Motivating You to Learn Spanish on the Internet

The internet is a great place to learn many things, including languages. Web pages are great because they incorporate pictures, sounds, games, and spelling and writing into the learning experience. Some sites even record your own voice’s sound waves and compare it to a native speaker’s pronunciation on a chart, so you can actually see how good your pronunciation is. However, if you want to learn Spanish on the internet, you will need some motivation and a plan. Since there is no actual teacher to frown at you for skipping class, you will have to prompt yourself. There are many kinds of sites for learning Spanish on the internet. Some are like textbooks, with explanation in English and some exercises in Spanish. Others are more multi-media. Depending on your learning style, some sites are more appropriate for others. Spend your first session scouting the internet for good sites.

Join groups

Learning Spanish on the internet, like anywhere else, is easier with a little encouragement from others. Luckily there are many groups dedicated to helping you learn Spanish on the internet. The first place to look is for newsgroups, or just “groups”, as they are usually called. Groups congregate on a certain page and can post whatever note they want and respond to others’ posts. Usually to join a group, you must send an email to its administrator and get a login name and password. Groups like to limit the conversation to people genuinely interested in it, not casual passers-by. Groups are free; a good place to start is Yahoo! Groups. 

Posts in groups quickly evolve into conversations between regular users and they become friends. Nothing is nicer than sending an encouraging note to your Spanish-studying buddy, unless it is receiving one. Other groups may include actual Spanish speakers who like to help others learn Spanish on the internet. 

Set a Schedule

If you are serious about learning Spanish on the internet, you must set aside time dedicated to studying, just like a student goes to class at certain times. Start with a reasonable schedule, such as three to four hours a week. Close yourself up with your computer in a quiet room for your lessons. Do not miss class, but schedule breaks every few weeks. If you find you are able to stick to four hours a week, you can add more later.  It is better to start small and succeed than try to do too much and be overwhelmed.