Dec 20 2009

Why Learn Spanish: Five Reasons to Make 2009 Your Year En Espanol

Posted by Karl Jetta in Learn Spanish

There are more Spanish speaking Americans in 2009 than there have ever been before. In fact, experts predict that the Spanish speaking population of America will continue to increase over the coming years. It has never been more useful to speak Spanish as it is today.

There are several reasons why one might consider learning Spanish. This article will look at the top five reasons that English-speaking Americans should consider learning Spanish.

The number one reason why one might want to learn Spanish is economic. Today more than 10% of the total population are Latino and a significant portion of these individuals are fluent in Spanish. If your business can reach the Spanish speaking market than you begin to see greater profits.

Spanish-speaking people can be more adventurous when choosing tourist destinations. Because they can safely and effectively deal with local populations they can travel more deeply into Spanish-speaking countries without a local expert. The possibilities are endless to behold. You could drop into Guatemala for a weekend or take a trip to the Spanish coast.

As a lover of cinema, I have learned Spanish originally to be able to fully appreciate a number of great Spanish language releases. I enjoy cinema from around the globe and find many performances to be of far greater distinction than their translation in subtitles will allow.

Bilingual individuals can often earn more money from their employers than English-only workers can. It has been reported that the average pay for English/Spanish speakers can reach more than 125% of single language pay. That's a hearty raise for basically the exact same work.

My final reason for speaking Spanish applies only to single people. If you are single you may want to consider the fact that there are more than 100 million single Spanish-speaking adults. If you could increase your dating pool by that number, you would have considerably better chances (statistically speaking) of making a love connection.

Not all of these reasons will apply to every one of my readers. Never the less, it is nearly certain that one of the above reasons could improve your lot in life if you were to act upon it. I don't necessarily think that everyone should learn Spanish, but that many individuals can have their lives significantly improved by learning a second language, in this case Spanish.

One final thought to consider. Speech pathologists have shown that multi-lingual individuals are able to retain better brain functioning late into life. Because their brains are more fully engaged they are less likely to show memory loss and other signs of deterioration. Therefore, learning Spanish might just be good for your health.

Karl Jetta loves Spanish. On Learn Spanish Austin TX he writes about Spanish resources for those in Texas. One of his articles, Why Should I Learn Spanish has generated a lot of buzz.

May 24 2009

How People Learn Spanish in Conversational Classes

Posted by Dave Nettles in Learn Spanish

by Ralph Onate Esteban Limon Luis Martinez

The traditional way to learn Spanish has been to start where a first grader would start. You learn the Spanish alphabet, learn simple Spanish words, and learn simple Spanish grammar. You advance in the same way throughout your studies.

One problem with this method is that while students may nominally advance through the course of study, they may not really know how to converse fluently. Talking in a casual setting is quite different than speaking in a formal class.

Because of this, there's been a gradual change in Spanish instruction methodology. One type of course is called "conversational Spanish." Due to the nature of these classes, they require an instructor who is highly fluent in conversational Spanish.

Hardcore advocates would tell you to jump right in to a conversation, hoping you'll find your bearings eventually. Usually, though, you will first learn Spanish words that are parts of a conversation. These are basic words you'll use over and over again, such as "and", "or", "she", and "what".

After you have learned the basics, usually you will be given a listing of conversational topics. Each topic generally has around two short pages devoted to it. Words are provided that are directly related to the topic. Afterward, several questions are thrown out to start the conversation.

Instead of being just book-work, conversational Spanish classes are built around these conversation topics. An example would be a story about a road trip. They will use words to label parts of the car, such as the hood. Then you will find words about stops you make during your trip, like gas station.

You will begin with the conversation starters. So, for example, the question might be, "How did you prepare your car for the last trip you took?" In answer, students can utilize all of their topic words and combine them with any other Spanish words they might know. By doing this, they will answer the question and learn conversational Spanish.

Assuming the class is run using best practices, it will be a lively exchange of ideas where everyone gets to participate. As you increase your knowledge of Spanish, you'll be able to say more interesting things about each topic. You can use words you've learned from previous lessons.

After you have completed a few of the lessons, it may be suggested for you to put aside the book to do some of the lessons. At times like these, you can speak about yourself. You can make new friends. In addition to learning Spanish, you will also be learning about your classmates. You will find out what they do and what they enjoy.

Without a doubt, the topic words will not provide you all of the words that are needed to engage in a regular conversation. After all, they are just a place to begin. This is the point where the facilitator steps in. You attempt to use Spanish words that you already know to characterize what you are trying to convey. Once you've gotten the main point across, the facilitator will assist you by sharing another relevant word.

The facilitator assists you in conversational courses, but classmates also assist everyone in the classes. The group carries on the conversation, with the instructor only helping as much as needed. Once you begin to learn Spanish, it will become more fun and less stressful.

About the Author:

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