Podcast Summary: Learn Spanish a lo Boricua

Episode 60: Puerto Rican Spanish for Beginners 1 Course

Host: Kerry Brennan
Date: February 16, 2026

Episode Overview

In this special episode, host Kerry Brennan introduces the newly launched "Puerto Rican Spanish for Beginners 1" course. Instead of a regular lesson or conversation, Kerry walks listeners through the course structure, philosophy, and learning approach, designed specifically for students struggling with comprehension, pronunciation, or seeking more structure in their Puerto Rican Spanish studies. The episode targets heritage learners and those with Puerto Rican partners or roots, as well as anyone interested in this vibrant dialect.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Why Launch This Course? (00:33)

• Demand for Structure: Many listeners have found the existing podcast episodes too advanced, too fast, or insufficiently structured for beginners.
• A Different Approach: Kerry emphasizes the course avoids the traditional “grammar-first” method in favor of the natural approach, focused on listening and comprehension, much like natural language acquisition by children.
  • "Your parents didn't sit down and conjugate verbs for you in the present tense in English. So we're not going to focus on present tense conjugations." – Kerry (02:00)

2. Course Philosophy: The Natural Approach (02:10)

• No Grammar Drills: Instead, the course builds skills through:
  • Listening to native speakers
  • Comprehensible input aided by images and context
  • Practical vocabulary and pronunciation lessons
• Focuses on vocabulary "guaranteed" to be used on the island.

3. Meet the Team of Instructors (04:00)

• Kerry Brennan: Native English speaker, likely easier for learners to understand due to her accent.
• Annette: Heritage speaker, grew up in the U.S. with Puerto Rican parents, brings a nuanced understanding of bilingual identity.
  • "She knows intimately that struggle, that maybe feeling like you have a split identity." – Kerry (05:08)
• Alfredo: 100% native speaker; models authentic southern Puerto Rican pronunciation.
• Sheila (from Electro Boricua): Specialist in dialect, origin of vocab, and pronunciation, contributed and reviewed content for authenticity.

4. Course Structure & Module Breakdown

a. Introductory Module (06:20)

• Instructions on how to approach the course, effective study tips, and scheduling
• Monthly live support calls for ongoing help
• Personal introductions from each team member to acclimate learners to their voices

b. Week 1: Alphabet & Pronunciation (08:45)

• Alphabet taught by native speakers: Sheila and Alfredo each present the alphabet in their own voices
• For each letter, Sheila shares a vocab word unique to Puerto Rican Spanish
• Focus on Spanish vowel sounds and their consistent pronunciation
• Explanation of how consonants differ between Spanish and English
• Vocab deck included for review and practice

c. Week 2: Short Audios & Introductions (12:05)

• Audios are <3 minutes, designed for accessibility
• Heavy use of comprehensible input: visual aids supplement spoken content for clarity
  • "That's what comprehensible input is all about." – Kerry (14:04)
• Transcripts and English translations provided
• Activity: Record a brief self-introduction in Spanish using learned pronunciation

d. Weeks 3-4: Routines and Daily Life (15:10)

• Week 3: Days of the week and personal routines
• Week 4: Morning and nighttime routines, introduction to sequence vocab (e.g., before, after, then)
• Repetition ensures exposure before tackling the most challenging speech samples (Alfredo’s routines)
• Supportive vocab decks included

e. Second Half: Puerto Rican Culture and Context (17:23)

• Units on ordering food, family, places, weekend activities (“el domingueo,” “el chinchorreo”)
• Dedicated section on the Puerto Rican accent–which sounds are dropped, how it differs from Mexican or Colombian Spanish, etc.
  • "If you listen to Mexican Spanish and you don't have such a hard time with that… what is it that seems so different about maybe the other Spanish you've listened to?" – Kerry (19:00)
• Features authentic clips from native speakers to illustrate accent differences

f. Access and Purchasing Options (21:50)

• Two options:
  1. Standard access (16 weeks to finish an 8-week course)
  2. Lifetime access (includes perpetual access to vocab decks and support calls)
• All details and registration are linked in the episode notes

5. Student Feedback & Course Rationale (23:30)

• Positive anecdote from a parent whose daughter, typically disengaged with academics, enjoys the course due to its natural, less rigid approach.
• The course is a direct reaction to the limits of grammar-heavy language education.
  • "And then you've been studying Spanish for years and you still can't actually understand what people are saying and you can't actually have even the most basic conversation. We don't want you to go through that." – Kerry (25:12)

6. Final Thoughts and Contact (27:10)

• Kerry underscores the heavy time investment in the course creation, as opposed to traditional podcast production.
  • "Just one audio that I edited of Alfredo's that was three minutes long took me three hours to edit." – Kerry (27:35)
• Encourages listeners to enroll and join support calls; provides contact form details for questions.

Memorable Quotes

• "We are starting with a more natural way of learning the language. Listen to it a lot to gain, a little bit more of instincts of how things are said..." – Kerry (26:38)

• "If you're looking to improve your comprehension, if you're really struggling with comprehension of Puerto Rican Spanish, if you're wanting to improve your pronunciation and try to get closer to that Puerto Rican pronunciation, then this course is an excellent option for you." – Kerry (21:09)

Notable Timestamps

• 00:33: Explanation for the gap in new podcast episodes and the rationale behind course creation
• 05:08: Introduction to Annette and her bicultural language journey
• 12:05: Overview of comprehensible input and audio design for beginners
• 19:00: Discussion on the features that make Puerto Rican Spanish distinct
• 21:50: Course enrollment and access options
• 25:12: Critique of grammar-first language learning and user experience
• 27:35: Insight into the editing commitment behind course materials

Summary

This episode provides a comprehensive walkthrough of the "Puerto Rican Spanish for Beginners 1" course, emphasizing its unique, comprehension-first philosophy, strong cultural context, and the integral involvement of native and heritage Puerto Rican speakers. Intended as a remedy for the challenges faced by heritage learners and those discouraged by grammar-centric approaches, the course aims to make Puerto Rican Spanish accessible, relevant, and engaging from the very first lesson. Kerry’s passion, transparency about the development process, and the team’s expertise stand out throughout the episode.

For more details or to enroll, check out the links in the episode notes.