All foreign language teachers have their own method of teaching. Basically, it is based on the needs of the students, on why they want to learn the language. Nonetheless, there are essential tips that will come in handy for anyone who wants to teach Spanish in an effective way and that guarantees plenty of opportunities for students. Obviously, the grammar rules are always the same, but there are various methods to teach them and promote memorization. If you are a beginner, you can take inspiration from more experienced professors to develop lessons or study programs aimed at children or adults.
Steps
Step 1. Start with the pronunciation
From this point of view, Spanish is relatively easy for Italians, especially when compared to English, which is particularly "thorny" due to incongruent pronunciations and difficult words. Despite this simplicity, a teacher must certainly not overlook the importance of pronunciation, which is the basis of everything. Students may indeed have significant problems with certain letters, and these difficulties would interfere with the rest of the learning. Take your time to explain the sounds of the various vowels and consonants in detail before moving on to other lessons. Italian native speakers will not have major problems with Spanish pronunciation, but they must not take it lightly: the differences are not lacking. Spanish vowels do not vary in length or pitch; when a variation occurs, it is not noticeable. The accent, on the other hand, is of vital importance, as it changes the meaning of a word. For example, piso means "floor", "floor" or "apartment", pisó means "stepped on". So, if you don't master the rules of accentuation, misunderstandings can arise (just think of Italian words like accept and re, which have a different meaning after changing the accent). The rules must be learned by heart and you have to practice a lot, but otherwise there should be no problems for a native Italian speaker.
Step 2. Teach verb conjugation
It is one of the most important grammar topics to cover. You need to help students understand verbal variations based on time, manner and usage.
- He teaches how to conjugate regular verbs, and then moves on to irregular ones, such as ir, “to go”. As happens in Italian, Spanish has various irregularities. Start with the present tense.
- Suggest exercises for both regular and irregular verbs in the three conjugations, -ar, -er and -ir. Most Spanish verbs are regular, so students won't have to try too hard to learn irregular ones. Make sure they master the most common forms, this way they will be well on their way to understanding the language in its entirety.
Step 3. Teach the pronouns starting from the informal and formal subject pronouns
It is essential to explain the differences early on, so that students know when to speak you or her and why. Again, there are no great difficulties, because the rules are similar to Italian. There may be problems with the other types of pronouns, but you will teach them later.
Step 4. Offer examples of everyday language use
There are many experienced Spanish teachers who prepare specific lessons for a certain target. Some students intend to visit a Spanish-speaking country, others will go there for work, and still others want to increase their culture. Think about the special needs of your group.
Step 5. Personalize teaching based on the group's skills
Beginners have to start from the basics: conjugation of verbs, pronouns and so on. More advanced students, on the other hand, want to understand how to use Spanish in different contexts, and perhaps deepen their daily use of the language. Teachers should try to speak Spanish from the beginning to the end of the lesson; in this way, the students' ears get used to the structure of common expressions such as ¿Quién va a repartir las hojas de ejercicios hoy?, ¿Alguien saw algún cartel en español de camino at the colegio?, ¡Hoy tenemos mucho trabajo!, ¡Has cometido muchos errores! Lo siento, pero vas a tener que repetir el ejercicio, ¡Muy bien, cada día trabajas mejor!.
In the first few lessons, he teaches everyday vocabulary, such as numbers, days of the week and colors. These useful and simple words are used in a variety of situations. When a student learns and practices them, they will be able to form sentences in Spanish more naturally. Poems and songs are very powerful tools for teaching them. Encourage students to create rhyming sentences, such as Yo vi sobre un tomillo / quejarse un pajarillo
Advice
- Vary the activities. For more effective teaching, experts recommend moving from theoretical explanations to concrete activities. At the beginning of the lesson, the teacher explains the rules and vocabulary, then divides the students into groups and lets them practice what they have learned. You can also propose playful activities: read books to find inspiration. Games are fine too: "Guess the word" is great in this regard. This type of approach generally allows students to learn the language and use it concretely to better understand the cultural context of use.
- Make proposals to promote study outside the classroom as well. Encourage students to watch subtitled films, have Spanish-speaking pen pals, travel abroad. This way, they will have opportunities to use the language.
