by study and learning

Studying Q'eqchi' is sometimes very difficult.  Being a language teacher I should know how to make information stick in my brain...be able to attach it to something.  Some does, but then the rest seems to fall right back out again.  I'm hoping that repetition gets the basics grounded in, the pronunciation though is a different process!  Not really having someone yet to listen to on a regular basis and having to learn to make completely different sounds, when I'm not always sure that I am doing them right, makes this a large challenge for me. One person explained that if I take a spoon and depress my tongue with it, then try to make the letter sound I would get closer to the guttural Q' for example. I guess once I get it down, I will then be able to use the spoon for things like eating! The grammar book I have gives rules, examples, and a very few sets of dialogues, but it is not written like the textbooks I have always used, that means I am having to learn how to work within different parameters.  A lot of the verbs are just one syllable, and so are other words, in fact sometimes just one letter, so I think I shall have to become a very careful listener.  It makes a big difference just using a k or a q in a word. Exciting challenges.  Anyone want to speak Q'eqchi' with me???