Comments on: Practice Your Listening Skills http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/ Language and Cultue of the Spanish-Speaking World Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:36:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: David Carmona http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-527 David Carmona Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:25:00 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/#comment-527 Bob, what you see as a weakness can actually be interpreted as a strength. I wouldn't say you "suffer" from being a visual learner, but rather that your strengths as a learner lie within that spectrum. Keep developing your language skills in the way that works best for you. The way you're having problems with aural input suggests that there is a big differential between your current level and the input you are receiving; nothing wrong with that. Exposure will take care of it. In the meantime, try to adjust your learning curve by accessing more comprehensible material. Standard spoken Castilian Spanish is generally slower than Latin American, and phonetically more differentiated. News reports would be even easier. Try listening to www.cadenaser.com, or check www.elpais.es for short videos from CNN in Spanish. RTVE's website is also full of audio and video content. Don't hesitate to use the subtitles on your TV for as long as you need them. Bob, what you see as a weakness can actually be interpreted as a strength. I wouldn’t say you “suffer” from being a visual learner, but rather that your strengths as a learner lie within that spectrum. Keep developing your language skills in the way that works best for you.
The way you’re having problems with aural input suggests that there is a big differential between your current level and the input you are receiving; nothing wrong with that. Exposure will take care of it. In the meantime, try to adjust your learning curve by accessing more comprehensible material. Standard spoken Castilian Spanish is generally slower than Latin American, and phonetically more differentiated. News reports would be even easier. Try listening to http://www.cadenaser.com, or check http://www.elpais.es for short videos from CNN in Spanish. RTVE’s website is also full of audio and video content. Don’t hesitate to use the subtitles on your TV for as long as you need them.

]]> By: Bob Kostrubanic http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-526 Bob Kostrubanic Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:26:49 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/#comment-526 We visit Cancun and/or Puerto Villarta 2-3 times each year. It's a joy to speak with the locals, both in the businesses, and in the villages. I usually get most of it. But I suffer from being almost totally visual-oriented vs. auditory. And I learned most of my Spanish from writing to South American pen pals many decades ago, which only bolstered this. When I listen to speech in Spanish, it must be reasonably slow, because I have to analyze almost every word or phrase. When I hear someone rapidly speaking, like on a Univision program, they quickly lose me. Any tricks to overcoming this, or a particular approach in listening to these programs ? We visit Cancun and/or Puerto Villarta 2-3 times each year. It’s a joy to speak with the locals, both in the businesses, and in the villages. I usually get most of it. But I suffer from being almost totally visual-oriented vs. auditory. And I learned most of my Spanish from writing to South American pen pals many decades ago, which only bolstered this. When I listen to speech in Spanish, it must be reasonably slow, because I have to analyze almost every word or phrase. When I hear someone rapidly speaking, like on a Univision program, they quickly lose me. Any tricks to overcoming this, or a particular approach in listening to these programs ?

]]> By: Adir Ferreira http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-525 Adir Ferreira Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:52:11 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/#comment-525 A.J., thanks for the kind words. We´re enjoying bringing you guys these learning tips as much as you and suggestions for more posts are always welcome! Michael, using the subtitles is very useful. Let me share with you a secret I share with my students. If you have a VCR and a particular Spanish program is closed captioned, watch it once without the subtitles and many other times with the subtitles on, you´ll see how fast your listening skills will improve. M.H., thanks for the tip, I´ll make sure to check it out! A.J., thanks for the kind words. We´re enjoying bringing you guys these learning tips as much as you and suggestions for more posts are always welcome!

Michael, using the subtitles is very useful. Let me share with you a secret I share with my students. If you have a VCR and a particular Spanish program is closed captioned, watch it once without the subtitles and many other times with the subtitles on, you´ll see how fast your listening skills will improve.

M.H., thanks for the tip, I´ll make sure to check it out!

]]> By: M.H. Graham http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-524 M.H. Graham Thu, 20 Mar 2008 16:40:51 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/#comment-524 On my website, onthe services page, htere are links to other good practice sites. Website: www.ahorahablo.com, click on the "services" tab and you'll see the links. On my website, onthe services page, htere are links to other good practice sites. Website: http://www.ahorahablo.com, click on the “services” tab and you’ll see the links.

]]> By: Michael Siebert http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/comment-page-1/#comment-523 Michael Siebert Thu, 20 Mar 2008 13:12:45 +0000 http://www.transparent.com/spanish/practice-your-listening-skills/#comment-523 I've found that when watching Spanish TV, it helps to turn on the spanish subtitles, especially when the speach pattern is rapid. I don't always do this because it takes your eyes off of what is going on, but when I do use the subtitles it has helped me distinguish words and phrases I would not have easily recognized just by listening. Works with DVD movies as well. I’ve found that when watching Spanish TV, it helps to turn on the spanish subtitles, especially when the speach pattern is rapid. I don’t always do this because it takes your eyes off of what is going on, but when I do use the subtitles it has helped me distinguish words and phrases I would not have easily recognized just by listening. Works with DVD movies as well.

]]>