Many adults have the dream of becoming fluent in a language. But why do so many fail?
Is it because it's just too difficult to do and most people aren't capable of learning a language? Is it because they are too old? Or is it just something they're not good at?
I would say no, no and no!
While it is true that learning a language is easier for children and adolescents, the number one reason that adults give up on learning language before reaching some level of fluency is because they lack consistency in their study routine.
Think about it. Learning a language in a large part is memorizing words and expressions. In order to do so you need to consistently repeat those words and expressions so they not only stay in your short-term memory but also in your long-term memory.
For that reason the courses that I offer incorporate what's called spaced repetition learning. This means that words are introduced and then repeated at specific intervals. At first it is necessary to repeat words frequently with shorter periods between reviews. As time goes on you review the words less frequently and by the end of the process the words enter into your long term memory. This is very effective but requires structure and vigilance which many people do not have the time to think about. My courses and one on one tutoring sessions provide that structure using high-frequency vocabulary in that way you can effectively use your time by learning the most common words.
The next issue is many Spanish learners lack cultural context. Spanish, like all languages, is constantly changing because it is the medium through which almost 500 million people in the world express themselves and construct their reality. One needs to be familiar with certain aspects of the culture so that they can understand that "en un santiamén" means "in an instant" or that when somebody says "te invito" they are not inviting you somewhere but rather offering to pay the check!
The courses have activities that inform the learner about the most important cultural knowledge that is necessary to become a competent user of Spanish. I also offer periodical immersion trips to different parts of the Spanish speaking world. In these trips you will use Spanish to order food, negotiate prices, meet new people and other daily tasks.
Over my decade-long career of working professionally with languages I've discovered many other tips and strategies for learning a language. I've used a lot of them to build my courses and of course I would love to share more personalized tips with you if we were to work together towards becoming fluent.
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