Purposeful Learning:
The most common reason people don’t learn Spanish is lack of motivation. Learning Spanish requires time, work and motivation over a long period of time. And this cannot be done without a powerful goal or purpose! Why are you learning Spanish? Do you have family that speaks Spanish? Are you planning to move or go on vacation to a Spanish-speaking country? Learning Spanish for the fun of it rarely works. If you’re serious about it, set yourself a goal or plan your next vacation to travel to Spain or go backpacking in South America. Give your learning a goal, a reward and a purpose, and you will see that learning Spanish will be much easier for you!
Learn Spanish from home
Two of the most common methods used to learn Spanish from home are workbooks or audio courses. Both have their advantages and disadvantages, but they are still very useful ways to learn Spanish.
Most people think of Hollywood movie clips in which the main character is practicing ordering in a restaurant in a foreign language in front of the mirror, when they listen to audio courses. However, that is not how all courses are today. Years of study have helped create very effective learning strategies that have been incorporated into the courses. Instead of starting with “I am a boy”, you will now begin to develop a general vocabulary for everyday speech, etc.
Learning from a workbook is probably the best way to learn grammars correctly. Writing and seeing the grammar repeatedly will quickly implement it in your head. However, this is also the most boring way to learn it. Being home alone with a book writing grammar in a language you don’t really understand can take a heavy toll on your head! A good tip is to find a “thrifty buddy.” Do you have a friend or acquaintance who also wants to learn Spanish? Get together once a week and practice talking to each other and reviewing each other’s work.
Learn Spanish at a language school
Learning Spanish in a Spanish-speaking school is the best and easiest way to learn the language. Being constantly challenged and confronted with the language really helps your motivation and allows you to practice day after day. Schools are available in both Spain and South America!
Attending a Spanish school has many advantages. If you are in Europe, you can usually get very cheap tickets, and the schools are all very high quality with modern tools and equipment. If you are in the United States, this is a great way to experience Europe. Most people in Spain will also be able to understand English, so you won’t be completely lost after school either. The most popular places to learn Spanish in Spain are Barcelona and Malaga.
Learning Spanish at a language school in South America really only has one real downside; It can be expensive to get there. However, if you can get past that, attending a class here is an experience of a lifetime! Living is cheap, life is exciting, and people are open and generous. It is definitely one of the best ways to really get to know South America, its people and its culture. The best places to study in South America are Buenos Aires, Cuzco and Bogotá.
