I'm not sure if this applies to your challenge, but I would really like to learn Spanish. Do you have any recommendation you can make on programs? I've had six years of German- high school and college- and I haven't tried learning a language outside of a classroom situation. CD's I can listen to are great, but I would like to combine it with writing/reading to really reinforce what I am doing. I am in the medical profession, so a working knowledge of Spanish would be really helpful for me! Thanks!
I used to teach two languages and have studied 8 living languages plus several dead ones (Latin, medieval languages etc.). I've tried a lot of different methods. Here's what I would recommend, in order of quality-to-price ratio:
1.
Pimsleur CDs. Some libraries have these or can get them on interlibrary loan. Put them on your computer and then your iPod or phone, and you have one of the most effective methods I've ever used for learning to speak a language--FOR FREE! Even if you buy these it's not outrageously expensive (compared to, say, option 2 or a [usually useless] college class), and you may be able to find used copies on eBay or somewhere. Just make sure you're getting the full language program (Level I, Level II etc.), not one of the short tourist versions. Also be sure you're getting the right language--for instance they have a course for European/Chilean Spanish and a separate course for Central American Spanish. You can get a level for about $150 or less at Pimsleur.com (download to your computer).
Pros: amazingly effective for learning to actually have conversations in that language. May be available for free, always available for a relatively low price. Very convenient--no books, so you can practice while driving, doing the dishes, whatever.
Cons: does not teach you to read/write. This is MUCH less of an issue if you're learning a language that uses the Roman alphabet--once you can speak you can figure basic reading out pretty easily if the alphabet is the same--and of course it's a non-issue if you're just learning so you can go on vacation there or talk to people from there.
2.
Berlitz one-on-one or very small group lessons. Only available in cities where there are Berlitz schools (lots and lots of cities, but not all). These are EXPENSIVE, though still less expensive (and way way more effective) than a college class.
Pros: extremely effective, and allows for more customization than a prerecorded method, since you can ask the teacher questions or ask them to focus on particular subjects you're interested in being able to talk about. Includes both conversation and some reading/writing.
Cons: expensive. We're talking in the low thousands.
#3:
Berlitz CD/book courses. These are part listen/repeat stuff that you can do while driving/washing dishes etc., and part books/workbooks. I haven't found these as effective as Pimsleur--and I've never seen them in a library; you have to buy them--but they're good.
Pros: work well; teach both conversation and reading/writing.
Cons: in my experience at least, they don't work as well as Pimsleur (but they still work well). They're also probably not going to be found in a library, so getting them for free likely isn't an option.
...aaaaand I was going to mention Rosetta Stone, but it's way less convenient (you have to be sitting at your computer) and it uses a lot of flash card-like methods that don't really work that well for me personally. But still, let's call it #4.
Meanwhile, the typical college or community college class would rank something like #946. They really are not designed to give you actual skills so much as just to "expose" you to the language and culture. Passing vocabulary quizzes is not going to do much for you when you're in country!