Fluency in Spanish in a Lifetime

Learning Spanish Keeps Your Mind Sharp

Language is best taught when it is being used to transmit messages, not when it is explicitly taught for conscious learning — Linguist and Educator Stephen Krashen

“Spanish Trail” Photo by Matthew Bamberg

The trail to Spanish for English speakers is endless…an infinite path that leads to an awareness of the process. It’s 90 percent means, which rarely leads to an end.

While learning a second language requires your attention and is a superior exercise for the brain, becoming fluent requires a laborious effort. Ten percent of those who become fluent in Spanish (or English) have been immersed in the language. In other words, these people have immigrated to a country where the language is spoken widely.

I’ve taught Spanish-speaking students to learn and acquire English for nearly a half-century. The same rules for acquiring and learning English apply to me as I continue the long, arduous trail of learning and acquiring Spanish.

At this point, you might wonder why I include acquiring with learn…