Best Resources- Books

We post lots of online resources here at Maestros Mejorando but there is a lot to be said for a good, old-fashioned book. We don't know about you, but we find comfort in the dog eared pages, impromptu sticky note book marks, and margin scrawlings of a trusty old tome. Here are some of the best that belong on any Spanish teacher's book shelf.

New Reference Grammar of Modern Spanish

English Grammar for Students of Spanish

A Commanding Presence

One of the toughest aspects in Spanish class is using commands. Often times, we've heard commands in a mix of tu/usted/ustedes/vosotros forms so it is understandably difficult to recall and use commands on the fly in class. Here are some sites to help you practice and refine your command techniques.

Classroom Flashcards

Command Activity Potpourri

Command General Information

Feeling Unsure? Inadequate? Under-prepared?

We all have days when the students' ask one too many "por qué" or "cómo se dice" questions. Through your gritted teeth, remember to say "I'll get back to you on that," and then run, don't walk, run to these sites:

Spanish Teachers
Word Reference

Still got the blues? You're not alone, read Even Teachers Get the Blues: Recognizing and Alleviating Language Teachers' Feelings of Foreign Language Anxiety

Test Yourself

Here are some websites that have grammar practice with instant feedback on your performance. Get your past subjunctive on!




Interactive Exercises: Trinity
Study Spanish

Grammar/Vocabulary Resources

Here are some of our favorite websites for getting answers on grammar and vocabulary questions.

Word Reference Forums
Real Academia Española
Teachers Net

Favorite Podcasts

This post is designed to help you fill your MP3 player with outstanding Spanish podcasts that you can listen to on the bus, during the commute, or over lunch break. Many of the sites offer podcasts in bite size pieces so you can take in culture and language, as one of the sites says, while sipping a latte. These sites have all been tried and tested by Maestros Mejorando so you can download and go in minutes. Happy listening!

Notes in Spanish*
Coffee Break Spanish*
Spanish Pod

*free content

Welcome! Bienvenidos!

This blog is designed for preservice, student, and inservice teachers who are looking for a resource to maintain and/or improve their Spanish skills, whether in their first years of teaching or as a seasoned professional. This blog is especially designed for Spanish teachers in all contexts whether you work in an urban area amongst many native speakers or are in a very rural setting and are the only source of language and culture education. The bloggers here at Maestros Mejorando search out the most current, useful resources and compile them in one place for your convenience!

How to use this blog: We recommend that you check the blog daily by adding it to your bookmarks or to an RSS reader (such as Bloglines or Google Reader ) so you can pick and choose the content that is most useful to you. We also love your feedback and discoveries so please leave comments.