Learning Spanish successfully depends on ...

We review latest thinking including Honey's classification of different learning styles and Gardner's concept multiple intelligences.

What is the best way for YOU to set about learning Spanish?

Consider this situation: are you one of those people who read the manual for your new mobile phone, or do you prefer to ask someone to show you how to use it, or, maybe, you just keep pressing random buttons until the new gizmo does what you want? This gives important insight into your preferred method of learning Spanish. Read on …knowing your Spanish learning style, or how you learn best is important for your success. Experts now assure us that each of us has distinct preferences: different learning styles; different intelligences.

Are you a Theorist, an Activist, a Pragmatist or a Reflector?

Peter Honey and Alan Mumford based upon earlier research by Kolb identified 4 distinct learning styles or preferences. You should find you fall roughly into one of the following four categories: Activist, Theorist; Pragmatist or Reflector. If you know your preferred learning style, you can chose Spanish Courses, Spanish Programmes that suit that unique style. You should then be able to learn Spanish faster, more efficiently.

Follow the style of learning Spanish that suits YOU best. You will get a better fit between courses and your learning needs. This choice is important for your success and is well worth spending a few minutes to read further.

A few minutes spent now ‘learning to learn' will ensure that learning Spanish will be easier, more enjoyable. Your learning will be more under your control, no longer on a hit and miss basis.

Besides, understanding how YOU learn is a skill that provides the gateway to everything else you want to develop.

Here is an overview of the 4 Learning Styles defined by Honey and Mumford.

Do you fit into the Activist Category?

• Do you like to learn by doing?
• Do you need to dive in; get your hands dirty?
• Have you an open-minded approach to learning?
• You're not afraid of new, experimental approaches.
• You like brainstorming; problem solving group; discussion; puzzles; competitions; role-play.
• Open and enthusiastic about anything new, do you tend to act first and consider the consequences afterwards.
• Do you tend to be bored with implementation and longer term consolidation?

If you answer ‘Yes' to most of these questions, you fall into Honey's category of Activist.

Preferred Learning Spanish approach for the 'Activist'

Do you fit into Honey's category of 'Theorist'?

• Do you need to understand the theory behind what you do.
• Do you need models in order to engage in the learning process.
• Do you prefer to analyse and synthesise.
• Do statistics, stories, quotes, background information and applying theories appeal to you?
• Do you feel uncomfortable with subjective judgements, lateral thinking and anything flippant.
  

Preferred Learning Spanish approach for the 'Theorist'

If this is you, you should probably steer clear of Accelerated Learning approach. Visual Link Spanish might not be to your taste either.

I expect you would like the systematic, clear approach of a proven audio-lingual method such as Pimsleur Spanish. Pimsleur .

Do you fit into Honey's category of 'Pragmatist'?

• Do you need to be able to see how to put your learning into practice in the real world?
• Are sceptical about abstract concepts and games are of limited use unless they can see a way to put the ideas into action in their lives? For you, if it works, it works.
• Do you like to try out new ideas, theories and techniques to see if they work?
• Do you like case studies, problem solving, discussion?
• Are you someone who positively searches out new ideas and take the first opportunity to experiment with applications? Pragmatists like trying out new, experimental ideas.
• Does your pragmatic approach mean that just about any good, results oriented course will work well for you?
• Are open-minded?

Preferred Learning Spanish approach for the 'Theorist'

The pragmatist learning Spanish should take a good look at both systematic, carefully organised courses like Pimsleur and also at more ‘New Age' approaches such as can be found in Visual Link Spanish.

Simply, chose whichever you prefer.

Once the 'Pragmatist' is LEARNING Spanish, making progress, he is happy and will work on relentlessly to reach you goal. The pragmatist will probably also like a multimedia approach as in Roseta Stone Spanish. Take a good look at Auralog Tell Me More Spanish. (Auralog Tell Me More Spanish was developed in Europe while Roseta Stone is a flagship American Spanish language course).

Do you fit into Honey's category of 'Reflector'?

• Are you a cautious, thoughtful person who likes to consider all possible angles and implications before making a move?
• You prefer to think about things thoroughly before coming to any conclusion?
• Do you like to stand back, to ponder experiences and observe them from many different perspectives. Is this you?
• Do you like to collect data, both first hand and from others?
• Do you learn by observing and thinking about what has happened?
• Do you prefer to watch from the sidelines standing aside and viewing life from different perspectives?

Preferred Learning Spanish approach for the 'Reflector'

If you think you fit best into Honey's 'Reflector' category, learning Spanish with an audio-lingual course such as Pimsleur Spanish or, a programme developed for US foreign service and other public bodies but not very popular, Ppimsleur Spanish. is probably what appeals to you. Take a look at our evaluation of the Pimsleur Method or why not, Platiquemos and see what you think. Your logical mind should repond well to a carefully organised, systematic approach of a programme like Pimsleur Spanish . Take a look at our evaluation of Pimsleur Spanish to get an idea of this terrific programme.

Learning Spanish is ...

Learning Spanish, learning anything, is not easy

The ideal is to find a Spanish Course that suits YOU. We are lucky to-day: technology goes a long way towards making this ideal a reality. There is no single right approach. Look around. The ideal is to mix and match source material, what someone described as ‘disciplined eclecticism'.

Multiple intelligences call for multiple Approaches to Learning Spanish

Did I hear you mutter that none of the above categories fitted your style exactly? I am not surprised. Honey's classification is merely an effort to categorize the uncategorizable.

But, those classifications are still useful as a starting point, as a prompt to you to consider all your options for learning Spanish to-day..

Howard Gardner ( Gardner, H. (1983). Frames of mind . New York: Basic Books. ) came up with a different model of the variety of learning styles, reflecting what he say as 8 native intelligences.

As well as all this, there are other major issues raised by various methods and approaches for learning Spanish.

• Should second language learning by adults be modeled on first language learning by children?
• Even more profoundly, how exactly did we acquire fluency in our first language. Did we learn it ‘naturally; or, did we learn with help from peers and parents?

There is, so far, no real answer to those questions. One certainty is: we have all mastered at least one language, so, it is not unreasonable to presume we can equally well master Spanish language without undue hassle. Another point to remember: we all have different intelligences; different interests, time constraints, learning environments, pressures etc.

Luckily, there is a rich array of wonderful array of exciting options open to us to learn Spanish.

Review many courses. Consider your preferences. All those categories are merely suggestions; an effort to highlight different learning approaches; different learning needs based on different intelligences, different situations; different experiences. We have attempted to review many of the main Spanish learning courses here. Take a look at any that interest you.

And, above all, enjoy learning Spanish!