How to use ChatGPT to enhance your Spanish listening skills with podcasts

Learning a new language can be an exhilarating journey, and Spanish is no exception. With the advent of advanced AI tools like ChatGPT, language learners now have a unique opportunity to enhance their skills, particularly in listening comprehension. In this blog post, we'll explore how you can use ChatGPT to improve your Spanish listening skills using podcasts with transcripts.

Step 1: Start with a Summary

Before diving into a podcast, it can be helpful to have a general idea of what it's about. ChatGPT can provide a concise summary of the podcast's transcript. This will give you a clear context before you start listening. Podcasts like El Hilo or Radio Ambulante provide transcripts. Just copy paste it and prompt ChatGPT to give you a summary in bullet points.

Suggested Prompt: "Can you provide a summary of this Spanish podcast transcript? Use bullet points."

Step 2: Identify Key Vocabulary

Depending on your proficiency level, you may need help understanding certain words or phrases in the podcast. ChatGPT can generate a list of key vocabulary from the transcript, tailored to your level. This step is crucial for building your lexicon.

Suggested Prompt: "Please list the key vocabulary from this transcript suitable for an intermediate-level Spanish learner." Just tell ChatGPT which level you are at and it’ll give you more or less vocabulary.

Step 3: Comprehension Questions

After listening to the podcast, it's important to test your understanding. ChatGPT can create comprehension questions based on the transcript. This not only tests your listening skills but also ensures you can recall and use the information you heard.

Suggested Prompt: "Can you create some comprehension questions based on this Spanish podcast transcript?"

Step 4: Check Your Understanding

Once you've answered the questions, you can use ChatGPT to check your answers. This immediate feedback is valuable for understanding your mistakes and learning from them.

Suggested Prompt: "Here are my answers to the comprehension questions. Can you correct them?"

Step 5: Engage in a Dialogue

To further enhance your learning, you can engage in a simulated conversation with ChatGPT based on the podcast's topic. This practice can improve your ability to think and respond in Spanish, as well as helping you improve your writing.

Suggested Prompt: "Let's have a dialogue about the main topics discussed in the podcast. Correct my spelling and grammar. "

Step 6: Summary in Spanish

After completing these steps, ask ChatGPT to provide a summary of the podcast in simpler Spanish. This will help reinforce your understanding and give you exposure to different ways of expressing the same ideas.

Suggested Prompt: "Can you summarize this podcast in simpler Spanish for practice?"

Using ChatGPT in conjunction with Spanish podcasts and their transcripts is a dynamic way to enhance your listening skills, and supplement your learning with an experienced tutor. By preparing with summaries, focusing on key vocabulary, testing your comprehension, and engaging in dialogue, you're not just passively listening but actively engaging with the language. Remember, language learning is a journey, and tools like ChatGPT are here to assist you every step of the way.

At Hackney Spanish we incorporate a wide range of technologies into our classes. Get in touch, to get started today!

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Why we're not fans of intensive courses

Hola, Spanish language enthusiasts! A bit of a controversial one here, since we’ll go against the orthodoxy and what is a common practice in most language schools. But you’ve read it right: we aren’t fans of intensive courses. And here’s why.

We often get requests for intensive courses, especially from beginners eager to really get into the language, and most of the time we turn them down, even if it’d mean quick money. Beginner intensive courses are often a waste of time and money for the student. We used to organise this type of class but then we stopped since we believe it’s not in our students’ interest.

At Hackney Spanish, we understand that embarking on the path of language acquisition requires time, dedication, and a genuine appreciation for the process. Language learning is a practice that unfolds gradually, offering invaluable insights and experiences along the way.

In this post, we delve into the fundamental principles that guide our approach: the importance of investing time in language learning and why we steer clear of intensive courses for most students.

Language learning: a process of discovery

Learning a new language is akin to embarking on an enthralling journey. Just as a traveler needs time to soak in the sights, sounds, and flavors of a new destination, language learners need time to immerse themselves in the nuances, idioms, and rhythms of a foreign tongue. Travelling is a physical process — language learning is physical too, and it takes time for neural processes to become established.

Research has shown that true language acquisition takes time, allowing the brain to process and internalise the intricacies of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural context. At Hackney Spanish, we believe in fostering a deep connection with the Spanish language, one that unfolds through consistent exposure, practice, and engagement. We want our students to create a connection to the language that extends beyond the classroom.

The myth of quick fixes

In a world of instant gratification, the allure of intensive language courses can be tempting. However, we firmly believe that language learning is a process that thrives on depth and authenticity, not rushed memorisation (like with many apps that promise you’ll learn a language with 15 minutes a day!).

Intensive courses, just like many apps, often promise rapid results, but they can leave learners with superficial knowledge that fades quickly. We understand that true language proficiency goes beyond mere memorisation; it involves understanding the language's structure, its soul, its cultural context, and the joy of meaningful communication.

