It's best to learn Spanish in Spain

By Matt Bent

As I sat enjoying some tapas this week, I tuned into the conversation that was happening at the next table. A small group of Spanish speakers were discussing the problems they had with their computers; how they were having trouble with Microsoft Word and Excel, with formatting their paragraphs and tabulating data. I suddenly recalled when I first arrived in Spain, barely able to remember how to tell the taxi driver where I wanted to go.

Since that time, I realised that despite some fumbling and incorrect use of grammar, my Spanish had improved a lot. There are certainly different ways of picking up the language here in Spain, be it through classes, your work environment, going to the shops… In my opinion it’s much more effective than learning Spanish in Britain. So, I’ll tell you why I think it’s best to learn Spanish in Spain.

After studying Spanish on and off in Britain, I had a foundation of vocabulary and basic grammar, but I found that my problem was finding places to use and practice the language outside of classes. A large part of the problem was that I was surrounded by English all the time, and had few ways of practicing my second language skills.

As you may imagine, it is possible to improve in reading and listening through books or the internet. Yet, I believe that for speaking and writing practice, in particular, one needs to be corrected sooner rather than later before bad habits set in. It’s much easier to make improvements if you’re using the language around native speakers.

Once I moved to live in Málaga, I was thrust into a different world, one in which speaking Spanish is a necessity. The imperative firsts may include how to ask all manner of questions, such as how to get your social security number, how to read the lunch menu, where the cheapest place for a decent drink is, and so on. After a month or so of being here, once I’d completed my TEFL course at Tefl in Spain, I joined the teaching circle in Málaga. This opened up a lot of opportunities to both teach students English and meet people from whom I could learn Spanish.

I started taking Spanish classes in January at Málaga Lenguas, the partner school of Tefl in Spain, on a course specialised in lessons for teachers of English. Right now our classes focus on improving our knowledge and application of grammar, and include various activities and topics for listening and discussion practice. One of the best things about learning at Málaga Lenguas is that the lessons are taught in the language you’re learning. At times it can be difficult to stay in ‘Spanish mode’ for an intensive hour and a half, but it is certainly rewarding.

In addition to formal or conversation classes to practice your speaking and listening, there are language exchanges – something that I never came across in Britain. These ‘intercambios’ are perfect for an informal meet up with speakers of other languages, and a fantastic way of making new friends.

As well as spending time in classes and language exchanges I’m occasionally called in to take over at the reception at work. I had to quickly become accustomed to taking telephone messages, taking course payments, and most importantly, giving course information to potential students. That first month required me to learn a lot, and fast. It was also a brilliant way of learning how to adapt and prioritise what new language I needed to learn.

To wrap up, I’d say that starting to learn a new language in Britain certainly has its merits. However, I found that it can be difficult to keep up the use of it once you step out of class, or put down your book. Here in Spain you’re required to use Spanish constantly. This reinforces what you’ve been learning and gives you the opportunities to practice and correct your mistakes.

Furthermore, if you don’t live around a Spanish speaking environment as a new learner, you simply don’t have the exposure necessary to improve. Over here you are surrounded by the language all the time; on the bus, in your favourite restaurant, on the radio, in the local newspaper, and so on. To summarise, these are just some of the reasons why I believe it’s best to learn Spanish in Spain.

¡Hasta pronto chicos y chicas!