There are many ways to learn Spanish, but the easiest way is to attend what is known as an immersion school.  These schools are everywhere--literally--and can be found in most major cities in every Spanish-speaking country.

Schools will vary considerably, even in the same town, so be sure to do your homework.  Some things to consider are:

• reputation of school (has it been in business for 20 years or did it pop up last year?),

• the teacher-to-student ratio (is it one-to-one, small group style, or full classroom)

• the quality of the family homestay (have the families been doing this for years?  More experienced families typically means more satisfied students)

• talk to past students.  (many schools offer testimonials which may or may not be true.  Talk to friends or visit a language department at a local college for some "impartial" advice)

• number of gringos in town. (more gringos may mean a great party on the weekend, but it also means you'll be tempted to speak English...and your Spanish will pay the price)

• extra-curricular activities (does the school offer weekly trips to places like coffee plantations, volcano climbs, or the local market?)

• college credit (some schools offer college credit through established relationships with US-based universities, typically at higher rates)

• testing (some schools like Antigua's PLFM offer "department of state" style written and oral exams.  These exams may be useful to you if applying for a job, or as a means to measure your improvement.)

• how long can you attend?  (two weeks of one-on-one instruction could equate to a six weeks of classroom instruction, so personalized instruction may be worth the extra money if you're short on time)

Audio Programs

Not everybody has time to spend weeks in another country learning Spanish.  And for many, the thought of attending an immersion school is a little intimidating, which we certainly understand.  There are many methods with which you can improve your Spanish in the comfort of your own home or car.

Want to learn in your car?  Many programs are available that are strictly audio; some come with books and others don't.  Pimsleur is one of the leading audio programs.  They employ the "Pimsleur method," which is essentially rout memorization of words to form a phrase, and being able to use the full phrase in conversation.  Similar methods are commonly used to teach Spanish in other audio programs.  One point about Pimsleur, they offer a money-back guarantee if you don't like it (even after using the whole program), and they offer a major discount off more expensive packages after you use their Conversational program (shown above).

There are many programs out there, and the key, of course, is finding the one that works for you.  Your best bet may be to buy a used version or even borrow one from the local library.  If not, take the plunge and make the purchase, you can always give it away if you aren't thrilled with the results.

Traditional Resources

Since most of us studied a language at one time or another back in school, we know that we're supposed to have a Spanish-English dictionary and that big verb book.  (Yes, 501 Spanish verbs.)

As any Spanish teacher will recommend, find yourself a good dictionary such as the University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary. 

With the advent of technology, electronic "translators" are becoming more and more popular, and some of these devices even pronounce the words for you.  We were impressed with the Franklin DBE-1450 which runs about $40 new.  In fact, Franklin has produced several more recent models, many of which enable you to swap cards so the device can be used with other languages as well.  The vocabulary included with these translators will vary with the price, but the Franklin 1450 will serve its purpose through most Intermediate and some Advance courses of study.

Berlitz has been teaching languages throughout the world for over a century.  They are an ideal way to learn a language if you cannot study in a native country, and they can be especially useful when preparing for a trip aboard.  With the right motivation, a Berlitz student with no previous Spanish-speaking experience could obtain a basic, functional level within 4-6 weeks.

Berlitz offers three methods of study.  The first is Total Immersion and is the most expensive.  It consists of one-on-one instruction for 7 hours each day.  The second is Private Study, which consists of 45-minute sessions of one-on-one instruction.  Most centers require you to take at least 2 sessions at a time.  The third method is semi-private instruction with up to 4 students in the class.  The benefits of Berlitz are many, including highly qualified teachers, excellent course materials, assessment exams, and the ability to become immersed in the language before you travel abroad.

The biggest drawback of Berlitz is the cost.  For one level of study, which normally includes 30 hours of study, you can expect to pay around $1000.  This might be a bit much for the average student, but if you consider the cost to fly to another country, live and study there, Berlitz could be right for you.

A good place to start is studyspanish.com.  They offer nine free online lessons with basics such as word gender, up to more complicated lessons that even include the subjunctive.  This may be a tough starting point for a true beginner, as it relies on the traditional method of teaching Spanish that fails us in our Gringo schools.  However, these free lessons are great refreshers for intermediate-level speakers.  This site also offers paid services such as more advanced lessons and audio CDs.

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