Determined to Teach

Today has been a very exciting day for me!  I began tutoring Spanish and met a new student today.  She attends Durham Tech and will be attending UNC Chapel Hill in the near future.  It felt so good to be able to help someone understand the language I love so much.  She's a really nice lady AND she knows people that are struggling in Spanish.  She already passed my information on to one of her friends.


I can teach Spanish forever.  I love it so much and get so excited when I have the opportunity to do so.  One of my greatest desires is to be in the classroom.  I love the classroom environment and have so many ideas about how I see my classroom set up, how I'd teach Spanish, and how I would integrate technology in my class.  


I'm so thankful for the opportunity.  There are some big things happening in my future and I'm preparing myself to receive all that God has for me.  

Copyright Lennis Dionne Sample. Creative Commons License Allowed with permission.

Los Numeros (Numbers)

A Ver!!  Let's see!!


Slowly, I will begin to infuse Spanish into the lessons.  I'll always tell you what I'm saying in both languages.


Today, you will be learning numbers...los numeros!  Watch and listen carefully to the pronunciation and spelling of each of number.

Say the numbers as you watch the video and practice, practice, practice!  See how many numbers you can find in this word search!  



O  C  H  O  C  I  E  N  T  O  S  Y  U
M  U  Q  U  I  N  I  E  N  T  O  S  N
K  D  S  D  A  T  N  E  S  E  S  L  O
Z  E  I  D  O  S  C  I  E  N  T  O  S
C  U  A  T  R  O  C  I  E  N  T  O  S
T  R  E  S  C  I  E  N  T  O  S  C  Z
S  E  I  S  C  I  E  N  T  O  S  H  H
H  X  A  T  N  E  R  A  U  C  D  O  A
S  E  R  T  C  I  N  C  U  E  N  T  A
S  O  T  N  E  I  C  E  T  E  S  O  D
V  A  T  N  E  T  E  S  O  C  N  I  C
N  O  V  E  N  T  A  T  N  I  E  R  T
P  T  S  O  T  N  E  I  C  E  V  O  N

cien	novecientos	setecientos
cinco	noventa	setenta
cincuenta	ocho	treinta
cuarenta	ochocientos	tres
cuatrocientos	quinientos	trescientos
diez	seis	uno
dos	seiscientos
doscientos	sesenta

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face...

Now that we have an understanding of the Spanish alphabet (el alfabeto), we can move on to the introductions and greetings in Spanish.  Just like in English when meeting someone for the first time or seeing friends, you start off with basic greetings like hello, how are you?  How have you been?  What's up? etc.  Spanish is no different.

In this video, Mr. Jordan is asking questions in an INFORMAL manner.  Meaning, this is conversation that you would have with people you know, friends, family, acquaintances, or people you'd like to know.  

There is a difference in how and who you address.  Please listen to the differences and practice, practice, practice...

Here's your first exercise.  Print and complete the following word search puzzle with all the different ways to greet and introduce yourself in Spanish.  Were you able to find all of them?  

Post your comments and concerns!  

C  E  S  E  R  E  E  D  N  O  D  E  D  F  T  Y  C  P  G  N
D  D  E  S  S  S  S  T  F  I  S  O  U  S  O  H  Y  S  A  N
E  E  W  G  Q  U  E  P  A  S  A  E  N  C  A  N  T  A  D  A
D  T  C  W  D  F  S  T  F  G  C  J  Y  L  L  B  M  B  O  R
O  S  R  D  U  X  T  R  V  Z  S  H  L  N  I  H  C  X  J  P
N  U  N  M  X  C  U  N  X  O  I  B  H  F  E  A  N  J  Y  O
D  A  P  K  U  V  H  Q  N  Q  O  M  A  L  L  E  M  B  A  I
E  T  S  R  I  E  D  Y  O  S  Z  H  T  F  W  Q  F  E  L  M
E  S  Z  C  O  M  O  S  E  L  L  A  M  A  U  S  T  E  D  S
S  E  M  A  M  L  S  E  H  C  O  N  S  A  N  E  U  B  O  E
U  O  K  N  M  V  Q  L  V  Z  T  M  N  Q  Q  Z  W  M  H  O
S  M  J  X  H  D  W  V  C  G  W  B  R  Y  F  C  D  J  J  T
T  O  D  C  A  I  B  F  E  T  N  E  M  L  A  U  G  I  R  S
E  C  Z  B  U  E  N  A  S  T  A  R  D  E  S  D  S  F  Z  U
D  Z  K  T  E  R  B  M  O  N  U  S  S  E  L  A  U  C  O  G
E  U  Q  W  S  A  I  D  S  O  N  E  U  B  D  G  E  D  B  L
S  A  T  S  E  O  M  O  C  L  U  L  A  T  E  U  Q  K  O  E
M  U  C  H  O  G  U  S  T  O  P  M  C  P  E  X  H  J  M  S
Z  Z  O  W  Y  A  M  X  H  O  L  A  M  R  G  Q  O  I  Q  E
C  U  A  L  E  S  T  U  N  O  M  B  R  E  P  U  W  S  I  A