And for this to happen you need to create solid connections — we help our students achieve these.

The Hackney Spanish approach: no magic Recipes, but fun and consistent Work

At Hackney Spanish, we are passionate advocates of genuine language learning. We believe that there are no magic recipes or shortcuts to becoming fluent in Spanish. Anyone who tells you so is selling you snake oil. Instead, we emphasize the power of consistent practice, interactive engagement, and a supportive community that nurtures your growth.

Our courses are designed to inspire you to explore the language's rich tapestry, from its history to its idiomatic expressions and grammar, in a way that builds lasting proficiency and cultural and linguistic understanding. Our social events will make you feel part of a community.

So are intensive courses always useless?

No. That’s not what we are saying! We don’t believe intensive courses are good value for your time and money when you are giving your first steps. Unless you are willing to move to a Spanish-speaking country and do a month or so of full immersion, thus being completely in the language, we would advise you not to try to do an intensive course. Coordinating an intensive course while you continue to exist in your own language, with work, study, and family commitments, is not the best way to invest your time and money as a beginner.

We do agree to intensive courses when we get requests from students who have already learned the basics and have a certain level of Spanish. Many times life separates a student from a language and an intensive course will be a good way to reconnect with it. But for this to happen the student should have done the slow work before.

I’m a beginner, can’t I do anything to speed up my learning?

There’s lot of you can do to speed up your learning! Most of is free and flexible. We have covered this topic before. You can read all about it here and here (with a focus on listening, the hardest skill to pick up in Spanish).

Think of learning a language as a lifelong way to open up your world. And wherever you are in your journey get in touch today, since we can assist you to get beyond. You will be surprised how quickly you’ll acquire Spanish, without a need of spending all your time and money in a classroom!

Iberian or Latin American Spanish?

When it comes to learning Spanish, one of the first questions that our students often ask us is whether to focus on Iberian Spanish or Latin American Spanish. While both varieties of Spanish are derived from the same roots, there are some key differences between the two.

Firstly, it's important to note that Spanish is the official language of 21 countries, including Spain, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, among others. Iberian Spanish refers to the Spanish spoken in Spain, while Latin American Spanish refers to the Spanish spoken in the Americas.

Here are some of the main differences

Pronunciation and Vocabulary

One of the most noticeable differences between Iberian and Latin American Spanish is pronunciation. While both varieties use the same alphabet, there are differences in how letters are pronounced, especially the letters "c" and "z" and the "s" sound. For example, in Spain, the "c" and "z" are pronounced with a "th" sound (the closer we can get in English), while in Latin America, they are pronounced like an "s".

There are also differences in vocabulary between the two. In some cases, words have different meanings or are used differently in Spain compared to Latin America. For example, in Spain, the word "coche" is used to refer to a car, while in Latin America, the words "carro" (Mexico) or auto (South American) are more commonly used. Similarly, in Spain, the word "ordenador" is used to refer to a computer, while in Latin America, "computadora" is more commonly used.

Grammar

Another difference between Iberian and Latin American Spanish is grammar. In general, the grammar rules are the same, but there are some differences in usage. For example, in Latin America, the past simple tense is used more frequently than the present perfect tense, while in Spain, the present perfect tense is used more often. There are also differences in the use of pronouns and in the way that reflexive verbs are used.

Culture

Finally, it's important to note that there are also cultural differences between the two varieties of Spanish. These differences can be seen in everything from the way that people greet each other to the food that is eaten. For example, in Spain, it is common to greet someone with a kiss on each cheek, while in Latin America, a handshake is more common. Similarly, the food that is eaten in Spain is different from the food that is eaten in Latin America, with each region having its own unique cuisine and culinary traditions.

In a nutshell

While Iberian and Latin American Spanish are both variations of the same language, there are differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and culture. Ultimately, which variety of Spanish you choose to focus on will depend on your personal preferences and goals. Regardless of which one you choose to focus on it is important that you understand all varieties of Spanish and a good school / tutor will make sure you are exposed to different regional varieties. Also, note that things like a permanent accent is something you will pick up later in your journey, so this is not something you should worry about when you begin your studies.

Getting better at listening

Yes, listening is hard. But here are some tips that will help you get better at it.

Anyone who’s been learning Spanish for long enough will agree that listening is one of the hardest things. This is to do with many things: the speed of the language, the many accents, the many things a person might talk about, the fact not every speaker is a professional voice artist, etc. This problem is further exacerbated by bad teaching creating wrong expectations about listening. Many students are trained to listen in class, wasting a lot of time in the process, with very little gains. We believe this is the wrong way to go about it.

