Are you a non-native World Language teacher? Do you want more ways to maintain fluency?
If you’re like me, you may be the only person in your family that speaks Spanish, French, or the language you speak. For me, that means I have to get creative and be consistent to maintain a certain level of fluency.
I want to share with you the ways that I use Spanish and incorporate it into my daily life.
1. TV
Telenovelas. I love them and watch at least an hour every single day. I started out watching shows before going to Costa Rica on my study abroad trip. This was great for my Spanish comprehension. The first show I watched was Corazón Valiente and I watched it on YouTube. You can also find it on Peacock, Hulu, or Telemundo.
Now, I watch my shows on the UnivisionNow app. Check this list of my favorite and highly recommended shows.
2. Music
Music is also a great way to increase comprehension of Spanish and vocabulary. The first song I knew completely was Tito El Bambino – El Amor. Haha. I’m a sucker for love songs. I listened on repeat until it became easier to understand. There was tons of searching new terms.
I love this option because you can listen to music while completely other tasks.
Grading papers? Music. Washing dishes? Music. Lesson planning? Music. The list can go on and on.
3. Friends and Colleagues
Take advantage of having friends that speak Spanish and being in a department with more than one Spanish teacher. It’s so easy to stick to your using English but stepping out of your comfort zone and using Spanish more will definitely pay off.
4. Travel
Who doesn’t love to travel? I know I do! If I could travel to all the Spanish-speaking countries in a single trip, I would.
Being surrounded by the language and culture is the best way to maintain fluency in my opinion. You’re put into real life situations and have to figure out the best way to communicate your message. You get to experience the way of life of the people that live in those countries and interact with them.
5. Fluent City
Fluent City is a great option for practicing your conversational skills. It is a paid service. You can choose to have lessons with a native Spanish-speaker or non-native speaker on a weekly basis. Lessons can be structured or strictly conversational about topics.
I also teach Spanish with this company. If you’re looking for a side job that will also help you speak more Spanish, this is a great company.
How do you maintain your fluency? Drop a comment below with your favorite way to keep up your use of Spanish or other languages?
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Jade Greene
