My Pitch

For my 20-Time Project this year, I will be learning how to speak Spanish.

Reasoning:

• First, I took Spanish for four years in high school and really enjoyed it. However, that was a LONG time ago - about 30 years ago actually - so I've forgotten most of it. Because I had two majors in college, I didn't have any room in my schedule to take elective coursework.
• Second, I do a lot of traveling, often to Spanish-speaking countries; for example, I've recently traveled to Cozumel, Mexico and Honduras. This summer, I will likely be traveling to at least one Spanish-speaking country. It would be helpful to be able to speak at least basic Spanish when in these countries.
• Next, there are more and more Spanish-speaking individuals in the U.S.; therefore, I have many Spanish-speaking students in my classroom. I would like to be able to communicate with them without constantly using Google Translate.
• Finally, we live in a global society in which we are connected to people across the world like never before. The more familiar I am with the language and culture of others, the better I can empathize with others who are different from me.
• Oh, I almost forgot! My oldest daughter is fluent in Spanish so we can annoy people with conversations and make them wonder what we're talking about. (Mostly kidding.)

Audience and Mentors: The audience for my project will be others who speak Spanish, such as those I encounter in my classroom and while traveling. Possible mentors for my project include Mrs. Rives, a Spanish teacher here at the high school, and my daughter, Lindsey Bellotti, who is fluent in Spanish.

Timeline: Using the backward planning model, I came up with the following tentative timeline:

January: Study basic vocabulary

February: Continue studying vocabulary; learn verb conjugation

March: Practice common phrases; practice additional vocabulary; listen to Spanish-speaking podcasts, shows, etc.

April: Learn grammar and sentences; continue adding to vocabulary; continue listening to Spanish-speaking media.

May: Practice basic conversations; carry on a basic conversation in Spanish; video tape it.

Potential Resources:

• Mrs. Rives, Spanish Teacher
• Lindsey Bellotti, Spanish student - fluent
• Current Spanish-speaking students
• Duolingo
• https://www.youtube.com/user/SpanishStepbyStep
• Other similar websites

I should incur no costs over the course of the project.

Research:
I will research the following as part of my project:

• The best way to learn a language
• The best language-learning apps and websites on the market
• Nuances and history of Spanish; different dialects
• If time, Hispanic culture.

Potential Obstacles:

My first obstacle will be time. I have 3 jobs and 3 kids, so finding the time to study and practice might prove to be difficult. It's something that I'm really looking forward to doing, so I will find the time. Having a timeline will help keep me on track and motivated.

Another potential obstacle is my brain. I'm old, and I don't learn as quickly as I used to! Things that were easy for me in high school might be more difficult now.

Measurement of Success:

If I can at all carry on a conversation and have a Spanish-speaking individual understand me, I will consider myself successful. I know that I won't become fluent by May, but if I can better communicate while traveling and in the classroom, I will be thrilled. It's not like I have to stop in May - I can certainly continue learning Spanish over the next few years. As I get further into my learning, I can determine what is realistic for me. I haven't looked at it yet, but I believe Duolingo tracks progress, so that will provide a measurement of success also. Ultimately, to document my project, I will create a short video in which I carry on a conversation in Spanish with someone who is fluent.

Overall, I'm looking forward to getting started!