The moment of listening in class should not be seen as specifically training listening skills. We use that moment to introduce concepts in a practical way, and to see how your listening is progressing. Think about it like going to a tennis class: you’ll still have to play tennis outside of class to get good at it — no one would think the class alone is the moment in which you get good at your tennis, or that you’ll go to class and do a simulacrum of a game, as if you were playing with mates. Instead you will see the class as a moment of learning, and your instructor will use that time to correct your posture, and to suggest ways of improving your skills, perhaps to introduce a new trick, etc.

So, if the class is not really the moment of playing / listening, when do you play / listen? Well there are many things to do in your own time, and none of them need to be a chore. There are things that you can do actively; and there are things that don’t need your attention 100%.

Actively, in a nutshell, try to listen to podcasts, watch things on Netflix with subtitles, listen to people talking and try to spot words, expressions, etc. There are many exercises that we teach our students for them to listen actively and if you want to learn more about these please get in touch because after wall we are a school! That said, there are no limits to the things you can do with free materials available online. Be inventive and just go for it.

In terms of non-active learning there’s a lot to do too. This is very interesting, very simple, and rarely exploited by language tutors (spoiler: we do; but we are also the best around, so there’s that). In our classes we talk a lot about the concept of unconscious acquisition. If this is something of interest there’s an article here about what this means in depth. Basically, it means that there are things that happen when we learn, when we pick up the language without really trying; listening has a lot to do here, and we still don’t know how this works but we know it works, judging from how kids continue to learn their mother tongue: did you mum or dad sit you down and explained the subjunctive to you or did you just pick up the language from them? More likely the second option…

So we need to try to replicate that situation of someone learning their mother tongue. For that reason it’s important that you spend time in the language — there’s a post here for you to see what we mean by that. But to put it simply, one thing you can do is having a radio in Spanish in the background when you aren’t necessarily paying attention 100%. This will improve your listening and your overall language learning, through that unconscious acquisition. We see this all the time — our students who do this learn much faster than the ones who do no! (We would have to say that they also learn faster and better than in other schools but that’s something for another post!).

So, yes, do some proper work with podcasts, etc, or get in touch with us and follow our method to go about this. But also, next time you are doing exercise or cooking, just blast a Spanish radio station instead of the latest Coldplay (yawns in Spanish). You’ll be taking a lot in without even noticing it!

FREE ONLINE RESOURCES:

Good podcasts: Radio Ambulante (www.radioambulante.org), El Hilo (http://elhilo.audio), Sobremesa, a podcast by Memrise (https://memrise.libsyn.com), Duolingo Podcast (https://podcast.duolingo.com/spanish).

A good place to find radios in Spanish:  http://www.radio.garden. 

Lots of news in Spanish: BBC Mundo (https://www.bbc.com/mundo)

And there’s a lot more online!

How to choose a good language tutor

There is a popular misconception: anyone can teach his or her native language. This couldn’t be further from the truth: teaching a language demands mastering a very specific set of skills, just as with any activity we wish to carry out in a proper way.

How has this misconception come to be? It would be hard to blame it on a single factor, but it is perhaps possible to suggest that the large amount of natives of any language offering their services –– for ridiculously low fees –– contribute a lot to it. The impression a prospective student gets after a simple web search is that language tuition is a sector saturated with relatively cheap teachers with very few specific skills. 

Nevertheless, a language tutor is a language professional. And like any other professional a good language tutor charges professional fees for a professionally delivered service. You wouldn’t pay a ridiculously low fee to a solicitor, a consultant, or an accountant –– a low fee would actually make you suspicious. Why would you pay a ridiculously low fee to learn a language? Choosing an unprofessional tutor might put you off learning a new language altogether. This is a story we hear our clients repeat over and over. 

A good language tutor is someone fully prepared to teach his or her language, from a methodological and grammatical point of view. There are many relevant courses that prepare natives to teach their language to foreigners and these qualifications are generally a good way of spotting people taking language tutoring with the professionalism it demands. It is also quite common for successful language tutors to have strong academic backgrounds or even to have had successful careers in other sectors. It is not only money that moves good tutors to teach but their love for their native language and teaching. 

There are also matters of personality for you to consider when choosing your tutor: you might get along with this or that other type of person; you might prefer someone younger or older; you might want someone with a business/art/law/etc background; you might prefer this or that gender. These are all things that are important for you to figure out before you go Gumtree-happy and call the first number that pops up on your screen. 

Take the time to figure out what kind of person you would like to have as a teacher and search for someone that fits the profile –– you will hopefully spend a long time with this person learning a new language. And don’t be afraid to ask for qualifications or references: any professional tutor will be happy to provide you with a long list of both. 

Whether you go privately or through an agency always choose a professional. You might pay more for your course but you won’t regret it. The new world that comes with a new language is one of the best things that money can buy.