Should You Enroll in Classes or Learn Spanish Online?

Thursday, April 9th, 2009 at 11:50 am

One of the biggest debates many people who want to learn Spanish have these days is whether they should sign up for a Spanish-language course or purchase one online. There are pros and cons to both of these options.

Classes are great because you will probably get a native Spanish speaker as your teacher — or at least someone who is very fluent in Spanish. You also get to interact with of your classmates and benefit from their questions as well as your own. This is a good thing because you will always have someone there to answer your questions when you have them. You can also get feedback on your pronunciation and usage.

The problem with attending classes is that it might not fit into your schedule. You are likely busy these days, which can be prohibitive when you really want to make an effort to learn Spanish. These classes can also be very expensive for the benefits they provide you. For example, you might be learning faster than others or you might be learning slower. The teacher has to try to accomodate everyone’s needs — which might not fit in exactly with yours.

That brings many people to try to learn online. There are many courses that are available online that include video, audio, games, and other software components to help you learn the language. This is generally less expensive than attending a class — and probably even more helpful because of the different learning modalities and interaction.

The problem with learning online is that you don’t necessarily have someone there to answer questions at all times. However, the benefits generally outweigh the costs. You can develop a relationship with a Spanish-speaking language buddy (who can be found at sites for just this purpose) to answer your questions and help you with your pronunciation whenever you need help. You can also learn on your own time — which fits in better with many people’s schedules.

No matter which method you choose, classes or online courses, it’s important that you choose one that fits your needs, finances, and personality. Learning Spanish is an amazing thing no matter how you choose to do it. Be sure you choose the method that will help you stay motivated and fit in with your budget and time schedule. What’s more important than the method you choose is that you will be able to stick with it until you become a fluent Spanish language speaker.