience and professional expertise. They are given to you out of a sincere desire to see you succeed in your desire to communicate well with Spanish-speaking people. If you would like to learn a bit more about me personally, visit this page.

Some people have taken two to three years of Spanish in High School or University, others have gone to Latin America anywhere from six weeks to six months, some even longer. Many have picked up books and tapes at their local bookstore or have purchased some program through an advertisement in an airline catalogue. Some have done a mix of all these things and still do not speak well!

These people all have the same thing in common — they haven't reached their goal of communicating well in Spanish. They all have invested significant time and money and they are still not there yet. Perhaps you are one of them? Perhaps, you are just starting out and want to learn well the first time around?

The reason I have written this short book is to help you become an educated learner, to help you avoid the pitfalls most people make in language learning. The case I will present to you is forged in years of experience both academically and practically. I am a pragmatic. I am a realist. Above all, I believe in being up front with people. I will tell you what works and what does not.

You may or may not become a student of Bilingual America. That will be your choice. Of course, I hope we can work together. Either way, this book will help you immensely. Whatever you end up doing for your Spanish learning, I want you to go in with your ojos pelados. That means with your eyes wide open.

The only important matter for you at this point is to become an educated learner. You should not buy anything until you understand what it takes to learn Spanish well if this is your goal. There is no sense or need for you to make the same mistakes in your Spanish learning as those previously mentioned.

In this book I will share with you many insights regarding Spanish language training. These will sometimes enlighten you, sometimes surprise you, and if you have already taken some Spanish and have been unsuccessful, perhaps these may even sometimes anger you. Whatever the case, I believe when you finish reading you will be better off for the time invested.

I have had readers say to me, I wish I had known these things before. I sure could have saved a lot of time and money. Well, knowledge is power and my goal here is to empower you to make wise choices for yourself.

Let's dig in!

Sincerely,


Ricardo González
Founder and Executive Director
Bilingual America