What is the best program for learning to speak Spanish (San Antonio: high school, university)

[tj7run]

All of my children took 4 years of Spanish in school, a requirement of mine for their education. But each of them has said that it doesn't come close to how the language is actually spoke. We are moving from Oregon and feel that we should learn to speak Spanish, after all our country is made up of all kinds of nationalities and whether we live in Oregon or Texas, it is time to learn a new language. Any suggestions on what programs are going to help us with really learn Spanish would be helpful.

Thanks

[gwrober]

I haven't used it, but at a place I worked at, they used Rosetta Stone for every language. They travelled to countries across the globe, and had to learn different languages....

[ShaneSA]

The University of Mexico has an imersion class. The school is located in Hemisphere Plaza in San Antonio. They will test you to see what level to start with and begin from there. They test written, spoken ability and determine what level is best for you. The levels begin from 1 and go to 10. I don't know the cost, but if it's Spanish you want they are the best place to go.
Be aware also there are different dialects of Spanish. In San Antonio, the Spanish is is generally Tex-Mex. In Spain, it's entirely different, as well as in Cuba. Maybe your kids learned proper Spanish that is spoken in Spain. Even in Spain there are two different dialects with huge differences in pronunciation.
I was in Spain and tried to speak Spanish that I learned in Texas and Monterry Mexico and was asked to not try to speak Spanish, it wasn't right and they didn't like it. I stuck to English.

[tj7run]

Originally Posted by ShaneSA

The University of Mexico has an imersion class. The school is located in Hemisphere Plaza in San Antonio. They will test you to see what level to start with and begin from there. They test written, spoken ability and determine what level is best for you. The levels begin from 1 and go to 10. I don't know the cost, but if it's Spanish you want they are the best place to go.
Be aware also there are different dialects of Spanish. In San Antonio, the Spanish is is generally Tex-Mex. In Spain, it's entirely different, as well as in Cuba. Maybe your kids learned proper Spanish that is spoken in Spain. Even in Spain there are two different dialects with huge differences in pronunciation.
I was in Spain and tried to speak Spanish that I learned in Texas and Monterry Mexico and was asked to not try to speak Spanish, it wasn't right and they didn't like it. I stuck to English.

You may be right. I think even just basic knowledge will be better than none. Can you imagine being told to not speak a language because you aren't speaking it right? I think it was good of you to try. lol

[LindaGrace]

Originally Posted by ShaneSA

I was in Spain and tried to speak Spanish that I learned in Texas and Monterry Mexico and was asked to not try to speak Spanish, it wasn't right and they didn't like it. I stuck to English.

My husband's cousins went to Spain and spoke the Spanish they learned growing up in Mexico City and the valley, and they said they didn't have any problems at all, and that the Spanish people were quite charmed that they could speak as fluently as they did (both were brought up totally bilingual Spanish/English).

I'm WAAAAY more fluent now that I've been married to a bilingual man for the last 4.5 years. I had 3 years of Spanish in high school and hadn't even tried speaking it since then (and I graduated in 1983!!). However, it came back pretty quickly. Of course I understand way more than I can speak, which cracks my in-laws up. They talk to me in Spanish, I answer them in English.