Do you need classroom ideas for your Basic Spanish or Spanish immersion programs? This article provides certain suggestions and links. It uses the method of gestures and theater to help students learn. There is a download available for vocabulary study.
Giving and Taking Directions
Giving and taking directions is an everyday fact of life, in every country in the world. Pedestrians and drivers are always finding themselves in situations where they need to stop and ask someone for directions.This article includes a media download vocabulary of words and expressions for giving and taking directions.
The Imperative Mood
In teaching directions, the teacher also teaches the use of the Imperative Mood, since this is the mood used to give commands. The formal second person of verbs (usted) is commonly used when giving commands. Place pictures or flash cards of buildings and sites in different locations, both inside and outside of the classroom. Have the students take turns at acting as tourists and passers-by, and ask for and give directions to certain places. For example:
“Where is the bank? Dónde está el banco?
The tourist must now repeat the directions, follow them, and return with the picture or flashcard to the teacher, and student(s) who acted as passer(s)-by.
AWords and Phrases
Here is a list of direction words and phrases:
Perdóneme Señor/Señora, ¿donde está….?
Excuse me Sir/Madam, where is…?
¿Señor/Señora, estoy perdido(a), dónde está….?
Sir/Madam I am lost, where is…?
¿Esta cerca o lejos de aquí?
Is it near or far from here?
Hay… por aqui?
Is there….nearby?
por ahí- that way
Cómo-Pardon?
Vale-understood
vaya - go
tome - take
siga - continue/follow
doble - turn
gire - turn around
cruce - cross
venga - come
la calle - the street
el primer, la primera - the first
la segunda calle - the second street
tercer (a) - third
los semafóros - the traffic lights
la bocacalle - the intersection
la avenida - the avenue
la plaza - the square
enfrente de-opposite
detrás de-behind
delante de-in front of
por esta calle-along this street
a la derecha-on/to the right
a la izquierda-on/to the left
vaya todo derecho -go straight ahead
al final-at/to the end
hasta-up to/as far as
a la esquina-at the corner
está en-It is on/in
tiene que ir hasta-you have to go as far as
encontrar-to find
baje por esta calle-go down this street
sube por esta calle-go up this street
References
- BBC Languages - Spanish; http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/spanish/talk/directions/
- Spanish Language Exercises; http://mld.ursinus.edu/~jarana/Ejercicios/self-check/directions/direct5.html
