Header image  
 
sr.homecox
 
Unit Opener pp. xi-1
Welcome to Spanish I and the corresponding web pages on-line. As you go through the year you will be challenged to learn a new language. Unlike your first language, English, Spanish will be a little more difficult to learn. Why? Because you were not taught it when you were growing up. English is easy for us because we have been speaking it for years, and some of your teachers, for almost a century. Spanish might come easy for some of you and might be a pain in the, well, you know, for others. Just remember it is new, it will be hard, but when you can speak it, you've opened many opportunities in your life.

Social Situations
Many times people determine whether or not they "like" you based on first impressions. Your first impression is usually how you introduce yourself or greet the other person. As you gain more experience in this area you learn when it is appropriate to shake hands, hug, or just nod in approval. Not everyone greets others in the same way as we do in the United States. Some cultures bow to each others while other cultures find it appropriate to kiss each other on the cheeks when saying hello.

In the textbook
You could infer that some of the people on page 1 of the text know each other. How do you know that? They all appear to be in a good mood. Something that interests me is the boy with his hands in his pocket. He could be shy or not open to the idea of making friends with everyone. By reading someone else's body language you can sometimes tell what they really feel.

It's obviously the first week of school in the picture. How did I know that? I looked at the top left hand corner and saw the sign. Estudiante is a word that looks like student and nuevo is the word for new. By applying these types of skills, you can learn more about pictures (and Spanish) without having to put forth a lot of effort.

Learn more...
External Links