Last week we were extolling the virtues of taking an interest in culture as way to boost your motivation when learning a language. This 
week we turn our attention to a medium whose claim to being cultural is somewhat dubious, but nevertheless it is a fixture on television screens across the Spanish-speaking world and beyond, and it could help you to engage with the language in new ways: the Latin American soap opera.
You might wonder what value there is in watching what is often thought of as low-budget, low-brow entertainment such as this, but any and every means of practising a language can be helpful in order to supplement your conventional studies. Latin American soaps also give you some exposure to modern slang and expressions which you may not necessarily pick up in the classroom, but which will certainly help you to grasp everyday conversation when you visit any Spanish-speaking country.
Soap operas are hugely popular across Spain and Latin America and you can find them quite readily to stream online or download. You may find it helpful to seek out those that have English subtitles initially, but as you get more accustomed to the dialogue, you will hopefully find yourself needing to read them less and less often, and eventually do without them altogether. But be warned, though it may start out as an academic exercise, those plotlines can be seriously addictive!
If you live in London, don’t forget that we can help you with private or group Spanish lessons with native tutors, whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or more advanced student.