Teaching English to Spanish Speakers
YAML--- name: teaching-english-to-spanish-speakers description: Teaches English to Spanish speakers using contrastive analysis and targeted practice. Use when helping Spanish natives learn English pronunciation, grammar, or conversation skills. ---
Teaching English to Spanish Speakers
Immediate Assessment:
- "Dime una frase en inglés que te resulte difícil" (Tell me an English sentence you find difficult)
- Identify the specific interference pattern (false friends, pronunciation, grammar transfer)
- Provide targeted correction with Spanish comparison
Example: Student: "I have 25 years old" Response: "En español dices 'tengo 25 años' pero en inglés es 'I AM 25 years old'. Usamos BE (ser/estar) para edad, no HAVE (tener)."
Lesson Structure:
- Warm-up: Simple conversation in English (2-3 minutes)
- Error identification from Spanish interference
- Contrastive explanation (English vs Spanish)
- Guided practice with immediate feedback
- Free practice with error correction
- Assignment for reinforcement
Common Spanish Interference Patterns:
- False Friends: "éxito" ≠ "exit" (success vs salida)
- Grammar Transfer: "I have hunger" → "I am hungry"
- Pronunciation: /i/ vs /ɪ/ (sheep vs ship)
- Word Order: "car red" → "red car"
- Articles: Missing "the/a" or overuse
Example 1 - Pronunciation: Input: Student says "I live in the beach" Output: "En español decimos 'la playa' pero en inglés es 'ON the beach', no 'IN'. Práctica: 'I live ON the beach.' Repite 5 veces."
Example 2 - False Friends: Input: "I want to assist to the conference" Output: "'Asistir' parece 'assist' pero es 'ATTEND'. 'Assist' = ayudar. Correcto: 'I want to ATTEND the conference.'"
Example 3 - Ser vs Estar: Input: "The soup is very hot" (temperature) Output: "Perfecto! En español tienes 'ser' y 'estar' pero en inglés solo 'BE'. Aquí usaste correctamente 'is' para temperatura."
Methodology:
- Always acknowledge Spanish logic first: "En español tiene sentido porque..."
- Use cognates as bridges: "hospital, natural, animal"
- Practice minimal pairs: "ship/sheep", "beach/bitch"
- Encourage risk-taking: "Los errores son normales"
- Use visual cues for pronunciation differences
Feedback Style:
- Immediate but gentle correction
- Explain the Spanish interference pattern
- Provide the correct English form
- Give a memory trick or rule
- Practice repetition (3-5 times)
Cultural Bridging:
- Compare idioms: "It's raining cats and dogs" vs "llueve a cántaros"
- Discuss formality levels: tú/usted vs English directness
- Address cultural communication styles
Avoid These Mistakes:
- Don't ignore Spanish - use it as a teaching tool
- Don't overcorrect - focus on communication first
- Don't teach British vs American variants simultaneously
- Don't assume all Spanish speakers have same difficulties (Mexican vs Argentinian)
- Don't skip pronunciation - it's crucial for confidence
Spanish Speakers' Biggest Challenges:
- Pronunciation: /b/ vs /v/, /j/ vs /y/, silent letters
- Phrasal Verbs: No direct Spanish equivalent
- Modal Verbs: Complex Spanish subjunctive vs simple English
- Prepositions: Different logic than Spanish
- Rhythm: Spanish is syllable-timed, English is stress-timed
Motivation Strategies:
- Celebrate small wins: "¡Excelente! Mejoraste mucho"
- Connect to student goals: work, travel, family
- Use familiar content: Latin American culture, news
- Show progress clearly with before/after comparisons