New Video Learning Programme on Span¡shD!ct: What content would you like to see?

Question

I just had news from Paralee , your teacher on Learn Spanish. Chris and she are proposing a new video learning programme, about 3-4 minute long videos.

They are willing to take all kind of suggestions and ideas, so shoot

Paralee said: We want to launch a new video learning program, maybe 3-5 minute long videos, but we just don't know what people really want out of the content.

Ok, so let us know what kind of content you would like to see on those videos that are planned

• I haven't finished whats there yet so I cant add much to the question above... But I would like to just say thanks to everyone who makes this site possible. :) - kerflop Nov 10, 2010
• thanks for appreciating, kerflog:) - Heidita Nov 10, 2010

Answer 1

First I'd like to say that this site is a fantastic site!! and if I wanted to express how grateful I am for this site I won't find enough words to express that.

But I've always wished that we can have a short story or a composition section after each lesson it would be very very helpful ))

This has been discussed here before : ¿Qué haría SpanishDict aún mejor para los usuarios? .

• thanks lovely, I have added the thread:) - Heidita Nov 10, 2010

Answer 2

I would like to add: Things we really need to learn are the idioms that are in everyday use that we aren't necessarily familiar with. Example: No tiene sentido, no tiene caso, hacer caso /prestar atención. That is my biggest stumble, I hear things like "no faltaba más", "tener presente", "estar a gusto", "a estás alturas" and I have to keep running back and checking what the people really mean.

A further explanation on some of the endings would be nice too: Example: Juegazo, vistazo, amigota, (because a juegazo is not a big game, nor is a vistazo a big look nor a great look) because sometimes the endings almost fool me.

Also a section on what is not OK to translate literally. Example in English..... How funny! in spanish literally = Que chistoso..... which is rude and doesn't mean how funny at all but something like, oh yeah? think you're funny huh? So a bit on "false literal translations" would be cool.

I'm very happy to see more lessons.

• I second pretty much all of this! Great suggestions, jeezzle. - mapletw Nov 10, 2010
• Only trouble is that idioms differ from country to country and often province to province. add where an idiom works or does not work. Great Idea jeezzle!! - Debbie-Clee Nov 11, 2010
• I don't think what Jeezzle means are exactly "idioms" but rather common expressions that many regions use, e.g., por si acaso, etc. - --Mariana-- Nov 11, 2010

Answer 3

I need help with Spanish etiquette. What are polite things people say in social settings, from introductions through small talk to good conversation starters that don't require me too say much, to saying good-bye.

The landmines are everywhere. I need help navigating them.

Discussions about different customs in different places would be helpful in this context. In South America, for example, when you meet someone, you say, "mucho gusto." In Madrid, this is considered very South American and not done. In Madrid you say, "encantado/a."

Also, when is it appropriate to kiss (in Madrid it seems like you kiss everyone twice, even people you have just met)? Offering people your hand when you meet them in social settings seems to be considered very foreign and disturbing to them, unless the setting is business, then I don't know what the rules are. At an office Christmas party for my husband's new company (we had literally moved to Madrid that day) I was checking my coat when my husband introduced me to several women. I extended my hand to the third one while she kissed me, as they all had done. Then, she told me, "we don't shake hands here." Oops. How was I to know?

This is not that hard to learn, and is important if someone wants to make a good impression in a foreign country. None of us wants to go around upsetting people when we first meet them.

On small talk...there are questions that one is sure to get, even if you don't speak much Spanish. We need to be ready for being asked, "¿Donde eres? and any of the other questions people will spring on us.

On conversation starters, during a lunch alone with the wife of a business associate of my husband's, I was wondering how to fill up the time. I didn't speak much Spanish and she didn't speak any English. We had just been to the museum together, each with the audio tour in our own language, so we had that in common. After discussing it briefly, (it was an exhibit of Frances Bacon and fairly disturbing), we went to lunch.

I wondered what I was going to talk about. My vocabulary was so limited. After we ordered, I said, "Digame de su vida." Tell me of your life. I sat back and listened to her talk about each of her children, their personalities, likes and dislikes, her hobbies, her husband, her education as an artist. When she ran out of things to say, I said, "Digame de sus sueños." Tell me of your dreams. Admittedly, this is a little personal, but she went on for another 15 minutes. She told me about her desire to have more time to explore her art, how she loved art history and what she dreamed for her children and her husband. Okay, I wish that I would have understood more of what she said, and I felt a little like a therapist, but I got through the lunch.

This experience taught me the importance of small talk, which I didn't know how to do in Spanish and with which I still need help.

• very interesting, joyce, I think this idea is very innovative, this can surely not be found anywhere else, interesting;9 - Heidita Nov 11, 2010

Answer 4

Listening comprehension. Perhaps something similar to what is found on the videos on this site:

Spanish proficiency exercises

If there was a way for the user to interact, such as answering questions based on the content in the video, that would be even better.

Answer 5

I'd like to see some some operational situations between two people, for instance,

1. A person arriving at an airport, going through customs, being quizzed by a customs' official - what replies he gives.

2. A conversation between someone arriving at a doctor's office, or a hospital, with some sort of ailment, the interaction between that person and the receptionist/doctor/nurse.

