DAVID - LAWYER
Angela: We've talked in the past about different ways you keep immersed in the language. I have to say, you're one of the students with the most complete approach to immersion, right?
What you watch, listen to, and all of that—why do you find an advantage in having a tutor, despite all these other methods? I wonder why you still find it fruitful to have sessions with a Spanish tutor.
David: Yeah, well, for me, I'm very fortunate. I live in Latin America. I moved here several years ago, and at that time, I had basically been learning Spanish on my own, using online resources, applications, and such.
That got me to a certain point. I had accumulated vocabulary and understood basic grammar, but I couldn't have conversations or feel comfortable discussing anything complicated or expressing myself.
That's why I decided to learn Spanish—to make deeper connections. You can listen to podcasts, read, and those things are important, but they focus on input. We're talking about reading and listening, but output, especially speaking, was where I struggled.
There are two approaches. I could practice with someone at a coffee shop, but they're unlikely to correct me. If I encounter a problem with the language, they may not understand it the way a teacher would or be able to help me understand grammar or answer questions.
What I needed was a teacher who knew how to move from one level to the next and guide me through that process. I incorrectly assumed I could find that online for free, but I needed someone to identify my weaknesses and fill those gaps so I could progress.
«I live in Latin America. I moved here several years ago, and at that time, I had basically been learning Spanish on my own, using online resources, applications, and such.
That got me to a certain point.
I had accumulated vocabulary and understood basic grammar, but I couldn't have conversationsng myself.»
PROFILE: Lawyer from Canada living in Colombia.
THE GOAL: "To speak Spanish as I speak English"
LESSONS FREQUENCY: Three hours of Spanish sessions per week, along with autonomous practice.
Angela: Yeah, and it reminds me of our discussion about how sometimes it's important not only to find a word in the dictionary but to discuss it with someone.
David: Well, you know, I read a lot. So, part of my reading process is always to identify new vocabulary. I come across all these words, circle them, find their meaning. It's a beautiful process, but I ended up with a monster list of vocabulary full of synonyms. I made efforts to memorize the list because I wanted to incorporate those words into my Spanish. My goal has always been more than just basic communication. I want to speak Spanish fluently, like English. But memorizing all those words didn't help. I couldn't use them. It became a challenge because when speaking, I would want to express a concept but feel uncertain about which word to use. I knew multiple words that could express the idea vaguely, but I wasn't aware of the subtle differences between them that only a native speaker or teacher would know. I felt blocked and ineffective. In our sessions, I love to detangle those words with you, understand their subtleties. It's been beautiful because some words have visual connotations, others are used in specific circumstances or relate to certain ideas.
Exploring this deeper level of Spanish has been satisfying. Many of those synonym groups are actually commonly used. Our process has been extremely useful, freeing up my speaking and boosting my confidence, especially with those words that used to block me.
«Exploring this deeper level of Spanish has been satisfying. Many of those synonym groups are actually commonly used. Our process has been extremely useful, freeing up my speaking and boosting my confidence, especially with those words that used to block me.»
Angela: Yeah, dictionaries sometimes attempt to show those nuances, but they can be difficult to grasp.
David: Yeah, it's funny. The same thing happens with grammar in my experience. Early on, when I wanted to learn Spanish, I thought, "This is great! I'm on the internet, and there are all these resources providing a complete guide to grammar." I thought, "I'm a self-starter and disciplined. I'll just download this and work through it." They're helpful to a point, but they can also be problematic because they're not interactive. They don't respond to your interpretation, and there's no feedback.
I misinterpreted a lot because the quality of those materials isn't always great, or my interpretation differed from the creator's intent. That's natural. I reached many wrong conclusions about how Spanish works, and they became ingrained because I practiced with non-teachers. People, if they understand you, won't correct you. It takes energy and knowledge, and there's a risk of offending. In Latin America, the culture is to be friendly and welcoming. It's one of the beautiful things about the countries I've visited and Colombia where I live—the warmth of the people. But it means they won't correct your Spanish mistakes. Errors become ingrained. When I started lessons with you, we were able to correct some of those errors, but it was a lot of work.
«I thought, "I'm a self-starter and disciplined. I'll just download this and work through it." They're helpful to a point, but they can also be problematic because they're not interactive. They don't respond to your interpretation, and there's no feedback.»
And I think, you know, if I had to do it again, I would have a teacher right from the beginning, a good teacher with a complete curriculum, somebody who knows how to take you through that process. Because if you learn something wrong, unlearning it and relearning it is so difficult. It's a real challenging process, whereas just learning it correctly the first time is much more efficient. Those resources are great. I would use them as a supplement. I would take those questions directly to my teacher if I'm looking online. But yeah, I would if I had a teacher from the start. We could have established the route. The best option really is to have somebody who can help you plan how to get there efficiently because what I'm talking about is just wasting an enormous amount of time and resources. And it's actually worse than that. Because, like, the things that we work on, although my goal may be lofty, the things we work on are quite simple. Sometimes we go back and look at materials that are early learner kind of materials, but I learned them wrong because I did it myself. So it's like something that's been tainting my Spanish and making it difficult for me unnecessarily.
Angela: I was thinking, yeah, we have been going back, but it's a good reminder that learning is not linear either, you know.
My last question is what type of approach would you recommend to someone who is specifically like you, getting an idea about how Spanish works and all of it, but wanting to overcome that step between "Yes, I know some things" to feeling confident? What would you recommend for someone in that situation? What would you do if you had to do it again?
«I would take those questions directly to my teacher if I'm looking online. But yeah, I would if I had a teacher from the start. We could have established the route. The best option really is to have somebody who can help you plan how to get there efficiently.»
David: Yeah, if I had to do it again, what would I do? Well, I think discipline and consistency are really important. So I think it's more important than quantity. Somebody learning a language should probably define a plan involving consistent daily practice. It's important to focus on different skills—listening, reading, speaking, and writing. Additionally, having a teacher who can help identify your language goals and create a path to reach them is necessary. This path could be based on your preferences—some may prefer reading or discussing specific topics more than others. Especially at the beginning, getting these basics is something I couldn't achieve alone.
I reached a certain point, but I encountered many errors and had to unlearn and relearn with your help. Thank you for that. The process would have been easier if we started with a plan together and established a solid foundation guided by you. So I would say, take advantage of all the great resources available. It's an ongoing exploration to find what works for you. Having a teacher and a customized curriculum is the foundation of this process. The rest is about adding what you want along the way to supplement it.
