Emilia Carrillo, new RITES Spanish tutor, is a Spanish-as-a-first-language speaker. Emilia holds a Masters of Teaching Spanish as a Second Language from the University of Barcelona. She has recently relocated to Rhode Island after more than a decade traveling around the world, teaching IB Spanish in international schools. Emilia has two children, who are bilingual as well. Her passions are languages, cooking, traveling, dancing, training, and healthy holistic living. Here, she shares some of her expert knowledge on learning and teaching second languages from her many years of Spanish tutoring.
What is your take on learning additional languages?
Learning additional languages has many positive outcomes. In fact, it has been proven that learning and speaking two or more languages changes the brain. People who speak multiple languages:
- Communicate easily with others
- Cultivate intercultural awareness
- Think more creatively
- Gain a better understanding of their first language
- Improve attention span
- Become more insightful
- Enhance career opportunities
For more benefits check out: 80 amazing benefits of learning additional languages
What are some of your favorite online resources for teaching Spanish?
There are amazing websites and online tools nowadays. I especially love the websites that offer authentic language materials. Some of my favorites are:
- YouTube: offers many channels dedicated to Spanish teaching such as Agustin Iruela’s channel and SGEL ELE Espanol para Extranjeros. You can also find original songs, videos, movies, and shorts in original Spanish. I like to make playlists to organize what I find. I have a playlist for movies, a playlist of songs, a playlist for news, etc.
- EdPuzzle: a great online tool that lets you create audio-visual quizzes with any video you find online.
- ProfedeEle: tons of ready to use Spanish teaching resources.
- Spanish4teachers.org: this is my personal website, in which I share Spanish teaching materials for all levels.
What is one tip you would give Spanish students or students learning a second language?
The more you practice, the better you get and the easier it becomes. This does not mean sitting down and memorizing a billion conjugations! Instead, I mean ‘practice’ in terms of immersion. This means listening, viewing, reading, and taking note of all the new vocabulary. Listen to songs, watch movies and videos, read books, news, blogs, magazines. The key is to start with a topic you are passionate about (sports, fashion, yoga, video games, you name it). Then learn about this topic in the new language.
Find your passion – that will make it so much more enjoyable!
Looking for expert Spanish tutoring? Emilia is available in the Pawtucket/Providence area and has had great success tutoring virtually, making tutoring much more convenient for busy students. Contact Us to schedule a free initial consult with Emilia.
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