Laura, yes!

Choose a topic first, so there is context; there should always be context.

Say your topic is...the holidays, and the grammar area you want to improve in is present perfect continuous (I've been ..., He estado ...).

Your module will look like this:

Topic: The Holidays

Verb:

I've been ...

Have you been ...?

Vocabulary:

-shopping

-doing a lot of shopping

-cooking

-sleeping

-working

-getting ready for the holidays

Notice how the items in the vocabulary section pair with the items in the verb section?

No matter what your topic, there will always be at least one verb "nucleus".

Using this style of module, you can create "conversation trees" within the context of any topic or situation, and it will help you train on the verbs and vocabulary that you really need.

Laura,

Awkwardness happens. It's bound to. I know I've said some very embarrassing things in foreign languages; like, really embarrassing.

You try to prepare yourself as much as you can, rehearse, but things don't always go as planned.

An Arabic student of mine, who is also an actor, told me that actors have an exercise called "planking". Planking is when you walk stop in the middle of the sidewalk, lie down, face-up on the concrete, and let people walk around you and look down at you and think you're crazy.

The purpose of the exercise is to develop a tolerance for embarrassment. Marines have a similar exercise called "body-hardening" -- making their shins and elbows and other sensitive more resistant to pain by continually striking those areas.

I'm all too familiar with what I've heard called "linguist's anxiety". I still get it.

But with every encounter, successful, awkward, or not, I feel more emboldened to take even bigger chances next time. Often, the fear was much worse than the actual result. And your language and confidence is better because of it, even from the awkward "failures".

Another mantra I like is: either you win or you learn.

I think foreign language learning can even be an effective exercise at facing fears in life in general.

I "rescue" this discussion because I like the idea of asking you questions about the learning process and I learn from other people's questions, too. So by bringing this discussion back to the first page we might all learn new things. 

About the last question you answered, I admit I like the "ride the back" example. You learn by practicing but what is fundamental for me when practicing English is being corrected. When I am talking in English I normally do it with learning purposes so I like being pointed out my mistakes again and again. I learn from my mistakes but if the teacher does not point them out and just let me talk ... I do not think it will make me any good. 

And here it comes my question! Is there any clue to learn faster a list of verbs or vocabulary? I have used sentences to remember then and know how to use them properly but there might be other ways! Thank you in advance!

Yvona, language classes can all be a bit theoretical, academic, with emphasis on learning the language in the same way you learn history -- through facts.

But all learning a language means is being able to use the language. It's more like gym class than it is history class -- most points awarded for participation.

Like learning to ride a bike.

So with my students, and as myself as a student, I'd rather learn less overall material in a given lesson, but be given the space to practice using the language to actually communicate, thereby mastering what I know, and becoming resourceful at using what I have.