Spanish lessons
 

I know we should have done something about this sooner, but we need to get a kick start learning Spanish conversation. We will be going back to the UK soon, as our holiday is coming to an end,:fingerscrossed: but returning to CE at the beginning of August for about 6 weeks. Is there anyone out there who is, or knows of somebody, who would be prepared to visit our villa for a couple of hours, several times a week, to help us pick up the language on a one to one (two!) basis. Obviously, we will pay for this help. We are no spring chickens, so would need somebody with a lot of patience, as it takes us a little longer for the information to sink in these days! We would be grateful for any contacts/leads/estimate of cost etc. Many thanks, Sue and Barry

Re: Spanish lessons
 

You could talk to Jero at the school in Ayamonte, he is a nice guy and I went for classes there. Some friends still do.

He might not be able to do classes at your place but I know he does a lot of lessons on Skype
https://www.escuelaatenea.com/en/spa...hool-ayamonte/

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Many thanks, Guesswork, definitely worth following up.

Sue

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hola

Just to say I took lessons, one on one, face to face, just me and the Spanish profesora; full on formal grammar lessons, twice a week, about an hour a lesson. Further I had an intercambio where I helped a teenager with their English for half an hour, and their mother helped me with my Spanish for half an hour, and on top of that, I went to an intercambio class that was similar where we spoke / listened for half the time in each language but in a ten plus round the table group.

I did this for seven years; the "old grey matter" (realistically old concrete) was certainly not the sponge of youth. I reckoned to spend about 1,000€ a year on the formal lessons.

I set myself a target to achieve in "fluency"; the target was simply to be able to read the local newspaper and make sense of it, and to be able to drive round Spain, staying in hotels and the like without language problems.

Davexf

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hi Sue and Barry,

Have sent you a PM - we also need to do more for our Spanish!

Jonathan

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Thanks for the info, Davexf. We are very impressed with your efforts. I only hope we can be half as dedicated.

Many thanks again.
Sue and Barry

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Thanks Jonathan. Will take a look.

Sue

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Do you know Bongo Dave whos always at the shop - Heather his wife teaches - i wonder if she would be interested in giving private lessons - absolutely gorgeous lady <3 xxxxx

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hi Sam
Many thanks for your suggestion. I'm afraid we have no idea who 'Bongo Dave' is! Could you possibly PM me his/Heather's contact details please? We will be going back to the UK soon, but it would be good to get something organised for when we return in August/September if possible. Thanks again. Sue

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hello Kim, I believe Heather is no longer doing them.

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Heather has moved back to the UK however there are alternatives. If you visit the 'shop' around 6 pm on a Monday you may find a number of people that may give you contact details of various teachers in and around Esuri or Ayamonte.

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hi Kim

So you want to improve your Spanish! ;) We did a 2 week intensive course (mornings) - tailor made for us - from Escuela Altena, right on Laguna.
They will also do lessons via Skype (and I am guessing whatsapp) https://www.escuelaatenea.com/en/

There is a school just before the new garage before the plaza after the parador. On the left. Ive never been in it, just seen the signs. It may be English only though. One also on the back roads - as you return from IC and pass the pool with the river on the right, you follow the road and on your right is a sign.

Barbara may also give private lessons. She is the person that used to (maybe still does) group lessons at the GC. Pls contact me for her details as I cant put private details on the forum.

The council also do free lessons year round at school - but for residents.

Hasta luego

Jon

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hi Sue & Barry

I don't want to rain on your parade, but I think you have to be realistic in your expectations.

This is my experience. I bought a holiday home on Isla Canela 18 years ago. For the next four years my ex and I tried various methods of learning Spanish; classes, 1 on 1, cd's in the car/at home. We found that without the ability to practice every day it didn't stick. We got to a level that I think of as "menu Spanish" you can say hello, nice weather, how are you? (and order from the menu) but that's about it. It was only when we moved full time to Spain that we made real progress. We started with a two week intensive course (a class of three people). Then two years of twice a week one hour lessons (class of 2 people) and practicing with anyone and everyone. These classes consisted of speaking, reading and writing Spanish. I would say that after two years I had an intermediate level of Spanish. I could converse, run a business, deal with the taxman, the town hall, etc. But I know my limitations, I keep to the present tense where possible, I avoid complex discussions about politics and religion, sport is fine.

