Nora McKoy

LEARNING. Spanish teacher Pam Starkey said, “We’re all always on the lookout for ways that we can use technology to improve our speaking skills, our writing skills, reading, etc.” With so many options, though, it can be hard to know which platform is right for each individual’s learning goals.

What is the best way to study Spanish outside of class? There are many options, including SpanishDict, Conjuguemos, Duolingo and more. With so many options, it can be hard to know which website is best for which language skills. Spanish teacher Pam Starkey said, “We’re all always on the lookout for ways that we can use technology to improve our speaking skills, our writing skills, reading, etc.”

“When it comes to grammar,” Starkey said, “StudySpanish, SpanishDict, or Aprender Español are good options.” All of these free sites have verb conjugation exercises and grammar practice. The first website, StudySpanish, also has vocabulary drills and integrates cultural notes into its practices. SpanishDict also includes audio and video in its dictionary. Another option would be Conjuguemos, which is a website that specializes in verb conjugation and provides many different games to help people learn grammar.

For learning and practicing vocabulary, there are a couple of options. Level IV Spanish student Nellie Larson said, “I use Quizlet to study my vocab words.” Quizlet is a learning platform that can generate practice quizzes and tests as well as games from a set of flashcards that the user creates. It also has premade study sets available. Some drawbacks to Quizlet are that a large portion of its resources are limited to premium members, like most flashcards and study sets, and personalized study models. Larson also uses SpanishDict when learning vocabulary words. The video and audio assistance built into the dictionary can boost pronunciation and memory.

When looking to improve overall speaking, reading and writing skills, Duolingo can come in handy. Duolingo has speaking practice built into every exercise as well as interactive short stories accompanied by comprehension questions. It can make learning Spanish feel like less of a chore and more engaging. An issue with Duolingo is that, like Quizlet, it also has many tools that are only for premium members. Many features like audiobooks, unlimited speaking practice and targeted practice are not available for users who have not purchased premium.

Starkey also believes it is essential to engage in content not just made for Spanish learners, but for native Spanish speakers. “It’s important to find authentic Spanish resources,” she said. Reading news, listening to music or watching a show in Spanish can not only teach vocabulary and better understanding, but can aid in familiarizing students with cultures from Spanish-speaking countries all over the world.

There are a variety of online resources when it comes to learning Spanish, but it can be confusing and inefficient if people don’t know what to look for. However, when the unique features of these language-learning tools are utilized, it can make studying Spanish a whole lot less intimidating and time-consuming.

Overall, the most well-rounded resource would be StudySpanish. The site is easy to navigate with many resources and tools to help improve pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary and more. StudySpanish is a very effective study website.