<p>Hi guys,</p>
<p>I’m considering taking a Spanish course at Brown, but I’m having trouble figuring out where to start. I was born in a Spanish-speaking country and lived there for almost 10 years before immigrating to the US. With that said, I have forgotten a lot of the grammar rules/tenses/technicalities of the language. For the most part, however, I can understand everything that a fluent Spanish speaker says, and I’m able to converse somewhat fluently with the now limited vocab/sentence structures that I remember from my life in a Spanish speaking country. In this sense, I’d imagine that my case is a bit unusual, as I’ve found that a lot of Spanish students face the opposite situation.</p>
<p>I know that there’s a placement test for people unsure as to how they stand, but I am concerned that the placement test (which I assume will predominantly test the skills that I mentioned above, which for me, are almost nonexistent now) will most likely suggest a course that is too easy for me. Given my unique situation, I’m also wondering if I’d be better off just studying Spanish on my own time…</p>
<p>Anyhow, do any current Spanish students at Brown have any insight into what might be most appropriate for me, given the information above?</p>
<p>The Mets Suck!!! </p>
<p>Sorry I could not help you I just wanted to say that.</p>
<p>I’d recommend emailing a faculty member in Brown’s Spanish department or even shooting them a phone call!</p>
<p>Lol ok…yeah, I know. The Mets suck miserably right now. Thanks though.</p>
<p>Advice from current Brown student who is intermediate level: Do not take the placement test, as some profs in dept will not allow you into their courses if you don’t place into them. Instead you would be better off talking to a prof, or better yet a grad student who teaches in the dept to gauge your level. Find them in Rochambeau House.</p>
<p>Thank your for that tip, BrownAlumParent!</p>
<p>I’m not sure if you’ll be allowed to register for the course without the placement test. However, it’s worth a try. Also, if you are placed in the wrong level by the test, professors do often move people up/down in the first few weeks of class as they assess your ability.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be terrified of taking the placement exam–when I took it, professors were fine with me ultimately enrolling in a level other than the one I placed into. (Though if enrollment is tight, you might have trouble getting into the section at the time of your choice, since initially, you can only pre-register for the level you placed into.) That being said, the placement exam is not all that reliable, since it’s all multiple choice. </p>
<p>If you are serious about filling in the gaps you have in grammar, HISP 500 or 600 might be best for you, though you’ll probably be able to speak much more fluently than other students who learned Spanish more traditionally. Higher levels may also address grammar issues, but I’m not sure, since I didn’t get the chance to take Spanish at that level.</p>