I encourage everyone to improve their Spanish and feel especially sorry for those people who have been here years and still aren't even at the "menu" level (and there are plenty).

Don't be put off by my experiences, do be realistic about what you can achieve (in say the six weeks of your next visit). My advice: find a native Spanish speaker, someone who will still be here for your next visit (so knows what you have been taught that may need refreshing but not starting over). Concentrate on conversational Spanish.

I may get criticised for these comments but I know too many people who have started to learn Spanish with the best of intentions only to throw in the towel when they realise it's difficult. Be realistic, think small steps, keep at it and very best of luck!

PS. learn Castillano not Ayamontino.

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hola
Constructive criticism if I may - I started leaning Spanish aged 56; if you are younger then normally it is easier - more difficult if you are older, and the older you are the slower the absorption rate - my sponge of youth is now the concrete of old age. So if you retired here then expect it to take longer - just keep plodding on.

Davexf

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hola

My house is currently full of post-it notes with the Spanish word for the article (Espejo on the mirror etc.) - all for my 14 year old Grandson who comes tomorrow - he is taking Spanish GCE's and knowing the everyday words helps - my Spanish cleaning lady was in awe !!!

Davexf

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Great quote thanks Dave " my sponge of youth is now the concrete of old age" :thumbsup:

I have to agree re your points. I learned a second language when I was in my mid 40's. I had moved to Belgium permanently so I felt I had to try and get to a reasonable level in one of the official languages. I have a good level, but ONLY as I live (when not in CE) in a French speaking country and so have to use it. I also spent months of tuition and lots of money to get there, but the thing that made the difference was my BH with whom I speak it daily. We only speak French together so the language is 'kept alive' through constant use. But even after 15 years I am not fluent, something that bugs me often.

We did the 2 week Spanish course at the Escuela Altenea I mentioned to Kim. It was the 2 of us and Gero, one of their tutors who speaks French - so he could explain things to us both. We both have brains not really suited to language learning - but felt that we had made good progress. And each day we would practice with Thomas for our coffee break, when he worked in Laguna. Also of course in general daily discourse in Spain

Of course we got home we had no Spanish stimulus - and so its all lost, sadly. We have the good chance to live in Brussels where there is a large Spanish community, and classes etc. But we didn't do that. So IMO language learning needs commitment as well as constant practice... and of course gets harder with age.

We have a close friend in his 50's who has a 'head for languages' - he amazes us at how fast he is picking up Dutch, another official language of Belgium. He is one of those people that seem to have a knack or ability - that lesser mortals like me dream of. His brain is configured with lots of 'RAM' as he is fluent in English, French and German - and has room for more.

Good luck to all who are planning to learn another language - the advantages are huge

Jon

Re: Spanish lessons
 

some tips;
start in your home; put yellow stickies on everything in your house with the Spanish name on it
force your self to speak Spanish with your partner etc
watch Spanish TV or go to the cinema and watch movies you know so you know more of less what's spoken
remember if you don't try to speak you will never learn and you know when your there if you do start thinking in that language (i speak 6 languages)

this made me speaking and writing Italian after 3 months when i was living / working in Torino for 13 months but never been in Italia before
the hotel where is was 'living' in the evening / night the night porter who spoke a bit of english taught me Italian as the office workers i was working with during the day

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

You will not find that post due to the fact that it was advertising which is against the rules.

Rosemary

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

It was a shame really because his heart was in the right place but the fact that he would have needed to charge a small fee to cover his time and the cost of the classroom meant that it broke the advertising rule. Maybe he will give it more thought and put something about it in his signature or advertise locally.

