Solitaire

A Companion Page to Solo Spanish!


The aim of this blog is simple. I plan to blog a log or a journal about my experiences in the field of languages and language instruction.

This blog will feature exercises one can use to further his or her language development in the field of their choosing. News and other types of materials may also be used as incentives for readers of this blog to learn a foreign language that is not their mother tongue. Most probably, you will find that learning how you learn also strengthens your knowledge in your own areas of expertise, and in many cases, the study of English, which is crucial if you plan to live within the United States.

I am starting with Spanish, as it is the first one I learned in the United States.
Revisiting the learning of Spanish is going to aid people who want to understand immigrants who are transitioning to a new language or making a home within a new country.

Parallel to reviewing Spanish, I am going to go "solo" in Irish. The trials and difficulties of this venture will be explored and discussed as well. A companion page for "Irish" learners will be at: www.wordtalent.blogspot.com

Since I am at the very beginning, it will be interesting to see how far I get, going solo, as this is a language rarely spoken in these parts.

Primarily, I have worked in the field of instruction at schools and at homes. I have upon occasion been available online as a tutor or facilitator of languages. I am aquainted with both the child and adult learner.

My current field of occupation is that of English and literacy development. Literacy is an area that is valuable to all language learners across the board. Without it, we cannot function as a communicating species. We cannot connect on the many levels we need in order to survive as a species. Every field we encounter is dependent on the ability to speak and communicate a particular language.

If you are interested in pursuing this journey of learning languages, you can practice the given exercises here on this blog, or visit my other page:

www.solospanish.blogspot.com

I have already started this blog, and I discuss how and why I chose to learn Spanish.
It does not mean that you have to choose Spanish as your first foreign language. It is merely my experience as it relates to learning and acquiring new tools for the coming age. Particularly interesting will be the ways I try to retain Spanish without any outside motivation at all.

Mostly, I have gathered, this is the greatest problem facing all language learners.
We lose our language abilities that we have gained due to a wide number of factors.
I will try to explain why this is based on my own experiences largely, because language loss is dependent on a variety of factors for each individual. I hope others will comment on their own successes and failures as time passes.

Spanish is a valuable language, because it is a medium that connects people all over the world. Irish is another language that isolated groups speak. To connect these speakers and also give them a place where their history, culture, and struggles can be addressed safely is my aim. We can bemoan a loss of a language, and that we do not speak it anymore, or we can do something to resolve the loss.



Parallel Studies Initiative:

To view a combination of Portuguese and Spanish programming:

Tune into "America" (Cable Channel 6)at 11AM. Check for viewing times in your area.


For Spanish, any of the following, Univision, Telemundo, and other broadcasting stations in Spanish are highly recommended. News print,too, is an invaluable source.

"Solo" & "Solitaire" are both going to frequent my blogging pages, because I am primarily trying to reach an audience that is not in schools per se, or in a particular group. It is also a supplemental place for people in organized classes or groups. People who are being homeschooled or have chosen to enroll in correspondence courses or long - distance education are also encouraged to visit my pages if they are interested.

May you find the inspiration and motivation to keep developing in the languages of your choice.

Solo Spanish / Spanish Solitaire
Solo Irish / Irish Solitaire




First Active Assignment:

Make a journal entry about why you chose the foreign language you did.
It doesn't have to be one that you are studying currently. So you may
have studied it a long time ago.

How far did you get? If you are continuing, at what level do you find
yourself? What motivating factors keep you wanting to learn it or keep
what you have learned?

Use the comments portion on this page or send me an email at:
writeinspire@yahoo.com for feedback.

For examples, you can view my main blog at:

http://www.solospanish.blogspot.com
JoA.


NOTE (added 4/13/10)

The program, "America" will air its last episode on Monday.
So don't forget to follow it this week.

Today's episode: Tiao deliberating the stage of life and death

***For those of you interested in Portuguese or Brazilian dramas, I have provided
a study/research link for you at: www.solospanish.blogspot.com

Happy Studying!

Reading brings the world closer to us, and us closer to the
world! This is after all the age of information.