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Learn Spanish with SpanishPod101.com! How did the two misfits from the back of the class get the hottest spot on our feed? We’re asking ourselves the same question! No, but seriously, while we wouldn’t let them know, this makes it easier for us to keep an eye on them! In today’s News Update, Carlos and Natalia let us know what we can expect out of the Newbie Series Season 2. Save the date: August 4, 2008. Also, here, you’ll also find out about the real value of the Learning Center. Have you been listening to these podcasts for a while now? Are you a new listener? Find out how to make the most out of these lessons, by taking advantage of the innovative resources only available to premium subscribers. And, look, if you’re still not convinced, pick up a Premium Membership free for 7 days to see exactly what we’re talking about.

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Learn Spanish with SpanishPod101.com! Today, before we get our dose of the Lower Intermediate Lesson with Kathy and Ana, Bea and Joseph have a special update for everyone. So, what’s going on in SpanishPod101.com this summer? Find out here. Also, listen for a special update from Natalia and Carlos in Costa Rica. Have you heard which 2 new series you can look forward to over the next few months? Take advantage of this Summer Vacation discount and receive 25% off Basic and Premium Memberships. Learn how the language works and how to make it work for you! At SpanishPod101.com, we bring the Spanish speaking world to you on demand.

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Summer School Special - 25% Off

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the death of Peruvian singer and songwriter, Chabuca Granda. Of her numerous accomplishments, she is renown for her endeavors to unite the cultures of Latin America through the collective consciousness of “la cultura criolla” (creole culture) and show the important inheritance of Spanish culture in the Americas. Her music as much as her message still live on to this day.

In “el comercio” today, the newspaper of record in Lima, Perú, you can find an informative article about Chabuca Granda written in Spanish. You can find that article here.

You can also find a video of Chabuca Granda singing live and talking about her interest in putting the spotlight on the subcultures of Perú, such as the “cultura negra”, from which Peruvian music has received such a strong influence on the coast. You can see that video by following the link in the article from “el comercio” or by following it from here.

In honor of Chabuca Granda, 25 years after her death, we would like to take this time to recognize the immensity of her achievements and the value of considering the cultures of Latin America and Spain as interconnected, as we continue our study of the language spoken in these numerous countries. What Chabuca Granda saw so clearly- that the actual cultural state of Perú is a result of “criollismo” (creolism) -can help us all to understand why it is important to learn about the diversity of the Spanish language and the cultures in which this language is spoken.

In memory of one of the most beautiful voices to pronounce the Spanish language, let us recognize Chabuca Granda today.

So far, the answer is a resounding YES, as we have teams producing lessons in Lima (Peru), Madrid (Spain), Mexico City (Mexico), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and New York (USA). OK, so we took a little liberty with the last one.

How long will it take us to get a team up and recording lessons in every Spanish speaking country?

Great question! We’re hoping within the year, but only time will tell.

Why offer lessons from numerous “regions”?

Well, there is an inherent problem, when it comes to teaching Spanish. While there are standard grammatical norms that govern formal written Spanish, what we hear and speak in actuality differs from place to place. This is because Spanish is a living language. When we’re taught Spanish in school, we get one generic version, with which people surprisingly seem to be content. This has always puzzled us here at SpanishPod101.com, because we understand that language is inseparable from culture. Standard Spanish, with its universal grammatical norms, does have its place; but we feel that it is misleading to teach this without including the regional flavor and texture that makes actual Spanish what it is. So that is why we offer both.

Each dialect has its own beauty, its unique expressions and above all, its own allure. Imagine the surprise and delight on the face of a person when you surprise them with words, idioms, cultural references from his or her own regional form of Spanish!

To put this into context, if you’re an American, all you have to do is imagine a non-native speaker talking to you about cricket. Or, if you’re British, think about what it would be like to hear a non-native speaker going on about baseball.

Remember, learning a language is all about making connections. And with this in mind, we set out to introduce the world to the true beauty of Spanish: not only the grammatical norms that govern the language, but the regional forms of speech, which make it what it is.

Prior to the internet and high-speed internet connections, for that matter, the logistics and economics behind teaching EVERY regional form of Spanish were very problematic. Hmmm… actually that still may be the case, but we feel that with improvements in technology and the right team members that any obstacle can be overcome and that teaching Spanish directly from Spanish speaking countries is not only feasible, but essential.

We’ve toyed with the idea of covering all of the languages under one roof and have not ruled out that option, but, what is so revolutionary about that? Where does that get us? Where does that get our students?

As the internet and technology keeps raising the bar and pushing the limits, shouldn’t our approach to education follow suite? Don’t we owe it to our field to push the limits?

We feel that the answer is YES, and this is why we have decided on this revolutionary and challenging approach.

Please remember what you see at SpanishPod101.com is an experiment in progress. We are challenging the status quo and setting out on a journey to bring the world a valuable asset. We are well aware that we can’t do this alone, and that’s why we’re asking for your help, feedback, participation and understanding as we try to change the way Spanish is taught.

So, this is our pledge to you:

Join us in building SpanishPod101.com together, and your voice will be heard. You will have a direct impact on the shape, vision and end result of what we become! We want to do this together with you! We’re looking forward to growing and creating SpanishPod101.com together.

Muchos saludos,
Team SpanishPod101.com

January 2008 Schedule

¡Feliz Año Nuevo a todos! We’ve got a lot of new and exciting lessons coming your way this January (enero). Our concrete schedule is as follows:

Monday: Newbie Lesson
Tuesday: Audio Blog
Wednesday: Beginner Lesson
Thursday: Audio Blog
Friday: Phonetics Lesson
Saturday: Regional Lesson (Peruvian)
Sunday: Regional Lesson (Iberian)

Aside from these, keep your eyes open for our Sights and Sounds Lessons, which are innovative image-based ways to improve your understanding of the language. In the podcasts for these lessons, we’ll talk about a wide range of topics, from food, music and dance to literature, art and practical forms of writing, like emails.

Also, check out the forum at SpanishPod101.com/forum, where you’ll find photos taken on location with descriptions of the language therein and the context in which it’s used. And, please feel free to ask us questions (in the comment section and forum alike). We want to give you exactly what you want, so make the most of your time with us!

Remember, if you have an idea for a lesson; if there’s something specific that you want to learn or that you think would make for an enjoyable lesson, by all means, let us know!

les saluda atentamente,

Team SpanishPod101.com