Spanish Sí

Classes, Tutoring & Translation
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FAQ
Learning a new language takes patience and persistence.  The sooner you get started, the sooner you'll be speaking fluently.  Do you have what it takes?  Read through our FAQs as you consider whether now is the right time for you to study Spanish.  Once you get started, you'll wonder why you didn't start last year.  Learning a language keeps you young, helps you grow, and connects you with other people.  :)
 
(If your question is not answered here, please contact us!  We'd love to hear from you.
 

 

Q: What if I can't roll my Rs?
A: That’s okay—we work with all levels and ages of language learners, and can help you improve your accent as you acquire new phrases and linguistic structures.  Just like it takes a while to learn to ride a bike, learning to make your mouth and throat produce the sounds of a new language takes time.  The biggest challenge is getting over your fear of trying something new, and making time to practice the new sounds until they sound right to your ear.
Q: Do you speak Spanish from Spain or from Latin America?
A: I teach a very neutral form of Spanish, although I prepare my students with region-specific expressions and vocabulary as they prepare to use Spanish in a real-world context.  Spanish is readily understood throughout a wide geographic span.  "El español es uno--nos entendemos," explains Maria, from Guatemala:  "There is only one Spanish.  We understand each other."  My first Spanish teachers were of Latin American heritage; my next teacher was from Madrid, Spain; then I studied with teachers who spoke Mexican and South American Spanish.  I studied abroad in Barcelona Spain and also aquired fluency in Catalán.  I learned Dominican and Puerto Rican Spanish while living in New York City and working in Spanish Harlem.  I have had friends and room-mates from Colombia, Guatemala, México, El Salvador, Spain, and Argentina.  I cannot say I have no accent because...everyone has some kind of accent, even if it is hard to pinpoint to a regional location.  Eventually, with persistence, through years of study with many programs and many teachers, if you decide to pursue Spanish for the long term, YOU can aquire the expressions, vocabulary, and cultural knowlege you want to know.  For communication purposes and conversational Spanish for beginners, I emphasize expressions that are not region-specific, and do my best to answer questions on specific regional dialects to the best of my ability (which is limited, to be sure, but I do my best to share what I have learned over my years of study). 
Q: Do you teach children?
A: I have over twelve years' experience teaching Spanish to children, in New York City, Barcelona, and Northwest Indiana.  I have taught babies, preschoolers, kindergarten and gradeschool groups, homeschoolers, middle schoolers, public and private high schoolers, college undergraduates and graduate students, and adults.  I love teaching children because their brains are wired for learning language.  After age 12, certain neural pathways in the brain disappear, and language acquisition becomes "work"--so learning early is to our biological advantage.  Think of it as your brain's linguistic biological clock, ticking away. 
 
I incorporate a variety of fun activities including singing, games, playtime, movement, dance, puppets, and show and tell into preschool classes.  I invite parents to stay and participate if they wish. 
 
I have found that children learn best when parents are supportive.  If you learn some Spanish expressions to use at home, you may find your child will have more enthusiasm about studying Spanish.  Sing our songs together.  If you forget the tune, please call me and I will sing it to you over the phone.  I'm here to help you learn Spanish, but as a parent YOU have the best tools (your brain, your heart, your enthusiasm) for encouraging your child to learn with you.  If you'd like to stay and learn together at some class sessions, you are welcome to stay.
 
Children who are not potty trained are not invited to stay without a caregiver, of course.  Please be honest and considerate, and keep your child's comfort and needs in mind.  If separation from a parent is difficult, consider staying to learn Spanish also.  (When a parent or two stays in class with a child in one of our classes specifically designed just for kids, you are getting two (or three) for the price of one--I'll bet you can't beat that deal!) 
Q: If I take a class, am I making a long-term commitment?
A: Most classes last six weeks.  Some last four weeks.  Some classes and tutorials are on-going for a period of months or years.  Learning Spanish depends on YOU at least as much as it depends on your teacher.  If you decide to continue past six weeks, you have the option of signing up for a continuing class (when available) or private tutorials (as teacher's schedule allows).  Signing up for one class is a short-term commitment to let you decide whether learning Spanish through the Spanish Sí method is right for you. 

Q: Will I be able to pronounce Spanish even if I have never studied before?