ryanmConsidering there are 422 million native speakers of Latin American Spanish, (which is a very broad term, as there is plenty linguistic diversity among Latin American Spanish speakers), it can sometimes be difficult to find resources for learning Castilian Spanish and its unique characteristics. The differences are not monumental, people from both Spain and the Americas can communicate among each other with ease, as an Englishman and American would. However if someone frequents to Spain on vacations often, or wishes to relocate to Spain and would like to fully immerse themselves into the culture, there are benefits of learning Castilian
Online resources
Pimsleur is a great resource to workout listening and speaking skills, with hundreds of hours of Spanish conversations. Pimsleur offers two Spanish courses one for Castilian and another for general Latin American Spanish. Each Pimsleur lesson lasts around 24 minutes, the lessons start of basic and progress into more complex and rich dialogues, which still incorporate vocabulary and grammar from the previous lessons.
Language learning apps have taken the internet by storm over the past few years, and using one of these apps even for 10 minutes of the day, can be a great compliment to your learning. The most popular of these apps being Duolingo is a superb free resource, especially for beginners to build up a basic vocabulary and learn the common greetings. Once reaching an intermediate level, I decided to make the switch to Babbel which is priced at around $14.95 a month. Babbel provides the user with real conversations with more grammatical context and longer lessons. Babbel uses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), as a guide for you to get a rough idea which level you at, which is a nice feature. Babbel also provides the verb conjugations for the personal subject pronoun vosotros/vosotras, which is unique to Castilian Spanish.
Comprehensible input has blown up as a language learning method, and many reputable linguists swear by its effectiveness. Comprehensible input works by using association, this often entails combining video and audio, so that the recipient starts to associate certain words with certain objects/actions. The listener would be able to get a meaning of the words, based off the context in which they are being used in association to an object/action. This type of educational content can be accessed for free from various Youtubers such as SpanishAfterHours and ErrequeELE, who make comprehensible input entertaining and engaging, while showcasing Spanish culture.
Physical materials
When it comes to study books, it’s important to find one you like and to stick to it. It’s all too easy to make the mistake which I have made all too often, of getting frustrated, purchasing a new study book and repeating the cycle of feeling stuck in the mud. After many trials and tribulations, I eventually found a book to settle down with and that book was ASSIMIL Spanish by Francisco Javier. ASSIMIL is not too grammar heavy, but instead likes to focus on real conversations you might find yourself having with a Spanish speaker. ASSIMIL does provide grammatical notes and notes on pronunciation, as well having an option to purchase MP3 files/a CD to compliment the written dialogues.
Affordable tuition
Above all, the most important part of learning a foreign language is speaking to native speakers of that language, having conversations about a variety of topics and receiving pointers and corrections. Italki is a platform available on IOS, Android and Desktop where thousands of language tutors can be found. Lessons on Italki tend to range from $6.20 to $31 depending on the tutor, whether you need a tutor for conversation practice with a native speaker or to ace an exam, Italki will have you covered. Italki presents the perfect opportunity to connect to native speakers of any language and receive feedback and pointers on your linguistic progress. Interacting with native speakers of any target language is crucial, in order to familiarise yourself with local idioms and slang, tonal changes and euphemisms.