buenas noches	el gusto es mio
buenas tardes	encantada
buenos dias	hola
como estas	igualmente
como esta usted	me llamo
como se llama usted	mucho gusto
cual es su nombre	que pasa
cual es tu nombre	que tal
de donde eres	soy de
de donde es usted

Bringing it all together with El Alfabeto...The Alphabet in Spanish

Let go over the Spanish alphabet by repeating and watching this clip from Plazo Sesamo...Sesame Street in Spanish.  Watch and listen carefully to Elmo as he pronounces the Spanish alphabet...

a = ah...Always "ah", as in words like "chica and nacho. 

b = be.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish

c = ce, and has two distinctive sounds... s, k.  It makes the "s" sound in words like "cena" (which means dinner in Spanish), and makes the "k" sound like "Carmen".

ch = che.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

d = de.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish

e = eh..Always "eh", as in words like dinero.

f = efe.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish

g = ge, and makes two distinctive sounds...a hard "g" sound like in the word "agua", and a softer "g" sound that sounds like the "h" sound in English.  

h = hache (pronounced a-chay in Spanish).  The letter "h" is always, ALWAYSsilent!  You never, under any circumstance, pronounce the letter "h" in Spanish.

i =  ee...Always "ee", as in words like señorita.


j = jota.  The "j" sound in Spanish is always the "h" in English.

k = ka.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish. 

l= ele.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

ll = elle (pronounced e-yay).  The "ll" is pronounced like the letter "y".  You're already familiar with the double "l" sound.  Me llamo.

m = eme.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

n = ene.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

o = oh...Always "oh", as in words like mucho.

p = pe.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

q = cu.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

r = ere. The "r" sound in Spanish makes the "d" in English.  When a word or name begins with an "r", it's rolled or trilled.  

rr = erre.  This is the rolled or trilled "r" sound.

s = ese.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

t = te.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

u = oo...Almost always "oo", as in words like mucho.

v = be.  The letter "v" in Spanish makes the "b" sound.

w = doble oo.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

x = equis (pronounced e-kiss).  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

y = y griega (pronounced ee-gree-ay-gah)  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

z = ceta (pronounced seta).  The letter "z" in Spanish sounds like the letter "s" in both English and Spanish.

Let's Review!!

Let's review with a little twist!  You never know what I'm gonna do, so pay close attention!  


a = ah...Always "ah", as in words like "chica and nacho. 


e = eh..Always "eh", as in words like dinero.


i =  ee...Always "ee", as in words like señorita.


o = oh...Always "oh", as in words like mucho.


u = oo...Almost always "oo", as in words like mucho.



Now, just so you get an understanding of the sounds and pronunciation of the vowel sounds here's a clip from Plazo Sesamo.  Plazo Sesamo translates to Sesame Street in Spanish and is geared towards children, but the lessons are fun and easy to catch on to.  Don't worry about not understanding everything, but instead focus on the vowel sounds and pronunciations.



So now, let's watch Lola y las vocales (Lola and vowels!)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7eNhdngYnI

Moving Beyond the Vowels

We've started off by learning the vowels, so now we'll move into learning the rest of the alphabet.  Let's review the vowels first!  Remember:


a = ah...Always "ah", as in words like "chica and nacho. 


e = eh..Always "eh", as in words like dinero.


i =  ee...Always "ee", as in words like señorita.


o = oh...Always "oh", as in words like mucho.


u = oo...Almost always "oo", as in words like mucho.



