| Services |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Channels |
| Home & Family |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Leisure |
|
|
|
|
| Technology |
|
|
|
|
|
| Business |
|
|
|
|
| Science |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Site Search  |
|
|
|
|
| Free email |
|
|
|
|
 |
An overview of how to learn Spanish |
| Mark Hazard |
There are several types of course you can take if you want to learn Spanish and while no one method will suit every person some are much more effective than others. Here we take a look at the types of course you can take and how effective they are likely to be.
1. Immersion Course
The idea behind an immersion course is simply to surround yourself by Spanish to such a degree that all your senses are saturated with it, in a similar way to how you learnt to speak English as a kid.
The absolutely best way to do this is to go and live in a Spanish speaking country and insist on speaking nothing but Spanish. Ask people you are in regular contact with to correct your Spanish when you make mistakes and never be afraid of making those inevitable mistakes.
Your best option is to combine focused class work with speaking in real situations and staying with a host family who you will live with and interact with in Spanish. A good part of the class can focus on useful aspects of grammar – forget anything you won't actually use – and teach you how people really speak rather than how they are supposed to speak.
2. Intensive Course
Many major cities run intensive courses and so you may be able to find one where you live. You'll spend all day in class 5 days a week and practice speaking Spanish in your group, or preferably with a single native Spanish speaker. Once again some grammar way be helpful, but it shouldn't be the focus of the course.
You could also take an intensive course in a Spanish speaking country. Although the results won't be as good as fully immersing yourself in the language and culture you should still see a dramatic improvement in the standard of your Spanish.
3. Regular Course
A regular Spanish course will usually consist of one or two classes a week, each of them 2 to 2 and a half hours in duration. You should easily be able to find this type of course in your hometown and so if you're unable to make the time necessary for an intensive course this is a good option instead. When choosing a course make sure it concentrates on speaking, with grammar study restricted to helping you with specific learning points when necessary.
4. Home study
In some respects this is the easiest option for many people, and in many others it is the hardest.
It is easy because anyone with the course can spend time, preferably on a daily basis, to sit down and study Spanish. This can be on the train or in the car for the listening exercises.
However, much more discipline is needed to keep going and there are no easy solutions when you get stuck as you have no teacher. Also, your conversational skills will develop slower because you have nobody to hold a conversation with, your "conversations" will all be exercises.
Conclusion
Although some methods for learning Spanish are more efficient than others, no one method is right for everyone. If you want the most efficient method then immerse yourself in the language in a Spanish speaking country and you'll learn fast. Most of us can't do that though and so if you're limited to learning Spanish from a home study audio course through time constraints then that is what you need to do. Good luck!.
|
| About the Author |
©2006 All rights reserved
Learning to speak another language is one of the most rewarding things you could ever wish to study. Find out more about how to learn Spanish online from Mark Hazard's website.
|
|
|
| Quotes | A computer lets you make more mistakes faster than any invention in human history--with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila.
Mitch Ratcliffe
A Physicist is someone who averages the first 3 terms of a divergent series...
|
| Writers | | If you are a writer and want to see your article published at Theallineed.com, just click here to submit. |
|
Secretary-General welcomes 'historic' election of Lebanese President
Rotating seasonal clothing