Rosemary

Re: Spanish lessons
 

As a professional in the field of language teaching let me say this - One-to-one lessons are definitely the best way to go. Forget group lessons or conversation lessons. Get a professional teacher and a good textbook and take it from there. Of course it is more expensive than being in a class.

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hi Rosemary.

I didn't see this as advertising actually as lessons cost far more. And I thought he was just covering costs. However 'rules are rules', if he was only covering costs, not taking a fee - would that have been ok to post? Its only fair, I think, to share costs and IMO isn't advertising, but you know best.
Jon

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Initially he appeared to be looking to see if there would be any interest so a Supermod asked if there would be a charge to which he replied that he would need to recoup the cost of the room and make a small fee for his time and this is when the Supermod had to remove his post. Both the Supermod and myself have been in contact with him to encourage him to continue with his idea and put it in his signature so I am hoping that he will do this at some point. Regarding the rule it is my understanding is that if any money is to change hands then it constitutes advertising.

Rosemary

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Thanks Rosemary for the explanation. I understand that there are rules to follow. Also that the 'supermod' with the x-ray vision saw that there was a fee involved :) Though it was only a couple of euros, the rule still applies. Its good to hear that you've been in touch, as you know, this was intended as a kind offer of help.

However if 'any' money is changing hands - but its only to cover costs I think we can make an exception. E.G I arrange via BE to go to a concert in Seville and buy the tickets and ask to get paid back the cost and then share the cost of a minibus hire... but nothing extra for myself, then I think it is OK.

I'm hoping that had the supermod found out that there was no fee, just sharing the costs, then he would have allowed the post.

Thanks

Jon

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hola

I disagree about being more expensive; you can hide in a class and not learn much at all - it can be a complete waste of money. Conversation classes can help reinforce what you have learnt and give you confidence. You cannot hide in a one on one / face to face class and so long as you can understand you will have difficulties along the way - then it is the best and cheapest method of learning -but you have to want to learn, not "play at learning".

I had seven years of one on one grammar lessons and don't regret it one bit. Yes there were times when I just could not grasp the simplest of things, but we moved on returning later - perhaps at the end of the chapter, or the end of the next chapter. Eventually I would be able to grasp the context to the satisfaction of my profesora.


davexf.

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hi Davedxf

Arent you (in fact) agreeing or am I missing the point. You both appear to recommend one to one lessons, with the post you replied to coming from a language teacher.

Also surely you pay more for these vs group lessons? That's certainly my experience.

Just checking
Jon

PS though I am not at all a professional, where I dont agree with scot47 is that conversation classes arent useful. The 'traditional' method of text book + teacher is one major way to learn, but I wouldn't 'forget' other methods. Round tables are good, as are other methods, people learn differently IMO. Also eg Ive spoken to teachers and some feel that you need also to learn about the culture of a country to better understand the language

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hola Jon-Bxl,

One on one classes are less expensive if you consider how much you learn; in a class of four or more people you will not learn as much. I believe that in the long term, you will learn more in a shorter time, therefore one to one classes work out cheaper.

Davexf

Re: Spanish lessons
 

I have invested thousands of hours opf my time and thousands of pounds, riyals, marks and leva in learning languages. Achievement of competence or fluency is not easy and is not cheap. I know that my competence in foreign languages and immersion in other cultures has changed me. Was it worth it ? I hope so. It is an irreversible process so too late to worry !

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Hi Everyone, Can anyone tell me how I enrol in the Spanish Lessons that are provided by the Ayamonte Town Hall? When do they start? I am a Resident and will be in Ayamonte from 24th September and "raring to go"! I can "get by" in daily life but have only done one 8 week course in the UK and then used Duolingo for a couple of years to the point it said I was "48% fluent". Any advice would be welcome. Thanks

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Thank you EsuriJohn. I'll join in in September when we arrive. I'm also hoping to them be able to join a Spanish/English coffee group to allow me to practice as much as possible.

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Thanks. I'll follow-up on that when we arrive - thanks again.

Re: Spanish lessons
 

Re: Spanish lessons