Teaching Spanish to U.S. Students through Computers

As the U.S. Hispanic population continues to grow in size and influence, knowledge of Spanish is quickly becoming a more crucial skill for Americans. To that end, an interactive program is being launched at select schools to test out a new model of Spanish language instruction. With the aid of specialized software, students are able to study the language at home on their own computers. The software provides a personalized approach to learning that combines reading, writing, listening, speaking and vocabulary building. Some activities require the student to orally describe pictures or photos while others involve written communication in Spanish, and the software will not allow the student to progress to the next exercise until the current lesson has been satisfactorily completed. The program provides an incentive to students to study a foreign language because many perceive it to be easier and more enjoyable than traditional classroom methods. If the pilot program is successful, the language-learning software will be introduced to schools around the country.