Spanish 3 “How to Study” Guide

Sometimes when you're feeling frustrated with a foreign language class, the problem isn't what you're studying, but how you're studying. It's particularly difficult if it's been a long time since your last class. Here are a few guidelines as to what you should "do with" your homework assignments:

READING: “Yikes!! I've never read so much at one time.” It’s a difficult bridge to cross over, but it can be done! Ask yourself: Am I using the different reading strategies I've learned in the past? You should:

1) Read all titles and subtitles-they give you great clues about what's coming up in the reading

2) Look at the pictures-if there are captions, often those captions give you new words that may show up in the text, accompanied by an illustration

3) If it's history, map out a time line. It organizes your thoughts, and you'll have a great study guide for the tests. Scan the reading for dates (they stand out because they're numbers) then fill in the blanks!

4) If it's a story, scan it for names. These are your "personajes," and you can write their names down in your notebook, and then add information about them as you read.

5) Do you know the difference between skimming and scanning? Scanning is looking for specific info, while skimming is reading quickly to get the gist of something. Skim each paragraph of any reading to figure out what its main idea is. Once you have identified the main idea for each paragraph (and it may not be correct at this stage-but you can revise it later, so don't worry!), jot them down in the margin or in your notebook. You now have a pretty decent outline to work from.

6) Read the questions at the end. This is a great way to find out what the key points of the reading will be.

7) At this point, you are ready to make some predictions about the reading. Make a guess, then...read!

8) NEVER LOOK UP EVERY WORD. Try not to look up any words for the first read-through. Have a pencil in hand to underline the words you don't know and go back to them later if you're still hung up on a section. If it's still bugging you a paragraph later, or it comes up again, then look it up.

9) You may have to do the reading more than once, so the important thing is to get through it without deliberating, then go back over it again to "clean up" your understanding of the text.

VOCABULARY: “How do I get all those words to “sink in”??”

1) Flashcards-you can flip through them while you're eating, watching TV, whatever. Put aside the ones you know, and carry around the ones you don't.

2) Use the words-any chance you get. Participate in class, use them in your writing homework, etc.

GRAMMAR: “Haven’t I done this before?” Some things to keep in mind:

1) Always keep in mind that this course is considered a review of grammar. If you're feeling weak in any one area, you need to put in a little extra time.

2) Your instructor will incorporate grammar in his/her lessons and discussions of the reading in context—do not expect to go over "the rules" in class.

3) You should take notes while you're doing your homework. If you still have specific grammar questions, your instructor can answer them (but not necessarily in class)-- visit your instructor during office hours or make an appointment if necessary. You can also ask your instructor questions via email.

4) If you need "drills" and repetition (if that's the way you learn best), talk to your instructor, OR you can check out the Spanish 3 web page, where there are extra exercises and websites listed where you can get more practice.

5) If you are having trouble with grammar, consider getting a tutor. Free tutoring is offered in Dey Hall in the evenings; your instructor should announce when this service begins, as well as the days and times it is available. (If you don’t hear about it, ask!) Also, if you would like a private tutor (for pay), ask your instructor about how to find one. Your instructor may help you by appointment or during office hours, but may not tutor you for pay.

General note about preparing for class:

Remember that when a particular set of pages has been assigned on the syllabus, your instructor really expects you to KNOW what is on those pages on that day! If you are not prepared, you will not do well on quizzes (which are often unannounced), and it will also affect your class participation grade. Under normal circumstances, you should be doing between 1-2 hours of homework/studying for every hour of class (that’s 3-6 hours of studying for Spanish every week!)