Studying Spanish online with a native Spanish teacher has many advantages: you can learn Spanish from anywhere in the world and schedule your classes according to your availability, from the comfort of your home, avoiding travel and optimising your time. In addition, by studying with a native Spanish teacher, you will be exposed to natural Spanish, with accurate pronunciation, idiomatic expressions and real cultural references. In a 1 to 1 class, the whole lesson is focused on you, maximising practice time and solving specific doubts.
The personalised approach and constant interaction with the teacher often results in faster and more effective learning. You can also pick up a few habits and some tips to get the most out of your learning.
Tips to Maximize Your Learning
Don't be a perfeccionist
Yes, you read that right! Sometimes being too much of a perfectionist can hold you back, causing you to block yourself and not fully put into practice what you have learnt. Learning a language is a process and it is a process to be enjoyed. Don't be afraid to fail - it's a sign that you dare to speak a language that is not your own!
Being willing to make mistakes is a very important part of learning, which brings us to the next tip.
Don't be afraid to make mistakes
It's important to embrace mistakes as part of the learning experience. In fact, it is through them that we learn where we can improve. They are an indicator that you want to communicate in Spanish and also a sign of expansion in your use of the language. A lot of work can be done in class on the basis of a mistake, so don't be afraid of them. Your brain is doing a great deal of work when you speak a language that is not your mother tongue. Make sure that you appreciate it!
Choose the right place for your online class
Learning Spanish online gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of location. You can do it at home, at work, outdoors, in a café, while travelling... the possibilities are endless. But it is important that you choose a comfortable place, without too much noise, where you can hear the teacher well and speak without difficulty. This will help you get the most out of the lesson.
Talk!
Use the class to talk as much as you can. Don't be afraid to express yourself. You're with a native Spanish teacher, so it's the perfect time. And, again, don't worry about making mistakes. They're great because they show the teacher how to help you improve. If you have the opportunity to speak Spanish in other contexts outside of class, that would be great too, as you can put into practice what you have learnt in class.
Make sure you take notes, but above all, stay engaged during the lesson
Write down all the vocabulary you find interesting as well as the new grammar, but above all, pay attention to the teacher. Don't spend the whole class writing. Try to assimilate what the teacher says and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. This is your time, because the class is all about you.
Review what you learned in the previous lesson
Studying and revising before the next lesson is a recommended practice when learning Spanish online, as it helps you to absorb and apply what you have learnt. Also ask the Spanish teacher any questions you may have and familiarise yourself with the new words to try to use them when speaking.
Keep in touch with the language
Watching series, listening to podcasts, reading and consuming content in Spanish is an excellent way to keep in touch with the language outside the classroom and strengthen language-related brain connections. This continuous exposure helps to activate the areas of the brain responsible for language learning and production, which facilitates the language acquisition process.
Be kind to yourself during the process and enjoy!
Learning a new language is a process. It really is. It requires the creation of new neural connections while strengthening specific areas related to memory, attention and language processing capacity. Be consistent, but also enjoy yourself as you discover a new way of looking at life, through 'Spanish eyes'. That's what you're actually doing, you know?
It is also proven that the brain is much more receptive to learning when we are relaxed, and enjoying the process increases motivation to learn. So be kind to yourself and relax, the adventure has only just begun.
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