Just before the COVID pandemic set in, we had decided to set a goal of learning Spanish. It’s the second most common language spoken in the US, and seems important to know.
But in a pandemic? How’re we supposed to do that?
Luckily, we’re experienced at this homeschooling thing. So we’ve got you covered.
Our first stop was DuoLingo. Duo Lingo offers language instruction in dozens of languages, from common to more obscure. It’s free (There is a premium level if you are interested in more intensity.) , and it’s super easy. It can start you out at novice, or drop you into a more advanced level. We highly recommend it.
But there are other ways to pick up and improve your language skills. We’re focused on Spanish, but you can find similar tools for other languages as well.
PODCASTS:
There are numerous foreign language podcasts available, for all levels of learners. We’ll just mention a few here today:
Spanishpod101 produces a few podcasts most weeks, usually vocabulary focused. The range of topics varies a lot, and the sample sentences can provide good practice.
CoffeeBreakSpanish uses stories and travel to tell about Spanish speaking parts of the world, and to zero in on little points of grammar and vocabulary of interest.
News In Slow Spanish gives weekly news digests in Spanish. It’s a good way to get used to hearing spoken Spanish in everyday context.
We’ll come back again later to add more resources for learning Spanish in a future post.
For a family that loves Star Wars as much as we do, we couldn’t let the passing of this talented actor and writer go unmentioned. We love Carrie for the warmth and joy she has brought us in numerous movies, but especially in 5 Star Wars movies as the smart, resourceful, pretty-capable-of-saving-herself-thank-you Princess Leia.
When the weather outside is frightful, you can still go outside! Dress warmly and go have fun!
