by Stephen Brooks
(Scotland UK)
I used the Spanish language CD's basic and advanced before traveling to Salamanca in Castile Leon Spain. Not only was congratulated on my understanding of Spanish I also received very favourable comment on my accent and pronunciation.
This coming from native Spanish speakers in what is known as the Cambridge of Spain i.e. Salamanca is where the purest Spanish is taught and spoken you find very few locals who speak anything other than Spanish and French.
I picked up a copy of El Pais and have read it regularly ever since.
Once you have undertaken any language course the real secret is using what you have learned in order to listen to and read and write the language at every opportunity.
Funnily enough that is what we do as children - we learn the audio from our parents then we learn to read and write - seems normal enough to me.
Oh my daughter was born in England but since we moved to Scotland when she was 3 she speaks with a very strong East of Scotland Accent - No hay problema
Steve