So I’ve taken school Spanish forever, but I’ve had a year since I last touched it, having gone through Spanish IV (the level before AP) in junior year of high school. I’d probably do poorly on placement exams, so I’m not placing out of a language requirement. I’m trying to decide whether to go back to Spanish, which generally frustrates me, or try a new language. Thoughts from people who’ve had to make the same decision?
Do u like spanish? I hate it and when I go to college Ill probably do another language.
Do you think it’s Spanish that frustrates you or just learning a new language in general? Why are you taking a language in college–because you want to learn a new language, because you want to become fluent, or do you just want to fulfill the requirement and get it over with?
If you want to become fluent in a language, I would say continue with Spanish, especially if you think you’re going to work in a career or in a location where knowing Spanish would be helpful. If you genuinely want to learn a new language or if you think you’d live to visit a country that speaks a certain language or any other reason why another language would interest you, then start a new language. If learning new languages in general is what is annoying to you, starting a new language won’t fix that and may bring new frustrations all over again. If Spanish gradually got more frustrating as you went along and things got more complex or if you’re not really interested in more literature based classes (which is what higher level foreign language classes often are), then starting a new language might be better.
On the other hand, if you’re just trying to get out of the credit, then prepping for the placement test might help you test out of the requirement or into a higher level course so that you can finish it sooner. Even if you’re out of practice, you likely won’t get placed into the lowest level course. What did you get on the AP test? Could your AP score give you some credit?
I had to take a language in college but hadn’t taken Spanish since 10th grade. So I decided to start an entirely new language. Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to take Hebrew, knowing nothing about the language whatsoever. It ended up being my favorite class, mostly due to the wonderful professor and also the small class size. It also was the only class where I could really see my own progress. Going in, I didn’t even know the alphabet, but now after two semesters I can speak it conversationally. I’ll be finishing up the three-semester sequence in the fall, and it was definitely the best choice I could have made!
I took Spanish up to IV, hated it, and switched to German in college.
To clarify, I didn’t take AP Spanish, and I have a foreign language req to fill. The placement tests won’t get me out of it no matter what level I test into, I just get higher level language.
Also what frustrated me most about learning spanish was how it was always taught, by rote and not by understanding, which doesn’t work for me and never really stuck in my head so I ended up with a limited vocabulary and few grammar skills. Plus I haven’t spoken a word of the language in a year.
I live in in the northeast, so there aren’t that many people who speak Spanish fluently around here
Thanks to everyone who’s commented so far!
Sorry, I completely misread that part in your original post!
I think, based on this, what I would do is look up the reviews for professors/TAs teaching intro level language and try to take the class with the best reviews, regardless of language (unless, of course, you have a language you’ve always wanted to learn). Sometimes, a great professor or TA can really make a class amazing, even if you aren’t that excited about the subject to begin with.