"I lack the confidence to speak..."
Sound like you?
It’s something I hear from students time and time again. Their written Spanish is coming on nicely because we have the time to work out how to construct a sentence, how to change it etc, but once the spoken word is out, there is no changing it.
I think a bigger challenge lies in the fact that if we speak to someone in Spanish, we will need to understand what is being said back at us (eek! a reply!)... and that is a when our confidence really starts to wobble. What will they say? Will I understand them? They’re bound to talk quickly! Panic, panic, PANIC!
"I've been learning Spanish for a little while now. Give me something to read and I can understand most of what I'm seeing. I can also write pretty well too when it's needed. At the end of the day though I'm learning Spanish to speak to people! There is a definite fear of the unknown there. My confidence seems to escape me, and it's not something that is as easy to practice as reading or writing..." - Spanish Coach student
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So how can we overcome that?
The solution is to start slowly with ways that will calm those nerves. Listening exercises, I believe, are the key. There are lots of different ways to do that... watching movies in Spanish (with English subtitles) or Spanish music on YouTube with subtitles etc.
All that said, I felt there was a need to be filled for listening exercises around everyday scenarios – going to the doctors, the petrol station, booking your car in for a service, at the deli counter, arranging a delivery etc. Which is why I’ve created Listening with the Spanish Coach. My team and I have carefully scripted and created ten video scenarios of everyday situations and matched them with activities to help you challenge your own learning. You’ll be able to practice in the comfort of your own home and listen as many times as you need to. I promise, you’ll be amazed how much you will pick up, which in turn will start to boost that confidence.
Take a look by clicking here to learn more about the pack, and how to get started.