Get the most benefit from your Spanish speaking acquaintances

By thinking about and understanding the different types of Spanish speaking acquaintances you have, you'll be able to get more benefit from these important resources. Probably most of what we learn about how to speak Spanish, we learn from other people. Each of these types of speakers has something unique to offer you, and something special to teach you. By giving some thought to these real-life teachers, you can know the best way you can learn from them. Get all the details by reading on.

3 Groups

There are basically three groups your Spanish speaking acquaintances will generally fall into.

Spanish Only

This is the group of folks who for the most part, only speak Spanish. They speak very little or no English at all. If they are learning English they only know little at this point. This is the best group for you as a Spanish student to spend time with. This is the group that will naturally force you to work hard and use every bit of Spanish knowledge you've accumulated. This is the group that will stretch you and help you grow the quickest as you learn Spanish. This group has the people you won't be embarrassed about making a mistake in front of -- the group you'll take chances with and try out new things you've learned.

Search for people in this group

Value highly any people you know who fall into this group -- they are your best Spanish teachers. While it is possible you could find it difficult to get to know people in the Spanish-Only group it's well worth the effort. -- One good way to do it is to teach a class in ESL -- English as a Second Language. -- Most communities have plenty of places where you can volunteer to teach ESL.

Spanish/English Bilingual

These are people who speak both Spanish and English equally well -- These are the people you aspire to be like. You ought to learn as much as you can from these people. You can ask them a lot of questions and benefit from their knowledge. When you know you are going to see one of these people, prepare by having a list of question to ask them.

English Speaking - Spanish Student

This is most likely the group you find yourself in at the moment. This group can share methods that work and talk about which ones don't work. They can learn from each other and practice together. You meet in class, online, and through bilingual friends. Though you'll learn more from the first two groups, this group is valuable too.

Conclusion

There they are, a few different groups or types of Spanish speakers you'll come in contact with. It's worth giving some thought to how the people you know fall into these groups -- You'll get different knowledge and a different experience from your interactions with the people in each group. Keeping this in mind and knowing what to expect will help you as you learn Spanish.