Mi filosofía

Mi filosofía / My Philosophy

Here’s my philosophy on learning Spanish (or any language really). Take it for what it’s worth.

1. Aprender un idioma requiere tiempo. / Learning a Language takes time

So you’re learning Spanish or wanting to learn Spanish. You’ve stumbled across this site and are wondering how you can become fluent in Spanish.

I believe that anyone can learn a foreign language. The key ingredients will be effort and work. And you won’t become fluent overnight.

I hope that in my videos, you can learn vocabulary and sentences that will open doors for conversations with Spanish-speakers.

2. Practica cuando sea posible. / Practice whenever possible

The ‘Spanish sickness’ as I call it hit me in Spanish II of high school. When I heard songs on the radio I would start trying to translate them in my head. When people would be speaking to me, I would think about how that would sound in Spanish.

Every opportunity I could as a young Spanish student, I would try to converse with people in Spanish. I would attempt to speak to my friends who were in higher level Spanish and learn new things. As well, I would use Spanish as much as possible in the classroom. I Spanish II, I bought my first Spanish-English dictionary and that became one of my best resources even in college.

Even if you don’t know of many Spanish-speakers in your area, there are many videos on youtube these days and you can even watch full television shows on youtube.com from foreign countries.

You might also try to read the periódicos (newspapers):
España (Spain)

http://www.elmundo.es

México

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx

CNN

http://www.cnn.com/espanol/

Revistas (magazines)
People en español

http://www.peopleenespanol.com/pespanol/

3. ¡No tengas miedo de equivocarte! / Don’t be afraid to make a mistake

I can’t tell you how many opportunities for conversation with people I have wasted now that I know enough to know I don’t know enough. All because I was afraid to make a little mistake and prove to them that I wasn’t an expert at Spanish!

Guess what though, it’s obvious if a person is not Spanish-speaking. As soon as you speak it will be obvious. But most Spanish-speakers I’ve met are encouraging when you try their language and might even help you! Often, people are surprised when the ‘gringo’ or ‘gringa’ throws out Spanish phrases because the typical ‘American’ does not know much Spanish.

Also, don’t worry about making mistakes. In everyday life, we constantly make mistakes. Making mistakes is what helps us to grow as people and even moreso as Spanish speakers. Sometimes, a mistake we make might become a funny story later in life.

4. ¡Disfruta! / Enjoy!

Learning Spanish or another language is an opportunity for you to enjoy yourself, expand your understanding of the world as well as other people. You will also have doors opened for you in conversation and in ways to help people!

Chances are, if you enjoy it, you’ll be more inclined to remember it.

By Señor Jordan November 12, 2008

24 Comments to “Mi filosofía”

By John, November 29, 2008 @ 9:36 pm

Me gusta su filosofia. Quando yo comence a apprender Frances hace 6 anos, estube moy frustante. Pero, despues un poco rato, lo comenzo a llegar poco a poco. Ahora, a veces you mezclo los dos lenguas porque los dos lenguas son parecido un poco. Soy fluido en Frances y espero que despues esta visita a Mexico (para la proxima 3 meses) voy estar fluido en espagnol. Tu es una inspiracion Senor.

Una pregunta, no puedo encontrar un manera a escribir con la computadora los letras espanol con ascentos. ?Sabes tu una manera?.

Gracias.

John and Angela
By Señor Jordan, November 30, 2008 @ 1:19 am

John,
Te deseo suerte. Gracias por tus palabras pero en realidad ¡yo no soy nadie de importancia!

He aquí el enlace para ti:
http://www.senorjordan.com/2008/11/los-acentos/
By Jacki Richey, January 28, 2009 @ 3:10 pm

I appreciate your lessons. They are an excellent review for me. I started studying Spanish at age 14 and became almost fluent. Then I moved and didn’t hear much Spanish for over 30 years. I forgot so much. Now that I live in Morelia, Mexico, I am studying it again. I encourage everyone who studies Spanish to keep using it. Your site can help a person keep the Spanish he/she worked so hard to learn.

Another useful link that you might want to add to your web site is http://www.lingq.com. On this site one can read and listen to articles and study vocabulary for free. You have to pay if you want a tutor to check your writing or if you want to particate in conversations with a tutor.
By jorge, February 7, 2009 @ 7:33 pm

guapo, ingenioso, y talentoso! i am using your videos in my class.
By Lenny, February 14, 2009 @ 3:03 pm

I appreciate your lessons. Do you happen to live in New York City? I am begging to learn Spanish and looking for private or semi-private lessons, or a good Spanish course here in New York.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.
By Matthew Noble, April 5, 2009 @ 8:03 am

I am quite surprised that you are giving this away.
These lessons are superb and the site is impressive.
Why are there no adverts on the site . Wouldn’t you be able to make some money out of it that way?
By Senorita G, April 6, 2009 @ 9:20 pm

Me encanta tu sitio. Encontre tu video de los verbos irregulares en el preterito y pienso mostrarlo manana a mis estudiantes. Cuando empezaste a ensenar y como encuentras tiempo para hacer todos los videos? Como maestra nueva no puedo imaginarlo. Pues, muy bien Senor y gracias por compartirlos!
By Joey B., May 1, 2009 @ 12:13 am

Thank you for your website. I will be making a contribution soon to help you out because you are helping me out.

I’m a youth pastor and the Spanish bug hit me several years ago and now big time after doing missions in Chihuahua, MX. We learned Somos El Pueblo de Dios while there and absolutely loved the song and now love listening to you play it.

