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3 Ways Learning Spanish Can Improve Your Life Learning a new language can be a daunting task, but the rewards are immeasurable. At Valley Spanish School in Medellin, we are passionate about helping people of all ages and backgrounds learn Spanish. Whether you are a complete beginner or an advanced speaker, we offer in-person and online classes to help you achieve your language goals. The impact of learning a new language: One of the most significant benefits of learning Spanish is increased empathy. By understanding a new culture and language, you gain a broader perspective on the world, which can lead to greater compassion and understanding for others. Studies have shown that bilingual people are more likely to exhibit empathy and better communication skills than monolinguals. Speaking of communication skills, learning Spanish can vastly improve your ability to communicate with others. Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, with over 460 million native speakers. In the United States alone, there are over 41 million Spanish speakers, making it the second most spoken language in the country after English. Knowing Spanish can open doors to new job opportunities, friendships, and travel experiences. In fact, speaking Spanish can even boost your earning potential. According to a study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, Spanish-speaking workers earn an average of 2.7% more than their non-Spanish speaking counterparts. This statistic shows that investing in Spanish classes can be a smart career move, whether you are looking for a new job or seeking a promotion in your current one. At Valley Spanish School, we offer group and private classes for students of all levels, as well as online classes for those who cannot attend in-person. Our experienced teachers use a communicative approach to teaching, which means you will be speaking Spanish from day one. We believe that immersion is the best way to learn a language, so our classes are taught entirely in Spanish, with a focus on conversation and practical vocabulary. Enrolling in Spanish classes is not just about learning a new language; it is about investing in yourself and your future. From improved communication skills to increased empathy, the benefits of learning Spanish are immeasurable. Join us at Valley Spanish School and start your Spanish speaking journey today! To enroll in our in-person or online classes, visit our website or contact us at [insert contact information]. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you achieve your language goals. Sources: American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). “Why Learn Languages? Benefits of Language Learning.” ACTFL, 2021. https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/what-the-research-shows/benefits-language-learning/ National Institutes of Health (NIH). “Bilingualism: Consequences for Mind and Brain.” NIH, 2012. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3583091/ European Commission. “Special Eurobarometer 386: Europeans and their Languages.” European Union, 2012. By Indico Digital
As an entrepreneur, time is a valuable commodity that you can’t afford to waste. However, taking time out of your busy schedule to learn a new language can offer a wealth of benefits that can help you in both your personal and professional life. If you’re an English-speaking entrepreneur with less than a month to spare, consider enrolling in Spanish classes at Valley Spanish School in Medellín, Colombia. Here’s why learning Spanish is worth your time and effort: Qualitative Benefits Improved Communication Skills: Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, and by learning it, you’ll be able to communicate with a larger portion of the global population. This can help you establish business relationships and expand your network. Enhanced Cultural Awareness: Taking Spanish classes will give you an understanding of the culture, customs, and traditions of Spanish-speaking countries, which can be especially useful if you do business with Latin America. Increased Confidence: Learning a new language can boost your confidence and help you become more comfortable in social and professional situations. Quantitative Benefits Increased Market Access: Spanish is widely spoken in Latin America, a rapidly growing market with a huge potential for business opportunities. Knowing Spanish will help you better understand your clients and customers, and make it easier for you to expand into new markets. Improved Employee Relations: If you have employees who speak Spanish, knowing the language can help you communicate with them more effectively and build stronger relationships. Better Business Negotiations: Speaking the same language as your business partners or clients can help you build trust and negotiate more effectively, leading to better business outcomes. In conclusion, learning Spanish at Valley Spanish School in Medellín can be a valuable investment of your time as an entrepreneur. Whether you’re looking to expand into new markets, improve your communication skills, or simply gain a deeper understanding of the culture and customs of Spanish-speaking countries, the benefits of learning Spanish are numerous. So, why not take advantage of this opportunity and give yourself a competitive edge in today’s global marketplace? At Valley Spanish school, we offer small group classes (with a maximum of 6 people per class), private group classes (perfect for family & friends) and private lessons. If you’re ready to get started, simply email us at coordinator@valleyspanishschool.com or send us a message on Whatsapp at +57 3156824219 to get started on your Spanish speaking journey! By Tara Dinoski
SPANISH LEARNING TIPS Like every other language, Spanish has grammar rules that sometimes discourage students to continue or either start their learning process. If your are not taking formal lessons in a Spanish School and want to kick off your process leaving grammar on the side, you will need a little bit more patience and way more self discipline in order to do the trick. It’s not impossible but it’s definitely harder. That said, It is known that grammar is not for everyone, so that’s why we have written down a few tips that will make your learning process quite a bit easier and more enjoyable if you are clearly not a grammar fan: 1) Listen to music in Spanish. * There are some Spanish singers and composers that actually sign very clear and have good diccion (not reggaetoneros, of course). First, what you can do is get the song or play it on Youtube or on your favourite streaming platform, search for the lyrics, and print them out. Search for their meaning and then look up for the pronunciation on Google. Even though it is not the best pronunciation available, it’s a start. You can always compare the pronunciation in the song to what Google shows you, this will give you a better idea of what a word should sound like, even though is not perfect. * Play the song and try to sing along. If the song is too fast, you can slow it down in the configuration bottom on the right side of YouTube. It’s not recommended to slow it down too much because the sound gets distorted and the pronunciation is not gonna be helpful. * Record yourself reading the lyrics and listen to yourself as much as you can. Words that come a little more difficult need to be underlined in your handout and then you will need to record those in a different audio. Take the time to compare them to what you’ve found on Google and the song you have chosen. * Create a glossary of the new words you’ve found and try to use them in sentences that might be helpful on a daily basis 2) Watch series, movies or clips in Spanish with your language subtitles * Choose your favourite series and start by watching short dialogs without subtitles, make and effort to remember if you know any of those words in Spanish. Play the same scene with subtitles on. You might find that in those scenes there are conjugations that might be more advanced that what your Spanish level allows you to understand, so just put them aside and carry on with the other words. Write words down, record yourself reading the words and then change your tv or platform configuration to Spanish. Compare the sound of the words you read with the movie clip, and record again. 3) Go to Language exchanges *In order to become more fluent and loose the fear of making mistakes, one of the best experiences that will motivate you to learn Spanish is going to language exchanges. Local schools like Valley Spanish School, have implemented different activities which reinforce the teaching process and this one is one of the best ones. In this kind of events you will meet people, probably will make new friends, will train and definitely improve your listening and speaking skills. The methodology is quite simple but efficient. You sit down with a language partner, the school should provide a speaking topic and from there you should be able to elaborate depending on your level. What we recommend is to look for an event that has and academic purpose not just a social one, because sometimes the speed of the conversations can be overwhelming and this could lead to frustration. Note: *Prepare a topic before hand to discuss in which you are particularly interested in. This will make your interaction way more productive and will give you space for asking more questions to the tutor that moderates the session. So, here are some pointers that could help you start your Spanish speaking journey. It’s not an absolute truth but form our experience these will help students regardless of their level if made with regularity and commitment. LANGUAGE EXCHANGES AND HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THEM
Valley Spanish School make a difference in Spanish teaching with experienced and native teachers, and our in house curriculum with guaranteed results.
It doesn’t matter what language we are talking about, all that matters is that you want to learn it. Without hesitation, we will say that motivation and constant practice are our best allies to achieve better results.