FSI Spanish Headstart for Puerto Rico Course

Although Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, different varieties exist, with the Spanish spoken on either side of the Atlantic diverging in terms of both vocabulary and pronunciation. If you learn Spanish in any Spanish-speaking country, you will be understood in most other places where the language is spoken. However, if you mainly plan to use your Spanish in one particular region, it makes sense to focus on the variety that is spoken there.

For anyone who wants to learn Spanish for Puerto Rico, this free online course is ideal. Not many other courses exist that focus exclusively on this variety of Spanish, and these materials will give you a good grounding in the language while introducing many of the cultural elements you may encounter there.

This will give you a deeper understanding of the local customs and traditions while allowing you to make the most of any time you spend in Puerto Rico.

Course Details

What is Headstart Spanish for Puerto Rico?

The Headstart courses were created by the US Defense Language Institute for service personnel who were stationed abroad and who needed to acquire a working knowledge of the language of the countries where they were stationed. They focus on the kind of communication that is likely to take place in situations you will often encounter while living abroad.

This Headstart Spanish course, which was first published in 1982, teaches you the kind of Spanish that is spoken in Puerto Rico. It consists of four modules, each made up of two or three units.

The modules all begin with a summary of the module objectives, and then each unit consists of dialogs that present the new language along with exercises to allow you to practice it. The course is accompanied by audio recordings that are designed to help you work on your pronunciation, and all the instructions you need for the course are also found on the recordings.

Finally, the course includes a series of quizzes that allow you to evaluate your progress, and you will also find a glossary of all the vocabulary items you meet during the course.

How can you use Headstart Spanish for Puerto Rico?

Since Headstart courses were designed for autonomous study, you can simply work through these materials as they are. Start by reading the objectives at the beginning of each module and then follow the instructions on the recording. When studying this course, you should work through the modules in order, starting with Module 1 and finishing with Module 4.

Headstart courses are supposed to be flexible, so you should study in whatever way benefits you most. It is recommended that you listen to the Spanish before looking at the text to help you focus on the sounds of the words rather than the way they are written, but otherwise, it is up to you. You can repeat dialogs and exercises as many times as you need to master the new language, and if you find a method that works well for you, then you should stick to it.

There are no prizes for finishing the course quickly, so you should work through in your own time. However, for most people who have never studied any Spanish before, it usually takes around 30-40 hours to finish all the lessons.

Since this course was created for service personnel, you will find there is a lot of material related to military matters. However, don’t feel you need to memorize all of this – simply focus on the language you think is most relevant to you and ignore the parts you think will be less useful.

Taking it further

However you decide to study, you can’t learn Spanish from books alone, so as soon as you can, you should look for opportunities to practice what you have learned. Try to find native speakers and make speaking Spanish a part of your daily life – and when you go to Puerto Rico, make sure you speak as much as you can. Then, when you do this, you will realize how much Spanish you have already learned.

Student Text

Glossary

Module I

#	Audio
01	Unit 1A
02	Unit 1B
03	Unit 2A
04	Unit 2B
05	Unit 3A
06	Unit 3B
07	Self Evaluation Quizzes

Module II

#	Audio
01	Unit 1A
02	Unit 1B
03	Unit 1C
04	Unit 2A
05	Unit 2B
06	Unit 3A
07	Unit 3B
08	Unit 3C
09	Self Evaluation Quizzes

Module III

#	Audio
01	Unit 1A
02	Unit 1B
03	Unit 1C
04	Unit 2A
05	Unit 2B
06	Unit 3A
07	Unit 3B
08	Self Evaluation Quizzes

Module IV

#	Audio
01	Unit 1A
02	Unit 1B
03	Unit 2A
04	Unit 2B
05	Self Evaluation Quizzes