Today we’d like to introduce you to Rodney Prince.
Rodney, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’m not a native Spanish speaker, I had to learn to speak Spanish the hard way, by trial and error. And like many people who have aspired to learn to speak Spanish, I took a few years of high school Spanish but I was never even able to have the most basic of conversations, despite the fact that I spent the majority of my teenage years living on a military base in Puerto Rico.
Fast forward to 2005, nearly 15 years after high school and many wasted opportunities to learn the language, I came back from a trip to Mexico more determined than ever to become a fluent Spanish speaker. And so began my journey. I had no idea how to go about learning a language, no one to give me advice and I didn’t even have anyone to speak Spanish with.
I endured years of challenges, frustration, many embarrassing moments, successes and failures, but I managed to achieve my goal of becoming a fluent Spanish speaker. I developed a passion for the language, for the diverse cultures of the Spanish speaking world and much to my surprise, an equally great passion for helping others who want to become Spanish speakers. With that new found passion Helping You Learn Spanish was born.
Has it been a smooth road?
Generally, things have gone well, I have the challenges that one would expect with running a business while working a full-time job, but nothing overly difficult so far.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Helping You Learn Spanish – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I take a very different approach to teaching Spanish. Rather than following the traditional method of teaching from a textbook and emphasizing grammar, I teach my students Spanish the same way they learned their native language, through conversation and immersion.
My Spanish classes are conversational based. In each class, we listen to real-world conversational dialogs and students take turns reading and translating. I also provide insight into the language beyond the textbook based on my own experiences with Spanish speakers I’ve met here in Atlanta and from my travels to places like Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Learning about the various cultures throughout the Spanish speaking world is also a big part of the curriculum.
Immediately following the class there’s a second meeting where students can practice what they learned in a fun and friendly environment. Speakers of all levels attend this meeting, including native Spanish speakers. Even if a student hasn’t yet achieved a conversational level of Spanish they can participate because I coach them through some basic conversation and the other participants also help out.
Inspiring and motivating people to achieve their languages goals is also a big part of the class. No matter what a students goal is, becoming a fluent Spanish speaker or learning just enough to enrich their vacation in a Spanish speaking country, I strive to keep them motivated and provide practical and effective advice to help them successfully meet that goal.
There’s also a social aspect to the school. I organize events for Hispanic cultural events that are held throughout the city as well as lunches or dinners in authentic Hispanic restaurants so they can try traditional dishes from all over the Spanish speaking world. We’ve also been known to do a bit of Salsa dancing and karaoke in Spanish.
I also provide online materials anyone can use rather they attend the classes or not that are available on my website. I’ve been sharing my experiences and knowledge of the Spanish language online as an avid blogger since 2008. And within the last year, I’ve also been creating podcasts and other materials to help people become fluent in the language as well.
Native Spanish speakers frequently attend the group as well to help others improve their Spanish and share their culture.
I’ve seen numerous success cases where people have started from scratch and are now able to hold conversations and have seen many more make significant improvements to their Spanish.
There’s no other Spanish school like this one in Atlanta. If you want to learn Spanish and have fun doing it, this is the place.
Classes are held at the Community Grounds Cafe every Saturday in South Atlanta. Contact me or visit the website for details.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like most about Atlanta is its cultural diversity. There’s always something to do and lot’s of great places to eat. It’s also close enough to other areas in Georgia where you can enjoy the outdoors as well.
Pricing:
- Beginners Conversational Class (10AM on Saturdays) is $5 per class
- Conversational Practice Group (12PM on Saturdays) is $1 per session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meetup.com/ConversationalSpanishClass/
- Email: rodney.spanish@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ConversationalSpanishClass/
- Other: http://HelpingYouLearnSpanish.com
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