3. Someone going into a bank, the interaction between that person and the bank teller.

These could be between just two people, there could be a quiz afterwards on the content.

• Great! - --Mariana-- Nov 11, 2010
• very interesting annie, way to go - Heidita Nov 11, 2010

Answer 6

I was thinking to include the suggestion part in this thread, but after the video content is cleared, we can open one on suggestions which will also be considered.

However, let's focus on the content of the videos for the moment.

Any topics you would really like to know about? Some kind of grammar, texts, anything?

Answer 7

I completely agree with Dogbert...listening comprehension segments would be excellent. I find that I practice my reading and writing plenty, but that my conversation and listening comprehension lacks because I don't get enough practice!

Answer 8

listening comprehension segments would be excellent.

This might be doable, lets see what Paralee has to say, but any topic that comes to mind? Any specific kind of listenings?

• I think it would be beneficial to hear entire conversations take place between two people. These could possibly be followed by comprehension questions about what took place, or why certain verb tenses were used, etc. The current video format is great - mapletw Nov 10, 2010
• for learning specific vocabulary and general rules, but it doesn't provide a lot of context practice once those concepts are mastered. I hope I am making sense! - mapletw Nov 10, 2010

Answer 9

How exciting...new videos!!!

I agree with suggestions that we need some listening comprehension lessons where there is a quiz at the end to test how much the listener understood.

I think Annie's idea of general conversations in everyday settings is excellent, e.g., the bank, the airport, a grocery store, etc. We all need to be familiar with the things that we are likely to face in our daily lives and be ready for them. The use of a few new words (to build some vocabulary) would also be very helpful.

Moreover, Joyce's suggestion that we include introductions and goodbyes is perfect for beginners-- those situations are always awkward for anyone learning a new language.

For the advanced learners, like Jeezzle and my, I'd like to see some conversations and lessons that include difficult/compound prepositions, indirect/direct object pronouns, and the subjunctive that are all spoken at a more rapid pace. Also, some use of advanced vocabulary would be great.

• These are all great. - jeezzle Nov 11, 2010
• I like the sound of that last paragraph. - Kiwi_Girl Nov 17, 2010

Answer 10

Paralee's videos are extremely helpful and motivating.
Here are some subjects I would like to undestand with more depth:

• Correspondencia de tiempo verbales
• Las oraciones de relativo: que, el que, quien, cual, cuyo, donde...
• Perífrasis verbales: acabo de terminar, se ha puesto a llover, sigue lloviendo...
• Expresiones idiomáticas

• interersting suggestions, nice - Heidita Nov 11, 2010

Answer 11

I think it would be great to have brief speaking segments by native speakers from various countries. This could be followed by a quiz and then explained in detail by Paralee. I have used this sort of teaching and have found it to be very helpful.

For example, you could have someone from Mexico speak about any topic. For instance, they could explain their daily routine briefly, what they do at work, a recipe...the topics are endless and do not need to be any longer than a minute or so. Since these will be native speakers, they will naturally use the idioms, expressions, the subjunctive and many of the other ideas people have expressed they are in need of. Once we have listened (as many times as necessary) we can test our knowledge through a short quiz. This would be followed by a full translation and explanation of any particularly tricky or difficult parts by Paralee.

The next lesson would be from a different country or region, with a different topic. If it is not possible to use speakers from a variety of countries, I still think it would be helpful to at least use segments from a native Spanish speaking person or two, using patterns of speech that they would use on a daily basis.

Answer 12

New Paralee Videos!!!!! Woppie!!!!!! This is just what Ive been hoping for. I finished the learning course and got very bored after. Ive learnt alot from her videos but I must say what I need now is to practice my listening skills. Perhaps she could have 3-5 minutes of conversation about a particular topic of interest with some text translations to aid understanding. I dont think much could be taught in 3-5 minutes. It would be best to have this for intermediate - advanced conversations to help get persons tuned into how the language sounds.

• "This is just what I've been..." "I've learned a lot...." "I don't think...." Please remember to use proper punctuation in your posts. Thanks! - --Mariana-- Nov 11, 2010

Answer 13

mapletw said:

I think it would be beneficial to hear entire conversations take place between two people. These could possibly be followed by comprehension questions about what took place, or why certain verb tenses were used, etc. The current video format is great for learning specific vocabulary and general rules, but it doesn't provide a lot of context practice once those concepts are mastered. I hope I am making sense!

I think this is an excellent idea, please post ideas in posts, not comments, they might go unseen

Answer 14

Right now we are studying adónde and dónde. I see several posts about these words; but for me I think a 3-5 minute video would be helpful. Gracias SD equipo por todos sus esfuerzos.

En este momento estamos estudiando y adónde y dónde. Veo que varios puestos sobre estas palabras, pero para mí creo que un vídeo de 3-5 minutos sería de gran ayuda.

• Corrections are appreciated! - bandit51jd Nov 12, 2010
• *Veo varios posts sobre... (puestos doesn't make sense, we usually keep the English word) :D - LoaEtayo Nov 14, 2010

Answer 15

I think that listening comprehension sections would be a huge help for me. I know this has been stated in earlier posts but I felt the more people that suggest it the better. I know how awesome our skype sessions are and how they've helped me to become more comfortable listening and responding in Spanish. (yes, I have a long way to go!!)