“Learning To Speak Spanish - What’s In It For Me?”

One of the first goals of any Spanish teacher, regardless of the type and sophistication of their students, is making the students see the importance and value of learning Spanish. Once you see how you can benefit in your own life from learning Spanish, you will have a real motivation to learn the language. Here are some of the main reasons that people choose to learn Spanish and some of the major upsides of that knowledge:

1). COMMUNICATION: There’s nothing more exciting than being able to understand and respond to passerbys who think you cannot understand what they are saying. Or picking up on common Spanish phrases via movies, advertisements, etc. Having the skill to interact with people from different countries who speak a different language allows you to see a whole new perspective on life. It also comes in handy in all kinds of situations that you’ll least expect. Why not be able to communication with a whole new cross-section of the world that many of your friends, family, and co-workers can hardly begin to understand.

2). JOB ADVANCEMENT/PLACEMENT: The fastest growing minority group in the United States is, in fact, Hispanics - or those who have originated from Spanish-speaking countries. Therefore, companies across the nation are seeking highly qualified, bilingual individuals. The ability to communicate in Spanish is a major asset to companies, especially those who are located in highly-dense Hispanic communities or have regional locations all across the country - even the world. Also, it’s basically guaranteed that you will make more money and enjoy more advancement than an individual without a second language.

3). TRAVEL: If you are like the millions upon millions of people who truly enjoy traveling, learning the particular language in that region can make your experiences on the trip much more invigorating and meaningful. There are more than 20 countries where Spanish is the official language and the number of Spanish speaking people in the world is growing faster than almost any other language. Plus each country or region offers a unique range of culture, diversity, sites, food, and more that are just waiting to be discovered. Why miss out on any of the available experiences and benefits that can be had with traveling abroad and being able to carry on fluent Spanish conversations with those that you meet?

4). CULTURE: Learning a foreign language involves more than just vocabulary and conjugating verbs. Much of the language that you learn involves the history, customs, and traditions that make-up a particular culture. Gaining new information about certain cultures will make the Spanish language even more interesting to learn. Once you see how unique and special people are across Latin America and the world, you won’t be able to stop your hunger for new Spanish language knowledge and proficiency.

5). VOLUNTEERING: If you want to give back to humanity, volunteering is one of the most rewarding ways to do so. There are nearly an infinite number of ways that individuals may volunteer, including translating, teaching English to non-native speakers, working in orphanages - list goes on and on. Many of the volunteering opportunities require or prefer that you speak the language in order to better communicate and serve the community in which you will be volunteering. Regardless of your desire to help in a given community, it may simply be too hard for you to interact with the people you would be working with. If an organization has to have a translator just to specifically handle your needs, you might be creating overhead that out-weighs your contribution of time and effort.

If none of these reasons motivate you then perhaps, at least, learning Spanish will give you a sense of accomplishment and a new hobby. Imagine the feeling of achievement by simply having “done it” - having learned to speak fluently in an entirely new language. While all of these other reasons may make you feel as though you’ve gained a very tangible asset, nothing can give you more pride than knowing that you’ve done something that most people ever try, and even fewer people succeed at.

Once you’ve figured out your own reasons for learning Spanish, a great place to start your journey is through using totally free online resources. A number of these are listed at SpanishTeachingTools.com through our links and Resources sections. You can also find out how to get 12 Weeks of fully interactive online Spanish lessons, delivered to you weekly through our webinar system. It’s just like being at a live Spanish training seminar - without the cost and hassle of airfare, hotels, and time off from work. Get more details here.