Characteristics of a

Good Language
Learner
Helping you be successful in Spanish
class and the real world!
They Take Charge of Their Learning
• Why do you want to learn a second language?
• How will it help you in the future?
• Invest in your own learning process!
They’re Organized, Physically and
Mentally
• Do you know where you will put notes, vocabulary lists, etc.?
• Do you write down important dates?
• Make a mental filing system of connections with previous
knowledge.
They’re Creative
• Get a feel for the language.
• Experiment.
• Avoid the bare minimum.
They Practice
• Inside the classroom.
• Outside the classroom.
• Seek out opportunities to use the language.
They don’t get frustrated
• Uncertainty abounds when learning a language.
• Continue to talk and listen, even if you do not understand every
word.
• Don’t shut down!
They use memory strategies
• Mnemonic devices
• Sayings
• Songs
They learn from mistakes
• Make your errors work for you, not against you.
• Try new things and work out the errors as you go.
They use what they know already
• Take knowledge from your first language and apply it to your
new language.
They use context clues
• Not just in reading, but in conversations and interactions.
• Language does not exist in a bubble…there will be many
different kinds of input that can help understanding.
• Body language and facial expressions.
They make intelligent guesses
• Use what you know to throw out a guess.
• It might be right, or at least close enough to keep you going.
They fill in the gaps
• Strategies to keep the conversation going or fill in gaps in what
you know.
They can adjust
• Adjusting to your audience, the formality of the situation or the
cultural norms.