Spanish translation can be tricky, especially if you have a document that you’re trying to translate in-house. We all know that it’s important to write well because your documents being published out […]
And you thought that Christmas and Navidad were basically the same thing! A large majority of the Spanish-speaking population around the world celebrates Navidad (in lieu of Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) – but
Our online Spanish tutors are ready to work with you! Common Ground International has recently invested in an online Spanish tutoring system to provide extra contact time with professional Spanish
International medical work is rewarding for the healthcare professionals who travel abroad. Three guiding principles ensure your work is proper, ethical, and sustainable within your target communities as well. For
3 Essential components for a successful English class at your workplace We’re always excited when a new client inquires about offering an English classes to their employees, and we’re equally
Professional Spanish Translation We don’t need to contract a professional Spanish translation for this document – we habla español! Unfortunately this reluctance to pay for a professional translation is common in the
Two easy tips for how to study Spanish! Almost all Spanish tests, when you break them down to their most basic components, are a combination of vocabulary and grammar. If
“The stakes are too high – I can’t practice medical Spanish with my patients.” We often hear this sentiment expressed in our Medical Spanish classes, and while it is a
Teaching Dyslexic Students Spanish- Great tips to ease the struggle By this time in the school year, it’s clear which students are struggling in your Spanish class. Some students may
Ever wish you could acquire your second language as naturally as you did your first? True language acquisition is the idea behind immersion programs abroad and immersion-style teaching. “I’m not
Tú and usted, using the forms of you in Spanish: In our work with professionals learning Spanish for workplace communication, we often encounter the patterns they learned in high school
Some relevant and interesting debate topics for Spanish Class Hopefully your Spanish students have been exposed to important historical themes through their classwork and readings. However, what better way to
Need some interesting, relevant Spanish class presentation topics? Let us help you get started with unas ideas: Light Topics: Common Slang Expressions Every day you say things that don’t translate
An effective immersion model is educational, fun and inserts students into the community There are a lot of summer programs out there for high school students, with different approaches to
Day of the Dead: A Tradition of Celebrating Deceased Loved Ones The Day of the Dead (celebrated Oct. 31 – Nov. 2) is one of the most colorful and meaningful
A fun and useful activity for learning Spanish verb tenses; have Shakira help you out with planning an easy classroom activity: Spanish Teachers – Don’t let practicing Spanish verb tenses
Learning a new language can always be tricky; some of the most embarrassing scenarios include these common Spanish-English translation mistakes: Whether or not you travel abroad this summer, chances are
Doing business with Latinos in another country or first-generation Latino businesses here in the States? Let’s talk about business and Latino culture: See if this scenario rings a bell: You
Having trouble motivating students? Getting ready to send your graduating Spanish students off to college and into the world – hoping that they’ll continue their language studies? For a lot
Medical Spanish Commands: Getting the Imperative Right in a Medical Setting Ever found yourself fumbling for the right way to tell your Spanish-speaking patients to do something, and end up
I’m going to study abroad in Latin America! What now? Once you’ve made the decision to study abroad, what you do in the months leading up to your departure can
What the 2010 US census numbers might (not) mean… The 2010 US Census received a huge amount of publicity, and along with it, projections about the Hispanic population – the
Over the past six weeks, fifteen healthcare professionals from Colorado traveled to Costa Rica with Common Ground’s Spring 2010 Medical Mission. They lived with Costa Rican families, studied Medical Spanish,
Use one of the easiest tunes to remember the tricky irregular preterite tense Irregular preterite tense can be difficult for many students. We all know that remembering the lyrics to
Formal Spanish Greetings- Getting Started Whether you’re traveling to Costa Rica with us this summer or working with Latinos in your own community, properly greeting and conversing with the people
As the Latino population in the United States grows, no business, sector, or industry remains unaffected by this huge demographic. While many businesses are adapting to and marketing to Latinos
Basics of medical Spanish: Why the names of medical professions can be tricky… One of the first topics we cover in our Medical Spanish courses is las profesiones –
Spanish Immersion in Costa Rica and the 5 C’s of Foreign Language Education The 5 C’s of Foreign Language Education have been developed by ACTFL as the national standard for
Informal Spanish greetings If you’re traveling to Costa Rica with Common Ground this spring or summer, you’ll be greeted a lot of different ways by Ticos (Costa Ricans). Greeting people
Simplify your medical Spanish with these verbs! Medical parlance is laden with very specific, nuanced verbs, which often trip up our Medical Spanish students – even at the higher levels.
Overarching ideas in Latino culture Whether or not you do business internationally, chances are you work with Latinos in some capacity, be they clients, employees, or colleagues, and therefore deal
The internet is full of Spanish teacher resources. Interactive quizzes and printable worksheets abound, but here are some of our favorites that serve 5 distinctly different purposes: 1. Word Reference.com:
What’s in store for High School Spanish students who stick with the language…stay on that path bilingual students! Start studying Spanish in high school – and stick with it –
In our Top 10 Beginner Medical Spanish Errors, we looked at some of the most common errors our students make at the Beginning I level. Here´s another round of common
If you’ve ever had trouble saying “for” in Spanish, you’re not alone! Let’s talk about por vs. para: The key to understanding por vs. para is to think of the
Let’s talk medical Spanish. What is the best word to use? There are many medical Spanish words and phrases that can stump a medical professional. Some words that have similar
Can you help us help the under-served in Costa Rica for our medical missions? Each year Common Ground International leads a medical mission in Costa Rica for student and professional
Spanish Resources Online: Supplement your Spanish Learning! Whether you want to follow international news, work on your pronunciation, or just find the right Spanish word, here are a few online
Day of the Dead- A celebration of loved ones who have passed on The Day of the Dead, El día de los muertos, is one of Mexico’s most important holidays.
Abbreviations for texting in Spanish Ever wonder how to spice up your text messages with some Spanish abbreviations? Here are a few to help you stay on the cutting edge
Medical Spanish Mistakes: Avoid these common Errors! Everyone makes mistakes, especially when learning a new language!Hopefully your Spanish mistakes have given you and your pacientes a few laughs.Here are the
Cultural Values: Working with Latinos When we talked about agreeableness in the medical setting, we saw how the “cultural taboo against expressing negative feelings directly” translated into misunderstandings and ultimately,
Making a connection with Latino clients and consumers Since we started our blog, we’ve addressed cultural issues that arise with both Latino patients and employees across many industries. We have
Working with Latinos and how to be a successful manager: Over the years, we’ve spoken with a number of non-Latinos who manage Latino employees, but one of the most striking
Have you lost touch with your Medical Spanish classmates? Find Common Ground on Facebook for information about upcoming classes, trips, social events, as well as cultural information, news from Latin
Working with Latinos: Understanding Culture and High-Risk Industries Although workplace safety requirements are generally far more comprehensive in the U.S. than in Latin America, accidents still happen in high-risk industries
Potential drawbacks of using bilingual employees as interpreters So far we’ve discussed the intricacies of working with Latino patients in the medical setting, but many of the same language obstacles
Latino Culture- Personalismo Last week we explored the cultural basis of latino agreeableness and its effects in the medical setting. We mentioned that the rate of patient compliance can be
Understanding Latino Culture: Agreeableness As with the cleaning staff manager we wrote about a few weeks ago, the topic of agreeableness comes up a lot with our Medical Spanish students
Latino Patients: Understanding the Family and Latino Culture “Why are there so many people in the room?” is a question often asked by our medical Spanish students when talking about
