Welcome to Spanish
by Sunday Bradlee

Adults often complain that, in spite of the fact they studied a second language for several years, they are not able to carry on a simple conversation. Language programs, in the past, were built around a grammatical structure. The basis now, for language learning, is communicative, i.e. conversational. Although formal written testing is one component of our program, we rely on a variety of methods to test oral proficiency and encourage each student to raise his proficiency level methodically and consistently. Keep in mind, it takes many years to become proficient in a second language. It matters not when you get there. What matters is that you get there.
There are many ways to encourage your children in this area. Listening to music, watching television programs and seeing films in the target language are wonderful ways to prepare the groundwork for language learning. Even when no words are understood, there is a period of passive learning that occurs prior the production of spoken language. (Think of the wonderful “babble” period babies go through when their ability to communicate is just about to burst forth.) There are also many bilingual books that are available for you and your children to enjoy. They are beautiful to look at and the words are fun to try to say.
Most importantly, remember that learning a foreign language takes time and commitment. I begin each school year asking the question, “How do we eat an elephant?” and the students know to answer, “One spoonful at a time.” That is the way we learn Spanish, too.