Learning Spanish properly in Costa Blanca or Costa Calida - Page 2

I have decided to try and use the time recently presented usefully, (in the UK) and at present I am using these tools
I started with
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyLl_0d0EBw This is basic understanding of Spanish it is an American programme

I have added to this
https://www.duolingo.com/learn at the time I did not the microphone on, so no restriction on use, tried to use on a tablet and they try to make you pay, I found I forgot as quick as I learnt.

Realising that I need to speak to Spanish people as the sound I get from the above will never get me speaking Spanish, to converse so I have added
https://www.conversationexchange.com/
I have linked up with a native Spanish Speakers and started with a good conversation (in English) Spanish coming

Thanks to TQ
I also noted the Spanish lessons from a legal co near you
https://sgmlegalspain.com/learn-spanish-day-1/

We are going to use these as a template for our 121 sessions, I will practice first.

Hope this helps others get going, we all have extra time to try and win, at present.

I have also looked @ https://youtu.be/illApgaLgGA

If anyone has other tools I would like to add to the list.

FYI
I use a desktop with Win10 and I have the Spanish Keyboard with in Software is easy to switch, next problem was that I did not know how to use it
so http://faculty.weber.edu/tmathews/Spani ... Layout.pdf is a template for the Keyboard

Now I am set So á é í ó ú Ñ ñ´etc are all on my keyboard.

Good Luck

Adiós de Inglaterra


P.s.I need to find a way of checking the Spelling against the Spanish Keyboard in browsers

I love Paul’s courses.  He has also just launched a comprehensive listening course too.

Hi, I can thoroughly recommend Passport 2Talk with Susana and Rafa. We started doing online one to one classes with Susana as we have been in Spain throughout the lockdown and she's fun and focused on conversational Spanish in every day situations. With that and the inter-cambio conversation groups we've started doing we're meeting new Spanish friends and getting used to talking in Spanish in a fun and friendly environment. 

Best of luck , Helena 

If you’re moving to the San Pedro area, Passport 2 Talk have local meetings both for classes and groups. Susana also has a class online which you could start whilst you are in Blighty and continue once you come out here. The excursions are great and you practice Spanish and make some great friends. 

I recommend them wholeheartedly! 

When I first posted here, I was looking for a Spanish language school with whom I could learn online while here in the UK and then continue within Spain in the classroom. Thanks to everyone who responded.

Following recommendations on the thread, I watched the demonstration lesson on James Spanish School website and then found James on the James Spanish School Facebook page.

I was impressed by the reviews there so I signed up and have started the online course which I bought via  www.jamesspanishschool.com

Its a breath of fresh air, much better than anything I have seen before. I am rocketing along, up to lesson seven already, they are about 45 minutes long on average. Better than going to a dangerous pub at the moment.

The price is right, can't justify or afford one on one lessons.

Through James' video lessons I am learning heaps, much better than any book, the PDF notes are great and I can watch each video lesson, as often as I like. 

This is not phrasebook Spanish which is a complete waste of time, it's actually understanding the language building blocks.

By the time I get to Spain, I am expecting to have completed the first 50 lessons, be up to speed with my verbs and vocabulary and be ready to join in the classroom lessons.

Honestly, I don't fancy going out on organised expeditions. I've done it before, ended up talking pigeon Spanish and drinking way too much wine. A waste of time and money. 

When I can confidently construct sentences, in Spanish,I will talk to neighbours and friends of friends, tradesman and shop people.  That is after all, what it is all about. 

Now back to lesson eight. 

Good to hear Greg, fact is that when you hit senior years, learning gets harder, but James really tries to ease the pain.

I hate rote learning, so James's methods for helping you say what you want to say more easily, by constructing sentences properly are brilliant. 

Now we have access to the first 50 lessons on video, it is great to be able to look up lesson subjects on the index and go back and revise.

He does make you work at it though. I was doing a set of practice lessons today, they come in two parts, about 70 minutes in all and before I started I found that rewatching two lessons from 18 months ago provided the revision I needed, quite painlessly.

I bet you are looking forward to coming out to the Costa Calida next year, great weather here!!  

Two recommendations: 1. don't watch English television or read English papers, and keep away from expat coffee mornings (except any with a Spanish teacher attending)

2. Don't ever be embarrased about not getting it quite right - many Spanish are very poor at spelling and grammar of their own language but it certainly does not stop them talking - or indeed reduce the volume they do it at! Pronunciation is very simple as every word follows rules, you just need to learn and practice.

Good advice Peter, BBC and Sky news are painful at best!! But seriously I find ElPais.es in Spanish good practice

You might consider The Michael Thomas set of lessons on CD  I found them very good. One tip though about learning language is not to get too hung up on grammar and tense  . Just have no fear and dont be afraid to make mistakes. My daughter speaks 5 languages and always uses the analogy of just get it over the net when saying something. And the other person will help you out . 

Greg R has already made his choice he says

But this is a quote from one of James students  (not me)  'Before moving to Spain I went to evening classes at Leeds University for two years, tried Michel Thomas Spanish on CDs, tried Duo Lingo, then weekly coffee mornings but four years later was still only confident ordering a beer or a coffee… then James Spanish School was recommended by a friend, ‘James has a unique way of teaching, I was terrible at school with all the grammar but James makes it all make sense in an easy format and it sticks!  He is an excellent teacher and very reliable and organised. ‘The first year was learning all written, no speaking, Second and third years are learning to put what you have learnt into practice easing into spoken ‘I have been going now for about 18 months and much more confident can deal with builders, shops keepers, bars, restaurants, banks, neighbours and the public.”

Get it over the line, is like talking pidgin.... been there, done that....