The United States is home to a large and rapidly growing population of Spanish speakers. With over 35 million speakers, Spanish is the second most commonly-spoken language in the United States. According to data from the US Census Bureau, it is spoken in about 12 per cent of all U.S. households. Hispanic citizens constitute about 16% of the U.S. population now and this figure will rise to 30% by 2050. By 2050, the U.S. will become the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world.
With these demographic trends well established, learning Spanish becomes increasingly important from a career and cultural point of view. Knowing Spanish is an asset in just about any profession you can think of, such as nursing, law, …show more content…
As such, it is a relatively easy language for English speakers to learn. The alphabet is very similar and Spanish is a phonetic language, where words are spelt exactly as they are pronounced.
Learning Spanish also helps English speakers understand the origins and complexity of their own language.
Spanish gives you access to a major part of the human heritage, opening doors to literature, poetry, music, film and contemporary culture.
Medical research has established the advantages of being bilingual or multilingual. It actually makes you smarter! In scientific terms, speaking more than one language improves the cognitive functions of your brain. It can help prevent memory loss and possibly also dementia and Alzheimer's Disease.
Learning Spanish will thus open doors of culture and creativity. It will increasingly help you communicate with your neighbors, coworkers and employees. And it will open the world to you.
Spanish is spoken worldwide in Spain, South America and Central …show more content…
There is no lack of methods: you can use books, take courses, or use the Internet to help you fulfill your goal. Each methods has its advantages and drawbacks.
Books are convenient and inexpensive, but also slower and less efficient. Particularly when it comes to learning pronunciation and usage, it is easy to go wrong if you are learning a language on your own. It helps be able to practice conversation, and to have an instructor to correct your pronunciation and usage.
Classes can be a good option, but are both expensive and time-consuming. In a room full of students, it can be difficult to get the attention you need, and the instructor may be able to help you only so far. Also, you will have to match your pace to the rest of the class, which may be too slow or too fast for you.
DVDs are a good option: they are inexpensive, you can set your own pace, learn at your convenience. An audio DVD in your car can help you get through commutes and long drives productively.
The Internet offers all the advantages of DVDs and more. Using the latest technology to produce a customized, interactive learning experience, it offers the benefits of affordability, convenience and