Most people who want to learn to speak Spanish don't keep at it long enough to learn much. This is true of learning other languages as well. There are three essential elements for success: motivation, knowledge of how to learn, and the ability to create regular habits. Consider how strong your motivation is and think of ways to make it stronger. Inform yourself about how adults learn languages -- it is different from how young children learn, but some popular software programs fail to recognize this. Finally, work out a schedule of learning Spanish that fits into your life and keep at it long enough to make it a real habit.
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Why You Won't Learn to Speak Spanish
1. Why You Won't Learn to Speak Spanish
By Rosana Hart
LearnSpanishRapidly.com
Want to learn to speak Spanish? If you are like most people
with this idea, it won't happen. Sad but true: most people who
think they would like to learn Spanish won't get very far. You
don't have to be like them, but it's best if you know what you
are up against.
So why don't they really take on their intended project of
learning Spanish? There are three aspects to this: motivation,
knowledge, and habit.
How Strong is Your Motivation to Learn Spanish?
People want to learn to speak Spanish for all sorts of reasons.
I'll name a few. Sometimes it's before a vacation trip to Mexico,
Spain, or some other Spanish‐speaking country. They want to
be able to carry on basic tourist‐type conversations, about
where the hotel is, how to find a good restaurant, and the like.
Other times there may be more of a business aspect to it: they
need to know some Spanish – or a lot – to do better in the job
they have or to find a new one.
It could be a romance with a Spanish‐speaker that motivates
someone to learn Spanish, and (if the romance lasts) these
people often do well. Another situation: as an American living
in Mexico, I see many other Americans who want to be able to
Why You Won't Learn to Speak Spanish Page 1