"Professional Spanish"

I had the pleasure of meeting several car salesman today.

One of them told me, "Yeah, I'm fluent in Spanish, but I can't speak technically. Can you help me with that?"

So, really, this young man has everything! He knows the rules, he knows the sounds, but he lacks the words. Well... that's not too bad. What is language any how? Lots and lots of words.

So, let me help him find a great resource: (Other than a dictionary....that's just TOO overwhelming, and if you know me at all, you know I don't do well with overwhelming stuff! So I break it down for you.)

Here's the break down:

1) Pay Attention to what you say.

2) When you speak to anyone in English, any customer, when you're done, head back to a desk, or a table, and jot down any three sentences you said. (Having a notebook dedicated to this is a good idea)

3) Then, within 24 hours, look it up. Email me, use google translate (and a good dictionary) and see it through. Write down the translation.

4) Practice it. Say the sentences at least three times.

So, that's for the self-sufficient, really motivated, on-the-ball Spanish student.

For others, here are some great books that "break it down" for you:

1) published by Barron's (Authors Navarro and Ramil)

This is a thematic approach and has phrases, and LOTS of vocabulary, as well as an extensive glossary and index. Excellent. (But no mechanics or auto parts in that book, sorry Jeff at Toyota)

2) is another GREAT resource, and DOES Have tons of technical nouns, and pictures to help Jeff learn new words.

To find out HOW to get those words into his brain, I hope he'll shoot me an email.

Crash Course Spanish Seminar July 31

I'm crazy busy. Yet, not as much as I thought I'd be. How's that for confusing?

This Friday and Saturday, we have our local Homeschool Book Fair Expo here in Bryan Texas, and I get to give two workshops, just like I do every year, about foreign language learning. It's always a wonderful experience, and I enjoy it immensely.

We're looking to get a homeschool community center started here, so that's a bigger focus for me than the seminars, but they both are, of course, important. And, my two biggest boys (ages 6 and 8 now) are going to help out in their cub scout uniforms.

Oh, and we're potty training our youngest. She was doing so well. And then today happened. I think we went 0 for 21 tries. Oh well. Que será, será.

But the BIG thing that I'm SUPER excited about is the Spanish Crash Course I'm hosting on July 31st. I'm so excited about that. The course I've taught more than 3 dozen times or more, and I so enjoy it. This will be the first time I really get to do it on my own terms, and really help people to just JUMP OVER the obstacles they feel they have in learning Spanish.

If you're local to Central Texas, you don't want to miss it. I'm asking my own family to come, because I know it'll help them SO much in their desire to learn Spanish.

Happily, it'll be made into a DVD course, so SOON it'll be available for purchase!

Any questions on what will be covered, or what those obstacles might be? Feel free to ask!

Free Flip Flop Jot and Spanish Fun Activity Calendar

Summer Spanish Giveaway!

Head over to the Flip Flop Learning Website, type THL in the subject line of the CONTACT US form, and you'll be entered to win one of 3 Flip Flop Jots, or 1 of 3 Spanish Fun Activity Calendars.

They're the perfect tool for light-hearted Spanish this summer!

The contest runs from now until midnight on May 24th, 2010.

We'll randomly choose 6 emails, and then contact the winners for their addresses. The winners will also be announced in the June e-newlestter from Flip Flop Learning.

Buena Suerte!