Struggling to find resources; don't know what to do
I've been struggling trying to find a learning source that's up my alley for about a year now, to no avail. I have mild problems focusing on things when I'm not entertained/engaged--something I've been struggling with for years--so for a simple description I'm going to call it de facto ADD. I've tried the following approaches and sources:
Duolingo: I've tried this on and off for a year. It doesn't help me learn much at all, although it does do a good job at correcting me when I misplace an accent mark on a letter. Other than that, I don''t find it effective, plus it gets tedious very fast for me.
saysomethingin.com: the most effective source I've used to date; have only done three challenges so far and I've learned more than any other source. However, it gives me a headache--literally--everytime I use it. I often times have to repeat the lesson because it's essentually a crash course, or aka infodumping. You're only given a few seconds to translate a phrase spoken in English to Spanish before two native Spanish speakers repeat it with correct grammar and pronunciation. The phrases can get so lengthy to the point where I can't even memorise it in English at first. Pausing also is discouraged by the source, so that doesn't help either. Aside from the headache bit, I also become distracted 10 minutes into the challenge.
FluentU: This is the second most effective, although the information does not stick in my memory like it does with saysomethingin.com. I write down whatever words are in the videos in a journal, but I easily forget them. And I'm not the biggest fan of repetitive writing, since I easily forget what I'm actually doing and just write out the word(s) mechanically.
Language/conversatoin exchange: I tried this out last month, and I haven't seen much progress. Thus far I've added 4 people and have talked to them via Skype, but there's not much learning on my end. They will correct something I said wrong, and likewise for me with their English. I also heavily use a dictionary while talking, since even though I think I have a decent grasp at Spanish grammar, there are a lot of words I do not know, so I have to look them up as I talk to them.
Telenovelas: Because of this de facto ADD, I easily get bored when I watch shows. I'm not really picky about what I watch; I try anything. But I lose interest in things very fast. I can say wholeheartedly that within the last two years, there have been maybe 5 shows at most that I watched in full and liked. The telenovelas that I tried watching are Gran Hotel, La Reina Del Sur, and El Internado.
music: I like listening to music in foreign languages (French and Korean are my favourites), but Spanish music is a hit or miss to me. Plus I don't listen to music that actively.
and last but not least: classes I took Spanish my freshman and sophomore year (senior now, 18), and both were awful experiences. My teacher my freshman year barely knew Spanish, as she had to keep referencing to the book to answer a question. And other than reciting the alphabet, we did not speak at all. We would hear random Mexican songs and watch videos provided by the book on a blue moon, but that was it. Sophmore year I had a better teacher who was fluent in Spanish and could answer any question we had, even if it wasn't related to the material we were learning, in an instant. However we also did not get to speak, on top of limited audio. In a nutshell the class was nothing but clerical work at a ridiculous learning rate. Although I make good grades, I think a classroom setting, or what I like to call "assembly line method" (of a decent sized number of students, I'd say 10-20+) isn't an effective way of learning at all.
I gravitate more to the written than verbal; I can read a fair amount and have a decent grasp at grammar, especially compared to my speech, which is virtually nonexistent. I'm afraid that if I use sources such as workbooks that I will completely neglect speaking, since I have yet to find an audio resource that's compatible to me, as well as the glaring fact that Hispanic and Latino population in my city is very sparse, so talking to local Spanish speakers isn't much of an option since I can't really find one, especially in my area.
I think I'm coming across as picky, which I probably am, but I truly want to learn another language. I'm practically an xenophile; I love learning about other cultures, and of course part of that is languages. Linguistics has been an interest of mine for years now as well as travelling, which I would never go to another country that I don't speak at least some of the language.
3 Answers
Hi Crespos!
Firstly, welcome to the SpanishDict!
I just want to tell you about myself a little bit.So maybe that could lead you or at least may give you another way of thinking. Before we start, I've never used the sites you've given above. Even though I had used them, it was just to try and see whether I can learn something from that sites or not. I had used them more or less one day, not more. I've never taken a course either.
When I started to learn Spanish. I was doing my internship in another city which my grandparents live. I was staying there with them and I couldn't really connect to the internet with my laptop, I was just using my mobilephone to connect. That time I had a friend from Colombia who really helped me a lot about Spanish. I don't even remember how we met ehehe. One day I just asked her whether she could help me with the Spanish. After that I bought a Spanish book and studied everyday. At the end of each day, I was telling her what I've learnt or if I had a doubt about something, I was asking her and she was trying to explain me with her poor English, she was like a beginner or maybe a bit more. So I had started to study with one basic book and after I finished that, I bought another one which is more detailed. After a few months we've started to talk just in Spanish.
So I can't suggest you any website or any course but you can just buy a book in your native language. After studying it or after learning the structure of a sentence, you can learn by watching videos from youtube. That helped me a lot and now I am doing the same for Russian!
Please feel free to correct my sentences, because I am not a native English speaker either ehehe. And even though I've been taking English classes since 4th grade of primary school. I believe that my Spanish grammar is even better :D
Thank you! I hope this helps. 
Talk to me on Skype. My name there is chileno74
I will give a nice way to start making it interesting for you. But we have to discuss several things in order for you to start again this little affair that it is language acquisition.
Just let me know who you are and that you come from here. OK?
I am not based in the States so am not sure what stage you have reached in your study. Are you still taking classes?
Some language learning is a slog and is repetitive. it is something that happens when you are really young without realizing - your parents keep talking to you, pointing things out and repeating things you are getting wrong
Would you benefit from some individual lessons? I remember having a few and it was hard work as I had to talk a lot!
Find some podcasts you like either on a local radio in Spanish on a subject you like or a series of podcasts building from beginner to advanced like Notes in Spanish or Lightspeed Spanish..
I know many people who think memrise is great for building vocabuary but I haven't tried it.
You do need to write down vocabulary you want to learn. Our teacher would introduce vocabulary make us match definitions in Spanish with the words then we discussed the topic and then all grammar exercises would use the new words and the ones from the previous week you need to read or speak them about 10 x for them to stick.
I signed up for this magazine:
The link will take you to old copies but once you sign up you will receive an article by email regularly. It includes articles you can read with an audio, articles about relevant grammar and links to videos. The subjects will be interesting if you want to learn about other cultures.
I also rate an interactive video on the BBC called Mi Vida Loca [there is a page on here somewhere with links to most of the resources people recommend]
I love listening to music of all varieties - I have previously posted with some suggestions I also enjoy short films, Notodofest has a lot but they have English subtitles
If you find a topic that interests you in the news you could read it n a few different papers, check some vocabulary then find a short video on the same subject on rtve or 20 minutos.
Vertaal is a Dutch site with lots of exercises some of which include excerpts from actual news reports.
I often listen to rtve which is Spanish TV from Spain I like documentaries,and travel programmes. For example Pagina 2 has discussions and interviews with authors and The latest programmes have the options of subtitles or a transcript. Here is a link to programmes about Spanish people living abroad so you can learn about a different country and listen to some Spanish
of course there are lots of radio stations too.
I think you need to explore again speaking to Spanish speakers by skype or locally. Perhaps you could ask the Spanish teacher you liked if they know of anyone you can chat to.
Finally I can recommend going to a language school. I have been twice to Mexico and you have time to explore the city where you stay as well as getting lessons. When I have been the classes have been small but that may be because I have been in November which is a low season. Realistically you need at least two weeks.