You’re very talented and just wanted to say to keep up the great work. Dios le bendiga!
By scott, May 1, 2009 @ 5:06 am

Hola Sr. Jordan :

Muchas gracias por su pagina web para enseñar el epanol gratuis , soy un comerciante chino , me gusta aprender el espanol , tengo una pregunta , no puedo encontrar ningun video en tu pagina , ayudame , gracias ,

Saludos

Scott /
By Adele Johannes, May 26, 2009 @ 9:13 pm

I am a 62 year old school teacher, retired American but choosing to live and still teach in a small ” English-based” Christian dayschool and junior high in Monterrey, Mexico. This was my first year! I knew only about the same as a 2 year high school student in Spanish II when I came. Your website is very well ordered and explained, for such “short” lessons. Yes! I am reviewing alot and studying other sites, too. YOU ARE A GIFTED TEACHER…keep up the good work and…GRACIAS! Sincerely, Senorita Adelita (as my kids call me! )
By Maneesha, June 21, 2009 @ 7:55 pm

Hello i’ve been through ur web its really interesting..thanks so much its of great help:) just wanted to ask u something do u know any website where i can watch movie in spanish with subtitle?or any radio i can listen to ?if u know just let me know
thanks
Great job
By Maneesha, June 23, 2009 @ 4:27 pm

Hello thanks for da rep..well unfortunately am not from us:) am from maurtius its a very small island.I am actually in dublin and i did do a spanish course the first level,so i just to keep track of the spanish language till i get to the next level..thats y i wanted some website thanks very much:)
thats really nice of u:)
Again u r doing a great job keep it up:)
By Maneesha, June 23, 2009 @ 4:49 pm

Unfortunately those video on youtube has been removed anythg else that u know do let me know
Thanks
Maneesha
By Cecilia, October 9, 2009 @ 7:17 am

heeey Sr. Jordan,
muchas gracias!!! these r really help me a lot !! they r really wonderful. thax u so much. cool job!!!
By Soledad DePasino, November 17, 2009 @ 6:05 am

Muchisisimas gracias, estoy usando sus videos, son buenisimos.
Reciba un cordial saludo

Soledad DePastino
Spanish Teacher
By Carolien, November 27, 2009 @ 4:12 pm

Thank you so much for this site. Your videos are very helpful. You are an amazing teacher.
By Sergio, December 12, 2009 @ 6:13 pm

Hola
Soy yo Sergio de nuevo y t mando ésto porque realmente te quiero contactar soy mexicano natal, vivo en Puebla que mas…
ehh.. quiero hablar contigo porque creo que sería una buena manera de entendernos y intercambiar idiomas , me entiendes y yo a ti eh notado pequeñísimas fallas casi nada pero que te impiden tener un Español igual de claro como si fuera una lengua natal quiero que me ayudes con mi Inglés y a cambio yo en tu pronunciación latina por favor responde

Atte. Sergio
By JJ, December 14, 2009 @ 6:54 am

Hi,

As I was watching some of the videos on YouTube, I wanted to suggest that you eliminate the repetitive use of pronouns like “yo” and “nosotros” before conjugated verbs (i.e. just say “conozco” instead of “yo conozco”). Constantly using these pronouns is simply not necessary and unfortunately reinforces this very bad habit in beginner students. I took this bad habit with me to Mexico unaware of how silly it made me sound with native speakers (yes, silly!). After a Mexican friend pointed out this bad habit to me, I forced myself to break the habit and am now a little more native-sounding thanks to his honesty. Reinforcing the “yo goes with conozco” grammar point is unnecessary as native speakers do not speak this way and beginner students get the “yo means I and yo is implied before conozco” concept after day three of semester one.

Thanks,

JJ
By Monica, December 21, 2009 @ 3:25 pm

Thank you! This is an excellent site that has helped many of my students reinforce what they learn in the classroom. I appreciate this source so much!

Gracias!

Monica
By Megan, January 19, 2010 @ 3:33 pm

Hola Sr. Jordan!

I just stumbled on your videos on YouTube. Really good stuff! I spent a semester studying abroad last winter in Spain and have been starving to speak Spanish and keep my skills up. Your site is definitely refreshing. Thanks.

Megan
By shoshana, January 20, 2010 @ 1:37 pm

Hi, Sr. Jordan,

thank you so much for your excellent program.
I’m a mother and can’t really go to school to learn spanish, and I found your program.
It’s helping me enormously. I appreciate your generosity in sharing your knowledge, and sharing your philosophy of language.
By Fay Ewalt, January 27, 2010 @ 8:24 pm

Dear Sr. Jordan,

I am glad to see you have a place for donation. Yours is the best Spanish site I have found. I learned more from you in one day than in weeks of classes at the local school. I was feeling a bit guilty for not paying for such a good program. I wasn’t able to give much this time but I will be as I continue to use your site. I can’t believe the money I’ve wasted I wish I could take it all back and give it to you. Your awesome!! I have referred all of my friends here. I love the changes you have made as well. Thanks for your help.

Your student,
Fay
By Sra. B., January 29, 2010 @ 1:27 pm

Estaba buscando videos para repasar los posesivos y reflexivos con mis estudiantes antes de un examen y encontré los tuyos. ¡Eres muy creativo! ¡Buen hecho y buena suerte en el futuro!
By Crysty, February 5, 2010 @ 8:07 pm

Hola Professor Jordan,

THANK YOU SO MUCH for you dedication on teaching Spanish. I watched all of your posted videos. And they are very useful. I took a Spanish course but didn’t learn as much as I got from you. The way you teach is pretty awesome. You have nice voice, btw. I love learning languages, Spanish is my forth language. (My first is Thai, and then I learned English and Japanese.) I am in love with Spanish now.