From No hablo inglés to a Spanish Language Empire

From No hablo inglés to a Spanish Language Empire

Maria Oliveira

From No hablo Inglés to a Spanish Language Empire.  Join Host Jewel Daniels and Guest Maria Oliveira as they chat about the challenge of learning a second language and the difficulties in developing and operating a language learning center.

Maria Oliveira’s Language Learning Center features affordable adult study programs in Spanish, Portuguese, French, and English for nonnative speakers. Class sizes are limited to allow for personal attention and the individual growth of students.

Formats include traditional classroom study, independent one-to-one sessions, and ongoing groups in which the students progress at their own pace. Materials used for the Spanish and Portuguese classes are produced by Maria Oliveira, having been developed and improved over more than 25 years of teaching and studying adult learning styles.

Maria Oliveira Language Learning Center

Maria Oliveira Language Learning Center is an alternative to the traditional classroom settings that are found in colleges and adult schools. Our mission is to offer low-cost, high-quality language learning opportunities for adults. At Maria Oliveira Language Learning Center, our comprehensive materials and classes appeal to a wide variety of learning styles. Small group classes, one-on-one tutoring, online courses, self-study workbooksdownloadable lessons, portable audio lessons, and specialty courses that focus on particular grammar usages are options that can be combined and alternated so that fluency develops quickly. The teaching methods used at Maria Oliveira Language Learning Center are based on innovative adult learning concepts developed by Maria Oliveira, who has spent her professional life studying and improving techniques for second language acquisition. As a result, classes and materials build on each other so that progression through the levels is successful and quickly absorbed. Furthermore, programs are designed to be fun and supportive in a learning environment geared to build confidence and maintain enthusiasm. Maria Oliveira also makes sure that students are exposed to the cultural influences that surround a language. Knowing more about the native speakers of any language adds interest and keeps the language relevant. Whether for travel, personal accomplishment, work requirements, or any other purpose, learning a second language at Maria Oliveira Language Learning Center will have you using basic phrases and sentences in a short time. Conversation, reading comprehension, and writing will follow as abilities increase.

We look forward to you becoming a participant and student at our unique Language Learning Center! Read what our students say about our school!

Maria Oliveira

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Spanish Vocabulary Exercises

Our Spanish and Portuguese Classes are now offered live on Zoom

Visit https://marialanguages.com/classes/adulteducationclasses.shtml for available dates.

Spanish VocabularyCertainly there is more to language than vocabulary; the grammar puts the words together and clarifies meaning. But without vocabulary you have no sentences to construct, nothing to say, nothing to understand. If your goal is fluency, remember that the broader the range of your word choices, the more accurately you can express yourself. And the stronger your word options, the more confident you become when you speak.
Let’s look at several Spanish Vocabulary Exercises for increasing your second language vocabulary.
In order to get the right answers accents are required. Check codes here:How do I add Spanish accents when typing a document on my computer?   Or copy and paste them when you need!  á  é  í  ó  ú  ñ

Each Spanish Vocabulary Practice Exercise offers additional practice for the vocabulary presented on the Conversational Spanish Volume 2  “Conversational Spanish Volume 2”  For more practice exercises, check this blog often.

Maria Oliveira Language Learning Center
Serving Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County,
Sacramento County, San Francisco County, and Solano County

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Online English Lessons

Our Spanish and Portuguese Language Classes are now offered live online via ZOOM

English courses online

Spanish, Portuguese and English Available Live via Zoom!

Online English Lessons: Portuguese-speakers who wish to learn English are now able to use online lessons to accomplish their goal. Our online English lessons for Portuguese Speakers are available wherever there is access to the internet, and the ability to self-test with quizzes and puzzles makes the process of learning English both efficient and flexible. The use of audio bits enables the user to hear the correct English pronunciation for the words. By replaying the sound as many times as necessary, the student can hear and repeat until they’ve mastered the lesson. The subject of each lesson is always relevant and useful; taken from everyday situations; the vocabulary offered can be used immediately.

Using online lessons is a well-regarded method for language learning because the lessons combine reading skills with verbal practice. Hearing, speaking, reading, and comprehending English words builds confidence and leads to efficient learning. And being able to re-sort the quizzes allows effective review and retention and discourages rote memorization. Thus the student is in control of their own learning experience in a fun and absorbing way.

Our online English for Portuguese Speakers course is affordable and efficient. The useful vocabulary and relevant phrases presented in 32 lessons enable students to engage successfully with native English-speakers. Practicing and self-testing with over 100 interactive exercises is easy in the digital format provided; access is assured on any electronic device, from computer to hand-held.

