When I finally realized that I was doing my homework incorrectly, I asked myself why I was doing it that way. I realized that I was relying too much on what other people think, when I should be basing my work on my own studies. In college, I read a lot of journals and articles, which gave me ideas for my papers and essays. This enabled me to come up with original and interesting topics to write about. As a result, my writing was better, and I did not have as many mistakes while writing my assignment.
Even though I did not spend hours on my homework, I still did some studying. I found that reading and studying helped me build my memory, my sentence structure, and my essay format. In college, I read my books in Spanish, even though I knew what the words were and what they meant. It enabled me to retain the information I read, and my comprehension level went up as well.
Today, I use a variety of methods to help me do my homework in Spanish. I often borrow my mother’s copy of the dictionary so that I have a good translation when I need one. I also use Google Translate, which is free to download, and it helps me with spelling. If I cannot find the definition of a word, or I cannot make a mistake when spelling a word, then I type in the exact words to see what the correct word is. I often translate the word into my native language before saving it in my document just in case I might need it later.
Some of my favorite sites on the Internet, like Homework Help, have great graphics that can really help me remember what I am trying to learn. The site teaches you how to read Spanish while sitting down, and even has games and activities to keep you busy. I love being able to clear my mind, close my eyes, and focus on learning the language instead of worrying about the fact that I’m not hearing correct Spanish.
When I know what to expect, and what is being asked of me, it makes the process of learning Spanish much easier. I know that I will be given a homework list every night before bedtime, and I know that I should do my homework on time each night. The best way for me to know that I am on time is to keep a notebook handy, write down everything that I need to do, and go over the list in detail as I complete it. If I don’t do my homework on time, I can end up dreading the task and knowing that I have failed at my task. It doesn’t matter what I’m supposed to be doing, if I’m not putting in the right to work in, then I will never complete it.
Reading is another great activity to do with Spanish learning and can help you tremendously in your quest to learn the language. Try reading a chapter a day, or read every night when you get up. You should try to read every day, and mix it up with other things, like watching TV, playing games, or reading magazines. If you hate what you are reading, try reading a different book, or going to a new website. Doing this on a daily basis will help you grow as a reader, and you will soon be amazed at how fluent you can become.
I do my homework each day when I wake up, or before I go to bed. It gives me something to look forward to and also gives me the energy to learn more. My word limit is already short, so I try to make it count. I read for my leisure, and use the written word occasionally for practice. If I am unable to write down what I’m learning, then I put it down, cross-reference it, or go back and reread it later. This keeps me from forgetting what I’ve learned, and I continue to grow as a student.
