Today there are more free exercises than ever to help you learn Spanish online, but are you afraid of maybe not choosing the best grammatical explanations and then learning Spanish incorrectly? Are you sure that the material you are using to perfect your knowledge in Spanish is reliable?
If we surf the web we can find plenty of websites that offer exercises and other resources to learn Spanish online for free, but are they enough or do we need something else?
Here is a guide to how you can reap the benefits of free online Spanish exercises.
Have you ever tried to be self-taught and learn Spanish on your own? Are you thinking of practicing your Spanish using online exercises? You got lucky! There are more and more online resources to help you learn Spanish.
From my experience as a teacher, both in individual Spanish classes and online Spanish tuition, I can guide you and help you learn with the best free online resources currently available. Here are some points to bear in mind:
- Select free exercises from Spanish language schools’ websites, as there is usually a team of expert teachers who create them and then practice them with their students.
- Go to websites that offer resources for teachers specialized in teaching Spanish as a foreign language. These pages are reliable, because they are constantly being shared by professionals in the field.
- Avoid pages that only ask you to fill in the gaps! If you want to learn Spanish to communicate with the locals, then you can’t settle for just memorizing grammar rules. You have to learn to converse, listen to audios and do comprehension exercises. The most important thing though is to SPEAK!
- Keep in mind that you will most likely need a guide to help you learn Spanish, a teacher who will create lessons exactly suited to your level. They will adapt their material taking into account your linguistic and communicative needs. The biggest advantage they have is that they will be able to correct your mistakes and help you not to commit them again. You have to make mistakes in order to learn!
Why do I need a teacher in order to learn Spanish? The disadvantages of learning for free with online resources
Although I have suggested some ideas to help you know how to choose good free exercises to learn Spanish online, you should also take into account the importance of having your own teacher to guide you as you learn, because there are several disadvantages in being self-taught.
What aspects of Spanish should I be learning according to my level? Where do I begin?
There are many students who decide to teach themselves Spanish, but, in doing so, lose themselves amongst so many online resources. Which ones should they choose? The fact is that it is virtually impossible to know, due to the fact there are simply so many. And, on top of that, we don’t know which ones we can fully trust.
What’s free can end up costing you
The exercises are free but, how much time does it cost you looking for the right material to learn the grammar that you think you need? How valuable are all those hours you spend trying to find exercises that you think are worthwhile? If time is money, then you will surely see that it is a great investment to acquire the help of a teacher who has already done that search for you and can provide you with the material you really need.
A teacher to plan your Spanish learning
Having a teacher to provide you with the online exercises you need in a methodical fashion helps you to acquire knowledge the way that you should. In addition, your online teacher will help you set short-term goals which will aid your progress without you even realizing it.
Commitment
What’s easier? Going to the gym after a hard day at work having arranged to go with someone else, or going on your own? The first scenario of course!
Well, it’s the same with learning Spanish online. If you make a definite appointment and commitment to learn with a teacher then you won’t be as likely to get lazy – as you would do if you were studying by yourself.
The motivation you need
In all learning processes there are always ups and downs. There are times when you want to share the joy you feel when your pronunciation improves or when you understand a text without the help of a dictionary. Your online Spanish teacher will be there to share your successes. There are, however, times when you feel that you are no longer getting anywhere, and that the grammar is just too difficult. Again, your teacher is there for you to encourage you and stop you from throwing in the towel.
You value what you pay for
Many psychological studies show that we don’t truly appreciate the things that are given to us free. Why? Because it hasn’t required any effort to obtain it! It is the same with learning Spanish. As you don’t really value the online resources that you have, you will eventually start to lessen your efforts.
However, if you have paid money to learn, then you will value the work of the teacher and the quality of the teaching will be so much higher. The teacher will also value the time he has been paid for, and will be more predisposed to do a good job.
So, can free online resources be useful for learning Spanish? Of course! They can always help to reinforce the knowledge you acquire from your teacher. But do you really think you will learn good Spanish just by doing online exercises? What will you do when you come across things you just don’t understand? Who will you ask? The most likely outcome is discouragement and frustration and less and less desire to study.
A teacher can be a valuable long-term investment and the stimulus you need to launch yourself into the life-changing experience of learning a foreign language. Also, if necessary, your online teacher will teach you how to look for the free exercises that will be most beneficial for you.
If you want to share your Spanish learning experiences with me and let me be your navigator through all those waves of doubts, then book a trial class and try me for free!
