Just not getting it

I recently bought the Rocket Spanish and I find it very helpful. I have been learning Spanish for a few years now (I have gotten frustrated and have stopped on and off). I read it very well, but hearing it is still a problem as well as speaking. Is this a problem for anyone else? :( By the way, is there a method to using the Rocket Spanish? It just seems very tedious to use the Conversation Course, the Beginner's Course, the cards and the audio all at the same time. It is very overwhelming. :? Any advice would be helpful. Thanks

[quo]*Quote from * Pixiegirl32 I recently bought the Rocket Spanish and I find it very helpful. I have been learning Spanish for a few years now (I have gotten frustrated and have stopped on and off). I read it very well, but hearing it is still a problem as well as speaking. Is this a problem for anyone else? :( [/quo] Hola Pixiegirl. Yes, I have the same problem--I can read much better than I can speak or understand. Part of the problem for me, and perhaps for you, is that I don't have many opportunities to speak with native Spanish speakers (or with non-native speakers whose command of the spoken language is very good). One thing I've been doing lately is buying or renting abridged telenovelas and watching them with and/or without subtitles. If I have them on DVD rather than on the tele, I can go back over a passage I didn't understand, or I can watch a small part first without subtitles and then with with them. Most of them are pretty trashy--even more so than American soap operas--but the actors tend to speak pretty clearly, and they overact so dreadfully that it's easy to figure out what's happening even if you don't understand what they're saying! :D It's too soon to tell, but I'm hoping this will help. [quo]*Quote from * Pixiegirl32 By the way, is there a method to using the Rocket Spanish? It just seems very tedious to use the Conversation Course, the Beginner's Course, the cards and the audio all at the same time. It is very overwhelming. :? [/quo] Since you say you have studied Spanish before and can already read reasonably well, you probably don't need to use all these resources, certainly not at once. When I did Rocket Spanish, I just listened to the audio. Only after I had finished with the audio did I go back and look at some of the other resources. I confess that I've never used the cards. It just depends on what you think you need. From what you say, it sounds as if what you need most is practice listening. Mauricio and Amy do a terrific job of explaining the lessons, so it's not clear that you'd need to look much at the Beginner's book, and perhaps even the conversation book would be best used after you've gone through the audio. That's probably not true for everyone, but for someone who already reads well, it may be a good idea, especially if you're feeling overwhelmed by all these resources. I hope this helps.

Thank you so much for replying. It is nice to know that I am not the only one that has these troubles. :wink: I have actually gotten through teh first 3 levels of the conversation course (audio). I have to confess that I do not look at the book much. I plan to go back and look at both the conversation course and beginners course just for a refresher and in case there is anything I can reinforce through my learning. I will have to look into the DVDs. For now, I DVR a few shows (especially kid shows) and watch those. I never stopped to think to watch them more than once (one with captions and one without). I hopw you are able to find your comfort in speaking it and hearing it.

nice to know that I am not the only one that has trouble. I have been studying spanish too many times to count over the years. I do think that Rocket Spanish is probably the best that I have tried. I think that I find the conversation part to be the easiest. Actually I find the basic book to be some what difficult. So many new words to try to remember. So many different ways to say things as well. I also find it difficult to use all three books at the same time. I think that it is good but it is also very time consuming. I think it would be helpful if everyone that is learning had a pen pal to write to in spanish. That is a very useful tool in learning a new lanuage. So my goal is to keep on studying and hopefully I will learn. Speaking for myself I find that I am reluctant to say something in Spanish even if I think I know how, afraid that it will not sound right.

I think the books are very helpful. Some people can just listen and learn but for me, I need multiple resources. I listen to the conversation course and read the book and do some of the exercise (the difficult, fill in the blank ones force you to re-read the section). I also use the LSLC audio course (which is another popular Spanish program), but they lack explanations of the material. The Rocket Spanish Advanced book is a must have necessity for this program and probably others like it I was a C student in school so I’m definitely no fan of studying, but these books aren’t that bad once you get started. The funny pictures and stuff are just what I need.