LCA Spanish study plan
LCA Spanish · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 7 hours per week
Listening Comprehension & Written Expression and Grammar
Transcribe 10 short audio clips (1-2 minutes each) of neutral Latin American Spanish and mark every word you miss
Build a personal error log of 20 recurring listening breakdowns (linked sounds, elision, fast speech) with the exact phrase and its written form
Review present-tense regular and stem-changing verb conjugations and write 15 original sentences using them
Shadow 5 audio clips aloud for 10 minutes each, matching rhythm and linking rather than individual words
Your checkpoint
A listening error log with 20 documented breakdowns, each paired with a corrected transcription and a grammar note on the structure involved
Listening Comprehension & Written Expression and Grammar
Listen to 8 short news or interview segments and identify the main idea plus two supporting details for each
Drill the preterite versus imperfect distinction by retelling 5 short narrated stories in writing
Practice distinguishing numbers, dates, times, and proper names in 10 dictated audio passages
Record yourself answering 10 comprehension questions aloud within 30 seconds each
Your checkpoint
A set of 8 listening summaries (main idea plus two details each) with a written narration of one story using preterite and imperfect correctly
Listening Comprehension & Reading Comprehension
Complete 6 timed reading passages (400-600 words) and answer inference and detail questions without a dictionary
Map 15 discourse connectors (sin embargo, por lo tanto, a pesar de, en cambio) to their rhetorical functions
Listen to 6 longer audio texts (3-5 minutes) and take structured notes on speaker, topic, and stance
Compare one audio text and one written text on the same topic and list 10 vocabulary items shared across registers
Your checkpoint
A timed reading score log for 6 passages plus a one-page connector reference sheet with an original example sentence for each
Reading Comprehension & Written Expression and Grammar
Identify the author's purpose and tone in 8 opinion columns and justify each answer with a quoted line
Review the subjunctive in noun, adjective, and adverbial clauses and write 20 original sentences across the three types
Practice pronoun placement and clitic combinations (se lo, me lo) in 15 transformation exercises
Summarize 4 articles in 60-80 words each using only your own phrasing
Your checkpoint
A mid-point mock section for Reading Comprehension and Written Expression, scored and reviewed, with every missed item rewritten correctly
Reading Comprehension & Oral Expression and Interaction
Read 5 argumentative texts and outline each author's claim, evidence, and counterargument in note form
Record 6 two-minute monologues on prepared topics using a clear introduction, two supports, and a conclusion
Self-assess each recording against a checklist covering fluency, pronunciation, grammar accuracy, and vocabulary range
Practice 10 interactive prompts (agreeing, disagreeing, requesting clarification) in spoken responses of 20-40 seconds
Your checkpoint
Six recorded monologues with a completed self-assessment rubric for each and a list of the three most frequent errors to target next
Oral Expression and Interaction & Listening Comprehension
Hold 4 role-play conversations of 3-5 minutes (formal and informal registers) and record them
Practice circumlocution by describing 20 unknown words in Spanish without switching to English
Listen to 6 dialogues and respond aloud to comprehension questions within natural pause lengths
Refine pronunciation of 10 problem sounds and stress patterns identified in your recordings
Your checkpoint
Four recorded role-plays with a partner or self-review, plus a circumlocution log of 20 terms described successfully in Spanish
Listening Comprehension & Reading Comprehension & Written Expression and Grammar & Oral Expression and Interaction
Complete one full timed mock exam under real conditions and log every section score
Categorize all missed items by domain and by error type (vocabulary, grammar, inference, listening speed)
Re-drill the two weakest error categories with 30 targeted items each
Record a 5-minute extended oral response and a 10-minute interactive exchange
Your checkpoint
A full mock exam score report with an error taxonomy and a targeted remediation list for the final week
Listening Comprehension & Oral Expression and Interaction
Repeat the full timed mock exam and compare section scores against week 7
Run 5 timed speaking sessions focusing on the lowest-scoring oral criteria
Review the personal error log and confirm mastery of the 20 original listening breakdowns
Finalize a test-day routine covering timing, question triage, and speaking pacing
Your checkpoint
A week-7 versus week-8 score comparison showing improvement in at least three of the four domains, plus a written test-day routine
Milestones
Week 2: You can transcribe a 2-minute neutral-register audio clip with at least 85% word accuracy and correctly narrate a short story in the past tense
Week 4: Your mid-point mock scores at least 60% in Reading Comprehension and Written Expression, and you can explain every missed item's correct answer
Week 6: You sustain a 3-minute spoken exchange without reverting to English and can describe an unknown word entirely in Spanish
Week 8: Your final mock shows gains in at least three domains, and your oral recordings meet your own rubric at the target level