| Watching Latin American melodrama on the small | | | | what you would hear in a café or |
| screen can help you learn Spanish or Portuguese. | | | | restaurant. Even though it's not at the forefront |
| As incredible as that may sound, melodrama has | | | | of your consciousness, your brain is still processing |
| its educational benefits. Scenes portraying | | | | it and getting used to the flow of the language. |
| hysterical women, philandering men, people | | | | As children, we listen before we learn to speak. |
| returning from the dead, flying glass, unrequited | | | | As adults, we also need to listen first before we |
| love, broken hearts, battles of the heart - are | | | | start to speak. This way, we are learning to hear |
| certainly much more interesting than studying | | | | the words first and then pronounce them. |
| grammar and vocabulary. | | | | 3) Watching the characters and the action in the |
| This is not to imply that watching Colombian | | | | soap opera episodes will help you learn about |
| drama queens and Mexican pop stars all day can | | | | what is going on in places where the language is |
| replace the much needed lessons on sentence | | | | spoken. It's quite possible that the Latin American |
| structure and grammar, but they can at least | | | | soap operas will help you to understand the some |
| engage the viewer. If you watch soap opera | | | | cultural dynamics of the country where they are |
| (telenovela) frequently, you will learn new words | | | | produced. So, keep your mind open. You are not |
| and pronunciation since the vocabulary is not | | | | only learning a language, but another view of the |
| complicated and is often repeated. By virtue of | | | | world. |
| being soap opera stars, the actors are | | | | Check your local television listings for foreign |
| melodramatic, so it's easy to figure out when | | | | language programs or stations. If you have cable |
| they are angry, happy, jealous or vengeful. | | | | or satellite TV, you should have more foreign |
| Eventually, the words and their meanings will | | | | language options. |
| register and you will have learned some new | | | | 4. Record, replay and write |
| words and expressions while being entertained. | | | | Record the foreign language programs you are |
| This was proven to me when people I knew in | | | | watching on TV. Replay the shows and listen |
| Bosnia watched Latin American soap operas | | | | closely to the content. Sit down and write down |
| during the war (when they had electricity) and | | | | what the people are saying. Use a dictionary if |
| learned Spanish or Portuguese quite well from just | | | | necessary. You may have to rerun a show 20 |
| watching these programs on a regular basis. | | | | times before you understand what the |
| As long as the telenovelas don't infuse you with | | | | announcers or actors are saying. It doesn't matter |
| new melodramatic characteristics, try them. You | | | | how many times you have to repeat it. The |
| might learn a lot more Spanish or Portuguese than | | | | more you hear the phrases, the easier it will be |
| you expected! Be sure to watch the originals and | | | | for you to grasp what is being said. Musicians |
| not the dubbed versions in English. | | | | often practice certain measures of songs over |
| Some tips on watching soap operas | | | | and over again until they get them right. They'll |
| 1) This may be the first time in your life when | | | | repeatedly listen to music recordings so that they |
| watching television soap operas is your | | | | can learn another musician's technique. |
| homework assignment. Take advantage of the | | | | Think of yourself as a nascent musician. You |
| opportunity! | | | | might be frustrated at first, but it will pay off |
| Let's say you are learning Spanish. You have | | | | later. Success comes when you understand TV |
| found a local Spanish language TV station in your | | | | scenes and characters problems without having to |
| area and you are watching Spanish soap operas. | | | | rewind and replay them so many times. |
| Even without knowing all the words, you will be | | | | 5. Watch TV via the Internet |
| able to "get the gist" of some of the action. The | | | | You can look for specific telenovelas on You Tube |
| images of the characters will tell you what they | | | | and watch short clips of certain episodes. |
| are talking about. | | | | Sometimes, you can find episodes with subtitles in |
| Tune into HOW they are speaking and the words | | | | English. |
| they are using to describe the images that are | | | | With so many television stations providing free |
| appearing on the screen. | | | | live streaming content on the Internet, you don't |
| 2) Even if you can't watch TV all the time, it's all | | | | have to pay for a heavy satellite to put on your |
| right to do errands around the house as you listen | | | | balcony to watch Latin American melodrama. You |
| to the TV and what the characters are doing in | | | | can actually do it online. Many sites will let you see |
| the background. | | | | their content free of charge. |
| Think of the TV as background music similar to | | | | |