After trying a bunch of different ways to study, I’ve decided on sticking with a couple of core items like Learning Spanish Like Crazy for the core. Spanish Pod or Spanish Connection Podcast for something short and different. Destinos for something to watch that has a story line to follow (Destinos Workbook and CD). Plus I’m always trying different things I run into.

With Spanish Pod you get a lesson as an MP3 with a PDF that covers a specific topic of conversation. The hosts translate and dissect the grammar of the conversation. They usually end with a short comment about Mexican or Latin American culture. The beginner lessons translate a lot and explain in English, the intermediate and advanced lessons use more and more Spanish in their explanations. The website has a comment section for each lesson that you can participate in. There are premium memberships with extended lessons and vocabulary.

My Spanish Connection the Learn Spanish – Survival Guide concentrates giving you vocabulary about a particular subject. Restaurants, movies, pharmacies and a lot of other situations. There are job specific podcasts for landscaping, construction and restaurants with plans for more.

The host is a Spanish teacher and has a complete podcast explaining the different Spanish dialects which was extremely interesting. He breaks vocabulary down into syllables when it’s needed and there’s plenty of time to repeat and practice. You can see the vocabulary list on your iPod by hitting the center button, which is the best use of the info screen I’ve ever seen, too bad the iPod doesn’t hold on that screen. Plus, he has started leaving the vocabulary list on a post on the Spanish Connection website and you can leave comments for each episode.

itunesSince there’s no link to grab his iTunes feed on his website, you can search on iTunes or click on this: Learn Spanish Survival Guide or click the iTunes icon.

I’m still undecided about Live Mocha, I like it, but I’m trying to get through each lesson, they start at a very, very beginner level, which is good, but I think just living the Southwest someone would know hombre and niño. So, I’m trying to get to where I’m actually learning something.

I thought they set you up with someone to practice with, not exactly. You record your speaking and someone grades your work. I’m still looking for something a little better for speaking practice.

This doesn’t even include all of the books I’ve bought, which I’ll get reviewed here eventually. Speaking of reviews – All of the reviews here are things I actually own. If I don’t and I’ve only tried the free trial, I say so. I’m not going to say something is a great resource and then I don’t own it myself, that’s not going to happen here. That’s why I can’t review every single product out here. I do the best research I can reading other reviews (probably from people that don’t own the products) and anything else I can find, then I buy it, just like you. I’ve purchased a few things that were crap and I don’t use anymore, but that’s going to happen.

Originally posted 2008-03-17 03:22:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter