Jorge Sanchez

Spanish teacher

What do you like the most about teaching Spanish?

It's an opportunity to discover my own native language and help others discover a new world.

When did you start teaching Spanish?

Coming from an Information Technology background I always loved learning languages. Back in 2016, I initiated a shift in my career towards my passion for languages and intercultural communication so I prepared to get a certificate in Spanish teaching and started volunteering and taking courses about linguistics and intercultural communication. I officially started to teach Spanish, English and French in early 2017.

In your experience, what are the most common reasons for wanting to learn Spanish?

By number of native speakers, Spanish is the second biggest language in the world. It opens a whole new spectrum of possibilities for those who learn Spanish. Most of my students want to learn Spanish because they love hispanic cultures so they want to either live, study or work in Spanish speaking countries. Learning a second language is quite an enriching experience that expands your mind.

How difficult is it to learn Spanish, compared to other languages?

I would say, that it depends mostly on what your native language is and your own motivation to learn it. The closer your native language is to Spanish, the easier it will be. Therefore, it will be easier for a native French or English speaker than it would be for a Chinese speaker. It also helps if you've already learned a second language and Spanish is your third. Remember that it doesn't matter how hard it is to achieve a goal if you really want. I would say that motivation and discipline are great traits to learn Spanish. If you feel you want to learn Spanish, go for it, let me help you.

How is Mexican Spanish different from that of other countries?

There are differences in pronunciation, vocabulary, slang and even in the use of tenses but ultimately all Spanish speakers would understand each other perfectly.

A big difference between the Spanish from Spain and the Spanish in Mexico is the pronunciation of the Z and C (before I or E). In Mexico, these two letters are pronounced 'S', whilst in Spain it's pronounced 'th'; so the word 'cerveza' (beer) is pronounced /serbesa/ in Mexican Spanish and /therbetha/ in Spain.

What aspects of Mexican culture are your students usually interested in?

In recent years there has been a big interest in the day of the death in Mexico but also they're very interested in the cultural blending between Spanish culture and pre-hispanic civilizations like the Aztecs and the Mayas which as a result created culture and traditions in modern Mexico.

What's the hardest part of learning Spanish?

I've noticed that some Spanish learners struggle with the pronunciation of sounds that don't have in their own native language, for example, English spoken learners struggle with the 'r' sound or the pronunciation of diphthongs (two vowel sounds together).

Some intermediate students also find a bit confusing the use of subjuntivo in Spanish.

What is your advice for students who are struggling?

Find different ways to learn, find new material to study. Be open with your teacher about your struggles, ask him/her for advice. Be constant with your practice, it's best to study daily for a short period of time rather than studying a long period every now and then.

Listen to music, read, practice with grammar, watch series with subtitles, adjust your learning plan to what you enjoy the most and to your very own learning style. Be patient and easy with yourself.

A teacher is your guide to help you achieve your goal, each tutor has its own style & method, we try to adjust it to meet every student's learning style.