Learn Spanish Fast!
I have seen and heard so many people state that they really want to learn a foreign language, but who give up sadly after losing their interest while memorizing written information, working to get the tenses right, verb conjugations and endless rote vocabulary. But to learn Spanish fast is not something one has to be wary of; not if it is done by the right method and with the right mental framework.
If High School Spanish is your previous experience "learning the language", for instance, then you likely equate it with a lot of sitting in front of your lesson book, writing and memorizing, cramming for exams by rote learning, and likely not hearing much Spanish being spoken in any natural way; not exactly a great way to learn Spanish fast, or the way you learned English, and not as effective, for sure.
Learning to speak another language is not very different from learning most unfamiliar things in your life. It's worth knowing that like learning motor skills, such as skiing or bike riding, your learning will be greatly enhanced by repetition. The more time you put into something, the better your skills will become.
To learn Spanish fast, or any language, is no exception to this rule.But simply repeating words aloud is not an answer that will serve you well, especiallyif it is done just by rote. It has to have some meaning to you! and you need to be involved emotionally even while you are learning, for it to be most effective and become a natural act (speaking fluently) on your part.
Some of the larger education serviceswhich have developed systems that purport to achieve this easy interface between learning and practicing, but not all are created equal and will create different results and have different levels of personal adaptability. Berlitz has been
around for a long time and approaches language training in a more traditional way, requiring considerable memorization and reading as well as ample conversation, originally in classroom situations.
The Berlitz training is heads and shoulders beyond anything you would be getting in a High School Spanish class when it come to actually speaking the language and they are clearly more suited for the motivated student, such as the businessperson who needs to get some specifics down for a particular purpose.. They don't exactly learn Spanish fast, but they can learn to say what they need to say, even if their comprehension may not be too wonderful.
Rosetta Stone is better known more recently for creating a system to teach language more organically, and therefore easier and quicker. The system they use is more natural focussing on
the spoken language as it is learned in childhood. They call this method "Dynamic Immersion." This approach to teaching language appears to be based on Speed Spanish, the older and very effective system created in the 1980's. The premise for this system is that language has to be learned the way it was when we learned our native tongue, as children.
Speed Spanish has been around for a while and has trained tens of thousands of all kinds of people, students, travellers, business people, using their proprietary technique which has proven very successful. The system is created around the principle of creating "strategies" for communicating your ideas in different situations, and they can be learned simply by listening.The first one they will teach you is called the "Magic Circle," well suited to Spanish in particular, and divided into six parts.
In the first part, you are taught some simple Spanish phrases. In Part II you learn some simple verbs and Part III some basic vocabulary words. But the basic technique is in learning the strategies themselves. You can do this by listening to their CDs or tapes and by repeating what you hear while visualizing what it is you are saying..
This is the important part, because by internalizing the feeling of what you want to say, you are providing yourself with the same kind of involvement you had when learning English as a child.
All in all, wanting to learn Spanish fast is a good start to becoming bi-lingual, but the bottom line is how you approach your learning If you can keep it exciting, interesting, and productive, you will maintain your motivation and progress rapidly towards your goal! It is important to remember, though: stay engaged!.
Organic methods such as those used in Speed Spanish will afford you the best chance to achieve language fluency. These methods are proven and will, if followed faithfully, enable and delight you. All you have to do is check these programs out and see what they offer, what they cost, etc. and go with what serves your needs the best. Just remember to be honest with yourself about what your desired goal in learning Spanish is.
In any case, if you want to learn Spanish fast, one of these methods will likely be perfect for you.