Summary

Welcome to Free Language's whirlwind tour about learning Spanish online for free. This is the third video screencast about learning languages for free. See all of them here.

This video will take you through some top essential resources for learning Spanish for free online. View the links below the video to access the resources highlighted in this video.

Here we cover places to find general resources, where to get learning materials, finding plenty of content online to expose yourself to the language and recommend the SpanishPod podcast for audio on-the-go as well as community atmosphere.

Spanish exercises, kid's games, interactive tools, news sources, radio stations, Web TV... it's all here. Enjoy!

Screencast Video

Helpful Links for this Screencast

General Resouces

http://freelanguage.org/spanish
http://freelanguage.org/learn/spanishpod

Social

http://www.palabea.net/spanish
http://www.italki.com/learn-spanish/en-us
http://www.livemocha.com

Lessons

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mundo/index.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/tv

Radio, Podcast

http://freelanguage.org/learn/spanishpod
http://www.listenlive.eu/spain.html
http://www.learn-spanish-help.com/Spanish-radio.html
http://www.radiotower.com
http://www.rollingrs.com/category/free

More Practice

http://www.studyspanish.com

Kids, Child, Games

http://onlinefreespanish.com

More Links

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/languages/1-6-4-7.html
http://teachinglearningspanish.blogspot.com/2009/08/20-free-online-resources-for-spanish.html

Newsletter

http://freelanguage.org/the-free-language-letter

Summary

From beginner to advanced levels, SpanishPod101.com is an excellent, all-around online environment for learning Spanish. The Pod101 platform, method and technology provide the necessary tools to get you immersed in the Spanish language and achieve the goals you desire and/or require.

Since SpanishPod101.com is web-based, you can access your personal Spanish Learning Center from anywhere, and it's really easy to download the podcasts and put them on your mp3 player (iPod, Zune, etc) or mobile phone to take them with you for practice and learning on the go.

One of the most important things when learning a language is good content - and SpanishPod101.com has this, and a steady flow of it. This constant flow of fresh content regards cultural aspects of Spanish you will want to know, interesting tidbits about navigating in Spanish society (whether on vacation or living abroad), practical information about getting by and much more.

Your Spanish Learning Center brings together audio podcast lessons, lesson notes and checklists, transcripts, PDFs, video lessons, vocabulary training with flashcards and quizzes plus a Spanish dictionary, grammar bank, a verb reference and plenty more.

And if you enjoy asking questions and learning from and helping other learners, a forum is available for all users.

It's simple to try it for free and upgrade if it works for you.

From Website

At SpanishPod101.com, our goal is to make learning the Spanish language easy and fun, while also incorporating culture and current issues into our lessons. We believe that the more you speak, the quicker you learn, so we have designed our program to get you speaking right away. Situational Spanish is heavily stressed, and our team role plays various situations to demonstrate the proper form of Spanish to use when speaking with friends, customers, executives, and so-on. Knowing the proper form to use separates good speakers from great speakers.

SpanishPod101.com was developed with the hope of showing the world how fun and easy learning Spanish can be. Here at SpanishPod101.com, we truly believe that learning can be fun, while at the same time convenient. We know how busy you are and that each day brings unexpected surprises. That is exactly why we bring the lessons to you and let you decide when they start.

Our innovative, fun, and easy to use language learning system is designed to get you speaking and interacting from the very first lesson. Learn Spanish at your own convenience and pace with short, effective, fun daily lessons and a comprehensive, state-of-the-art Learning Center that provides you with the tools to take your Spanish to the next level! Our interactive learning system consists of free daily audio podcast lessons, accompanying PDF materials, a Premium Learning Center, and a vibrant user community.

Our Method

SpanishPod101.com offers a unique learning experience that cannot be found in conventional classrooms. In addition to offering lessons that can be completed on your own time, we approve all of the content we release through a government certified Spanish teacher. Here are just a few of the revolutionary advantages of our method:

Exposure to native speakers and many different kinds of voices and speaking styles…

SpanishPod101.com aims to have you speaking Spanish after just one lesson! Our lessons focus on pronunciation and listening comprehension, so that you can start practicing what you learn from our professional teachers. Inside the PDF you will find the necessary tools for reading comprehension, and thorough explanations of phrases and key grammar points, in addition to segments on cultural insight. To address speaking practice, we have state-of-the-art software to allow you to record your own voice so you can compare your pronunciation to our teachers and continue to refine your speaking skills.

When all the aspects of SpanishPod101.com are put together, this program provides students of Spanish with ultimate self-study learning course. In addition, we often provide conversations between three people to more closely simulate real-life situations.

Fresh, up-to-date content...

Many Spanish teachers who live overseas have been out of the country for a long period of time and can be “out of the loop” on current words, culture, etc. This is another major gap that we fill. Lessons are carefully crafted to include current events, words, celebrities, and so-on. This is very dynamic content.

Borderless education on-demand...

We also fill a definite demand in remote locations. Our lessons provide you with a mobile classroom, as we bring you Spanish on Demand. Spanish lessons wherever you may be.

SpanishPod101.com offers our listeners a unique learning experience that delivers cutting-edge, dynamic content to be accessed at your convenience. With the inclusion of our lesson notes and Learning Center, we offer a full solution that provides the material, guidance, exercises, and testing to really make the knowledge your own. And it doesn’t even stop there - our vibrant and extremely helpful community provide each other not only quick answers to questions, but also give each other a sense of encouragement and motivation that is often lacking.

We focus on Spanish, and Spanish only...

