learning Spanish
 

Hello,

I really want to learn to speak Spanish but I don't feel like I am getting anywhere with books and cd's . I have tried Pimleurs, Spanish in a Day and Teach Yourself although I have learnt alot of words I find it hard to put sentances together and actually speak. I have heard that Synergy Spanish is really good. Can anyone help me or give me suggestions on what is the best and easiest way to learn Spanish? I do have friends that speak it and I do try to converse with them but it is hard to get together and I need something I can do on my own.
Hope you can help!
Mirasia

There is no "easiest way". It takes time and effort.

The "best" way is to do an immersion course, where you go live in a Spanish speaking country AND take language classes during your stay. Where you are forced to use it everyday.

The next best to do at home is take a class. Either at a community college or language school. It's important to have the structure, be forced to speak outloud to other people, etc.

A private tutor works, if you have the time and money for that.

Then traveling alone in Spanish speaking countries will improve and enforce whatever skill level you are currently at.

Any of the self-taught CDs or other workbooks are OK as a supplement to classes and travel, but they are not going to make you fluent using only that method (or at least I personally don't know anyone it has worked for).

Good advice from suze.

Let us know if you'd like recommendations for immersion programs. In Guatemala and Honduras $150-220 buys you 20 hours of 1-on-1 tutoring, cultural activities, and full room and board with a local family for a week - a cheap, great way to travel and (for many of us) a HUGE boost in Spanish skills. My 1st immersion trip (2005) I had 1000s of data bits from 1 year of community college Spanish but couldn't really speak or understand Spanish; by the end of 2 weeks I could converse - magic!

My favorite purchased program is Learning Like Crazy (Spanish) - great auditory program. Happy trails!

I am a middle school Spanish teacher and I participate in an immersion program every couple of years. Nothing beats the experience--you simply cannot learn and master the language without being totally in it. Have done programs in Costa Rica, Spain and upcoming in Mexico. I travel to Mexico at least once a year and speak it the whole time I'm there--not just ordering food/drinks--but asking about education, politics, etc. Hagalo! (do it. . .)

rosettastone.com very best on line... from $50 pp if

you get 3 to do it with you...

Immersion studies the very best

www.bolivar2.com my fav spot in the world for this for climate

www.guanguiltagua.com great info on this guide tours etc...

www.casarosiario.com nice in CA also if more budget

www.donquijote.com most famous for this for serious students

Go to Salamanca where it all began.

I agree with the immersion and "take a class" recommendations. I speak 2 foreign languages, and the best learning came when I wasn't allowed to speak English during a homestay. My husband is working with a friend who is a native of Venezuela on his Spanish, plus my husband spends time in Guatemala City often with people who know NO English, i.e, Spanish or noting. Berlitz or university courses have been successful language-learning in my family for 2 generations.

Thank you all for your wonderful replies! I knew I would get the right answers from you guys.Unfortunatly right now, as much as I would love to I can't travel but I will look into taking a class.
Mirasia

You ought to check into local opportunities to volunteer with an ESL program for immigrants. It's a great way to interact with native speakers, help somebody and learn a little bit along the way.

When you look for classes I recommend starting with one aimed at travelers. I've taken a 8-10 week course many times at my community college. That gets you speaking the fastest.

I've also taken official Spanish 101 at college level. But since that focuses more on grammar, structure, etc. you aren't getting ready-to-use travel skills as quickly.

I felt that taking the 101, 102, and 103 series at my local community college was very productive, though time consuming. I wish I would have gone to an immersion program 1st, though, so I would have developed an ear for the language 1st and not been so focused on isolated words. I also took 201, 202, and 203 plus a few terms of conversation classes. I can learn more in 2 weeks in a good immersion school than I can in a full term of college Spanish with a good teacher. Happy trails!

Absolutely I don't disagree that college level Spanish is helpful. If you have the time, patience, money to really study a language.

But for me as a tourist, the classes aimed at situations you will most likely encounter, what you need to understand and be able to say to get by, were more immediately useful (than trying to learn grammer, tenses, verb structures, etc.).

Travel Spanish classes have never been available in my area but years ago I took a few Spanish for Educators classes which were very helpful.

Making a commitment to become conversant in Spanish is one of the smartest professional (I'm an educator/autism specialist) and personal goals I've ever had. I've loved traveling to Central America since the 80s but now that I'm conversant I make connections with locals - in markets, schools, buses, on the street - every single day. It's the difference between looking at the culture and experiencing it imo - so worth the effort. Happy trails, all!