María Monsalve of Español con María

Explore María’s work: Español con MaríaYou understand more than you can say—but what should you actually practice to close that gap?María Monsalve, Colombian language educator and founder of Español con María, joins Rick Moore on the Language Learning Insights podcast to discuss choosing useful vocabulary, connecting listening and reading to speaking, and identifying what keeps learners stuck.María explains her input–process–output approach: work with something you’ve watched or read before discussing or writing about it. She also shares why an easy word isn’t necessarily a useful word, how small goals make progress more visible, and why your study methods may need to change as you advance.From learning “quiero eso” to recognizing gaps in the words that connect your ideas, this conversation offers practical starting points for Spanish learners and anyone working toward greater confidence in another language.Hosted by Rick Moore, creator of MiVoca, a personal vocabulary system for capturing, organizing, and practicing the words that matter to you.