All the lessons include audio expressions for correct pronunciation of American English.English Classes Online Practice lessons can be repeated as often as necessary enabling students to learn at their own pace. This online course is an excellent beginning for Portuguese natives who are planning to live in an English-speaking country, and it is equally practical for visitors who need English language skills for touring or doing business internationally.

Online English Lessons for Portuguese Speakers

 Inglês para Portugueses – Curso Online

Apresentamos-lhe um curso prático e eficaz, com o qual aprenderá rapidamente Inglês. São 32 lições que contêm vocabulário e frases essenciais para uma aprendizagem garantida do Inglês. Além disso, contém ainda mais de 100 exercícios interativos e simples, com os quais aprende naturalmente e sem demasiado esforço. Cada uma destas lições é acompanhada por uma parte auditiva, para que treine, não só o seu ouvido, mas sobretudo a sua pronúncia de Inglês americano. Podendo repetir estas lições práticas as vezes que desejar, seguindo assim, o seu próprio ritmo.

Este curso é uma ótima oportunidade para quem queira aprender Inglês, sendo especialmente pensado para os falantes nativos de Português. Todo o curso é oferecido em formato digital, permitindo-lhe estudar em qualquer dispositivo eletrónico, desde que tenha ligação à internet, e assim, em qualquer lugar e hora.

Se vive ou pensa viver num país de língua inglesa, fazer negócios internacionais ou simplesmente comunicar, este será o curso ideal para si! Agarre já esta oportunidade e comece agora mesmo a aprender a língua mais falada do mundo.

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PUZZLE IT OUT!!

Our Spanish and Portuguese Language Classes are offered live online via Zoom. For more information visit https://marialanguages.com/classes/adulteducationclasses.shtml

Spanish VocabularyOf all the fun ways to tweak your language skills, puzzles and riddles are at the top of the list. These exercises are like a mini language learning immersion as you face the challenges of reading, translating, comprehending, and responding to the puzzle or riddle. For the riddles, often the answer is not as obvious as you might think; you need to interpret the words before you can truly grasp their meaning. In this process you are exercising your brain which, in turn, helps you to retain the vocabulary used in the riddle. Here are a puzzle and a couple of riddles that are fun to solve while you practice your language skills. Give it a try.

In order to get the right answers accents are required. Check codes here:How do I add Spanish accents when typing a document on my computer?   Or copy and paste them when you need!  á  é  í  ó  ú  ñ

Language learning – Riddle # 1

Pobre me echó Dios al mundo,
sin plata ni que tener,
me quitan el alimento,
ya me dejan padecer.

¿Qué es?

Language learning – Riddle # 2

En los campos enterrado,
la mejor parte sumido,
blanco es y muy barbado,
y el olor muy conocido.
Tiene dientes y no boca,
tiene cabeza y no pies.

¿Qué es?

Language Learning – Riddle # 3

Quién es quién va caminando,
que no es dueño de sus pies,
que lleva el cuerpo al revés,
y el espinazo arrastrando.
Que los pasos que va dando,
no hay nadie que se los cuente.
Cuando quiere descansar,
mete sus pies en su vientre.

¿Qué es?

To increase your vocabulary look up the words you don’t know and write down the meanings.  After knowing the meaning of each word, try to think of items that may fit the description.  Enjoy! 🙂

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Spanish Vocabulary Practice Exercise

Spanish VocabularyThese Spanish Vocabulary Practice Exercise will help build your vocabulary.  Vocabulary building is one of the most effective techniques to develop for efficient language learning. Certainly there is more to language than vocabulary; the grammar puts the words together, and practice makes the sentences you create useful. But without vocabulary you have no sentences to construct, nothing to say, nothing to understand. As you strive to become bilingual, you should focus more and more on vocabulary building because the broader the range of your word choices, the more you can express yourself. That is what fluency is all about!

To complete this Spanish Vocabulary Practice Exercise you will need to use the accents in order to solve the puzzle correctly.  Since accents are required. Check codes here:How do I add Spanish accents when typing a document on my computer?   Or copy and paste them when you need!  á  é  í  ó  ú  ñ

Two words also require a hyphen so you will see an empty space for some reason the hyphen doesn’t show.

Exercises to practice the content of the CD “Practical Spanish Vocabulary Lessons”


Each Spanish Vocabulary Practice Exercise tests and offers additional practice on the vocabulary presented on the CD “Practical Spanish Vocabulary Lessons”  For more practice exercises, check this blog often.

Maria Oliveira Language Learning Center

Serving Alameda County, Contra Costa County, Marin County,
Sacramento County, San Francisco County, and Solano County

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