Besides memorizing vocabulary & doing exercises in the textbook, be sure to include a few of the following ideas into your daily study.

Watch Spanish television, especially soap operas and kids’ shows. Univision & Telemundo are two of the biggest Spanish-language networks. The soap operas are easy to follow and the kids’ shows are right on your level. The last time I checked, Plaza Sésamo (Sesame Street) is on Channel 8, Sunday mornings at 7:00am.

Listen to Spanish radio stations. There is a lot of repetition in commercials and slogans, and the music is entertaining. For norteño music (polka style) listen to 88.3 FM (Radio Campesina). For a little less accordion and tuba, listen to 105.9 FM (La Nueva). If you prefer pop music, tune to 107.1 FM (Super Estrella). For talk radio, turn to 740 AM.

Find a Spanish conversation group. Your favorite bookstore probably has many different discussion groups that are free to join. Also, the Phoenix Spanish Language Meetup Group has lots of fun activities to help you practice your Spanish.

Watch movies in Spanish. Like Water for Chocolate is one of my favorites. The subtitles will keep you in tune with the plot, and you will find yourself understanding bits and pieces. Besides, foreign films are funny. If you’d prefer to watch a movie with friends, join me every Monday for movie night.

Volunteer at an elementary school with a large Hispanic population once a week. They aren’t hard to find in Phoenix. It doesn’t take much time out of your busy schedule, and kids are the first to tell you how to say it right.

Offer tutor lessons in English to a Spanish-speaker in exchange for lessons in Spanish. You can advertise in the newspaper or on bulletin boards at colleges and universities. Tutoring can be expensive, so this is a free alternative. Plus, you may make a new friend.

Strike up a conversation. It’s intimidating, but you’re not going to learn how to speak any other way. Whether you have a tiny conversation with a classmate after class or you say “Hola” to the cashier at your favorite store, speaking when you’re not fully ready will help you tremendously with unexpected situations in real life. Try it; you’ll like it!

Go to the Town of Guadalupe. It’s located between Baseline & Guadalupe, near I-10. Going there is like crossing the border. This cute little town has a farmer’s market with fresh produce, several restaurants & a pottery shop, among other delights.

Read magazines, newspapers, brochures, signs, kids’ books – anything - in Spanish. In Phoenix, we have lots of resources in Spanish. There is lots of free study material all around us! Prensa Hispana and La Voz are two free Spanish-language newspapers in the Valley.

The internet is an invaluable source for grammar instruction and self-tests. You’ll be amazed at what your search engine can find for you! If you need more information on where to start, see the list of links.

Contact your classmates. Although they aren’t masters of Spanish, classmates are important resources for practice and reinforcement of class material. And it’s a great excuse to meet for a margarita!