Now, let's add more to what we've already learned!  I'll start from the letter "a" and incorporate the Spanish pronunciation of each letter.  The new material will be bolded for you.  Remember, Spanish pronunciation is short and tense, and you'll be utilizing what you've ALREADY learned in the pronunciation of the rest of the Spanish alphabet.  


a = ah...Always "ah", as in words like "chica and nacho. 



b = be.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish


c = ce, and has two distinctive sounds... s, k.  It makes the "s" sound in words like "cena" (which means dinner in Spanish), and makes the "k" sound like "Carmen".


ch = che.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.


d = de.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish


e = eh..Always "eh", as in words like dinero.



f = efe.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish


g = ge, and makes two distinctive sounds...a hard "g" sound like in the word "agua", and a softer "g" sound that sounds like the "h" sound in English.  


h = hache (pronounced a-chay in Spanish).  The letter "h" is always, ALWAYS silent!  You never, under any circumstance, pronounce the letter "h" in Spanish.


i =  ee...Always "ee", as in words like señorita.


j = jota.  The "j" sound in Spanish is always the "h" in English.


k = ka.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish. 


l= ele.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.


ll = elle (pronounced e-yay).  The "ll" is pronounced like the letter "y".  You're already familiar with the double "l" sound.  Me llamo.


m = eme.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.


n = ene.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.


o = oh...Always "oh", as in words like mucho.


p = pe.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.


q = cu.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.


r = ere. The "r" sound in Spanish makes the "d" in English.  When a word or name begins with an "r", it's rolled or trilled.  


rr = erre.  This is the rolled or trilled "r" sound.


s = ese.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.


t = te.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

u = oo...Almost always "oo", as in words like mucho.

v = be.  The letter "v" in Spanish makes the "b" sound.

w = doble oo.  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

x = equis (pronounced e-kiss).  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

y = y griega (pronounced ee-gree-ay-gah)  It makes the same sound in English and Spanish.

z = ceta (pronounced seta).  The letter "z" in Spanish sounds like the letter "s" in both English and Spanish.

I know this is a lot of information.  Don't hesitate to ask questions.  You're doing great and remember to practice, practice, practice!

Exception to the Rule

Yesterday we began learning the fundamentals of the Spanish language...the alphabet.  We began with the Spanish vowels because they are easy and hardly ever change their sound.  The Spanish alphabet is short and tense.  Let's review!


a = ah...Always "ah", as in words like "chica and nacho. 


e = eh..Always "eh", as in words like dinero.


i =  ee...Always "ee", as in words like señorita.


o = oh...Always "oh", as in words like mucho.


u = oo...Almost always "oo", as in words like mucho.


Notice I said that the Spanish letter "u" ALMOST always sounds like "oo".  There is an exception to this rule.  Don't worry, I'll take it slow and we'll review often.  


Ok, most of the time the Spanish letter "u" will follow the basic sound of "oo", as in words like mucho, however notice that the letter is between 2 consonants.  When the word has "qui", "que", "gui", or "gue", the letter "u" will fade into the background and become silent.   Let's look at some examples using some Spanish words and phrases that you're already familiar with.

Take the following question: 

¿Qué pasa? >>>>>>>>"que">>>>>>>>>>"eh" sound

Notice that the "u" is paired with an "e", yet you don't hear the "oo" sound at all.  The only sound you hear is the "eh" sound from the "e".  

Have you ever read this book?

Don Quijote >>>>>>"qui">>>>>>>>>>>"ee" sound

Notice that the "u" is paired with an "i", yet you don't hear the "oo" sound at all.  The only sound you hear is the "ee" sound from the "i".  

This same concept holds true for words that contain "g" plus "ue" or "ui", like in words such as:

guitarra           OR         guerra

You're doing great!  

Now, there are certain instances when the “u”, when combined with “gu + e” or “gu + i ” is not silent: it must be pronounced. We must pronounce the “u” when there are 2 dots over the letter "u" called a dieresis (ü).  

Examples include:

bilingüe                         güiro

Whew!  I know that learning all this information can be a little overwhelming, but don't worry.  We will review often.  Be sure to review the information you've just learned on a regular basis.  

Remember that practice makes improvement!  

In the Beginning

In the beginning was the WORD.  This holds true not only in the bible, but also forms the basis of learning languages too.  One of the most important fundamentals a student must understand when learning another language is the alphabet and the sounds that each letter makes in order to create words.  Spanish is no different.  Even though much of the Spanish alphabet sounds very similar to the English alphabet, they are not the same.  Let me say that again...EVEN THOUGH MUCH OF THE SPANISH ALPHABET SOUNDS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ENGLISH ALPHABET, THEY ARE NOT THE SAME.

So with that said, let's get started!

