If you want to learn how to speak Spanish, one very good way is with the relatively new programs from Fluenz. This article begins a weekly series in which I will review both Spanish 1 and Spanish 2.
To begin the Fluenz Spanish program, you just put a DVD into your computer, either Windows or Mac. (You choose which operating system when you buy the software.) The program takes up your whole screen, making it easy for you to keep your attention on it.
In the short introduction to the program, Sonia Gil, a native speaker of Spanish and one of the founders of Fluenz, introduces herself and the program. She will be your tutor throughout the program, in all its lessons. I was impressed with her comment that Fluenz was designed not only to get you speaking Spanish soon — the aspect I did know about — but also to provide you with a strong foundation for advanced Spanish.
She says that contrary to popular beliefs, Spanish is a tough language to learn. After struggling myself with trying to speak a really good Spanish, this statement got my attention. She went on to say that their sessions are designed to get you started well.
Fluenz Spanish teaches you Spanish with a Latin American accent. This can be understood anywhere in the world. Interestingly, Spanish worldwide is more consistent than is English worldwide — in other words, the differences that we are used to between, say, English in the US, the UK, and India are less between speakers of Spanish around the world. With over 500 million people in the world speaking Spanish, this similarity is convenient for us learners.
Sonia Gil describes the sessions and what you will see on the screen, and she advises you to do no more than one session a day. If you are eager to learn, review that session — or parts of it — more than once. Depending on how fast you work, a session can take up to two hours, she said.
From my research into how people learn anything, I’d add that it would be best to review the lesson a few hours later. For more tips to help you learn how to speak Spanish, sign up for my free e-book, using the box in the upper right of any page of this website.
My Thoughts After Watching the Introduction
As a former reference librarian, I am pretty tough on information products, be they books, DVDs, or anything else. I thought the introduction did a very good job of giving the viewer confidence that they were starting a very professionally created program, one that had been tested a great deal. I was eager to move on to the first lesson.
Here’s a link to Fluenz Spanish first level on Amazon.com