Just Spanish! All we do is Spanish. SpanishPod101.com is not a generic package language learning course, such as some of the other big name language learning programs out there. Many other programs “scale” their solutions across several languages, simply recycling the same material over and over - the same pictures, the same conversations, just in a different language. But each language is unique, and at SpanishPod101.com we pride ourselves on developing a system that’s only about the Spanish language and Spanish culture!

One stop studying...

Have you ever found yourself lost on the information highway? Sometimes it’s like trying to drink from a fire hose! Hundreds of bookmarks, all with varying levels of quality and credibility. You finally find a great site, but it only updates once a year! SpanishPod101.com offers users one stop studying. The learning center has been carefully designed to provide you with the resources you will need to take your Spanish to the next level.

Visit SpanishPod101.com.

Summary

LoMásTV.com is a commercial service for Spanish video immersion. The ever-growing video library touches a wide variety of interests, including culture, music and local spotlights. Supplementing the videos are quality tools for learning vocabulary and a growing list of free lessons (currently 181 available and counting).

Subscriptions for this premium service cost no more than $10/month, and provide you with constant new Spanish videos with real native speakers, a community of fellow learners and more. Have a look at LoMásTV and see how it will work for you.

From Website

Online Spanish Video Immersion

LoMásTv is an online video magazine for Spanish learners who wish to improve their Spanish skills. Authentic Spanish videos include television programs, music videos, interviews, documentaries, and travel. Only LoMásTv offers Spanish and English captions, pitch-correct slow play, integrated dictionaries and listening exercises.

Multi-Modal Immersion

The Yabla player was designed from the start to actively engage the listener. Listening, reading, watching, and interacting are far more effective for retention than passive listening alone. The integrated dictionaries and cloze listening game engage you in the learning process.

LoMásTV is Fun

When learning a new language, one of the biggest challenges is to stay engaged. LoMásTv provides a wide variety of entertaining programming, including music, drama, interviews, and travel, that will make you look forward to studying. Fresh programming is added monthly. Our goal is to provide content that is interesting to you. Learning a language is a bit like going to the gym. If it were universally fun, everyone would be in shape. We believe language learning shouldn't be a chore.

100% Native Speakers

Numerous studies done on language retention all point to the fact that the best way to learn is to become immersed in the language. Becoming versed in reading and writing is a good place to start, but you must also listen to native speakers. Most people don't have direct access to Spanish-speaking populations. Watching LoMásTv provides this access in an environment where you have full control.

Is LoMásTv Right for Beginners?

Exposure to authentic video is useful to all levels of language enthusiasts. Studies have shown that even rank beginners, given proper support tools such as those made available by the Yabla Player, benefit from exposure to native speakers and genuine culture. We provide a wide range of authentic content, ranging from quite simple to rather difficult.

Shouldn't I Study Grammar?

Recent research has shown that rote memorization of the rules of grammar is far less important than previously thought. Few people can read about subjects like the imperfect tense or the subjunctive mood, and have the ability to recognize or use it instinctively. We don't dismiss the importance of learning grammar, but research trials have shown that students who drastically shift learning time from studying with traditional methods to multi-modal immersion, actually outperform their peers in their ability to understand and use complex grammatical forms. In short, learning about a language is not the same as learning a language.

Visit LoMásTV.com
Visit the French equivalent, Yabla French.

Summary

BBC Spanish's new interactive mystery video course Mi Vida Loca sets a new standard for the direction that BBC Languages is taking with their free, online language learning materials and resources (courses, lessons, phrase books, etc).

Mi Vida Loca is an online interactive suspense thriller internet tv series (call it a soap opera - or telenovela - if you prefer!) for total beginners that takes users on an adventure from the UK through Spain. Along the journey, Spanish is acquired by the interactive "viewer" in digestible tidbits. The course is adaptable depending on whether you are male or female, since Spanish language has gender.

To add to the instructional quality of the series, BBC Spanish has provided a User Guide for students as well as a handy Teacher Guide and Syllabus for instructors/educators.

All in all, this is a more interesting approach to totally beginner Spanish than many of the other choices out there. And the fact that you feel like you are moving along the whole time by virtue of the way it is filmed and presented can help to keep those short attention spans interested! The Spanish guitar music also helps recreate the setting.

In the prolific words of the BBC: "Real Spanish, real drama."

Watch the Trailer

From BBC Spanish

Brand new Spanish drama. Get hooked. Learn the language. All episodes now live!

Visit BBC Spanish's "Mi Vida Loca" Interactive Mystery Video Course.

Summary

Lots of nice videos here for learning Spanish. The podcasts are done very professionally and with good instruction.

There is also an option to but expanded lessons for $1 USD per lesson.

From Website

Hello, I'm Larry Keim, the host of "Rolling R's".

I teach Junior High School Spanish in Mesa, Arizona. I have a passion for Spanish, and I've created this video podcast to give away Spanish lessons for free.

Visit Rolling R's.

Subscribe

Subscribe to this podcast.
View Rolling Rs Learn Spanish Podcast's feed on Free Language.

Summary

InstaSpanish Podcast is a very lively and interesting podcast for learning Spanish. Topics covered include slang, grammar, cooking and music.

From Website

Our interactive weekly podcast contains listening comprehension exercises and grammar lessons for students of all levels. We also discuss travel tips, culture, and more. Fun and easy learning!

Visit InstaSpanish.com

Subscribe

Subscribe to InstaSpanish Audio Only via iTunes.
Subscribe to InstaSpanish Audio and Video via iTunes.
View InstaSpanish Podcast's Feed on Free Language.