We will begin with vowels because they are easy and hardly ever change.  Let me say that again...SPANISH VOWELS ARE EASY AND HARDLY EVER CHANGE THEIR SOUND.  A vowel in Spanish will most likely have the same sound, no matter what the word.  There are some instances where certain vowel combinations have a different sound, but that's another lesson.  Are you ready?

a = ah.  Always "ah".  Easy right?  Think about some of the Spanish words you already know...casa, pasa, hola

e = eh.  Always "eh".  Sounds like the short "e" sound in the word "egg".  Think about Spanish words you already know...dinero.  You're doing great!

i = ee.  Don't freak out!  The letter "i" in Spanish is the  long "e" in English.  Always thinking about words you already know...dinero, chica.  Not so bad, right?

o = oh. Always "oh".  Remember Spanish words you already know...hola, dinero, nacho.  Good job!

u = oo.  Usually, almost always "oo".  Think about Spanish words you're already familiar with...mucho.  See, you did it!

Now, the difference between the English alphabet and the Spanish alphabet is that the Spanish alphabet sounds are short and tense.  SHORT AND TENSE.  Not to be confused with English, where words are usually dragged out and syllables added to words.  

     ho-la                               chi-ca                         ca-sa

Short and tense.  I know that this is a lot of information.  Practice, practice, practice.  You've done great.  Remember, short and tense sounds in Spanish.  With what you've just learned, you can now read the following Spanish sentence that you might be familiar with...

                                     Mi casa es su casa.  

Guess what?  You've just spoken Spanish and you can now read it too!  I know that this is on a very small scale, but you've just learned the some of the basic principles of Spanish alphabet pronunciation.

Great job!

You Know More Than You Think

Welcome Students!!


My objective is to help ease your mind about learning a foreign language, and one way to do that is to tell you something that you probably didn't even realize.  You actually already know SOME Spanish and didn't even realize it!  Now with some of the Spanish you already know, coupled with some basic principles you'll be holding a basic conversation in no time!


Don't believe me?  Oh, ye of little faith!


Words that I KNOW you already know:


mucho
nacho
dinero
Quiero Taco Bell
radio
poquito
mamacita
Que pasa?
hola
chica


See...I told you that you already know SOME Spanish!  If I were a betting woman, I'd be rich...lol.  But before we get ahead of ourselves, we must learn and understand some fundamentals first.  Just remember to relax and just have fun.  You won't learn Spanish in a week, but you will learn it.


Have fun and stay tuned!

Mental Preparation

There are a few things you should know about learning Spanish BEFORE you actually dive into it:


1)  Spanish is NOT English.  Although there are striking similarities between the two languages, they are quite different.  


2)  You're not going to become fluent in Spanish overnight.  It took you longer than 2 hours to learn English, and it will take time to learn a foreign language as well.  Pace yourself and allow yourself to learn Spanish.  It can be fun, but only if you relax.


3)  Be positive.  There are parts of Spanish that may seems difficult, but negativity will not help you learn the language.  Learning Spanish is just like learning anything else that may be new to you.  You have to spend time practicing and learning the information.  


4)  Ask questions...lots and lots of questions.  If you don't understand or if you need help, just ask.  You won't be stupid for asking, but you might feel foolish if you DON'T ask questions.


5)  Practice, practice, practice!  Spanish is a language and language is meant to be spoken.  Talk to native Spanish speakers, listen to Spanish music, or even watch your favorite movie in Spanish with English subtitles.  You're training your ears to understand and recognize the language, and you're learning different words, phrases, and sentence structuring...the building block of a conversation. 


Have fun!  You can do it!

Starting Today

Today, I begin to chronicle this incredible journey to become a teacher.  I created this blog as part of an assignment for one of my EDU courses I was taking at Meredith College, but it wasn't until today that I discovered that I had to utilize this blog as a platform to share my experience.


I've always loved the acquisition of information and sharing it to help others.  I've become a wealth of useful information, and never quite grasped the concept of hoarding information because to me, knowledge was meant to be shared.  I do my due diligence to help others by being a useful and knowledgeable resource.


I'm a teacher and desperately desire to be in a classroom.  I thoroughly enjoy helping students understand information.  My goal is to become a certified Spanish teacher with advanced knowledge and certification in classroom technology.  I'm all about the 21st century classroom that utilizes state of the art technology as a means of actively engaging students in the learning process.  


The bible encourages me not to despise the days of small or humble beginnings.  My teaching may not start out in a traditional classroom with traditional students.  I submit to you that my classroom with start right here...in my blog.  I will take you along with me as I pursue my quest of molding minds.   I can teach anyone...ANYONE to speak Spanish, and I'm creative enough to present lessons in a way by utilizing technology.


Won't you join me on this amazing ride?  You won't be disappointed.  Your virtual classroom awaits...