is the spanish taught in school actually useful?

Question

i was wondering if the spanish taught in schools could actually be used with native spanish speakers. my friend told me that her teacher took a text book home to his native spanish speaking wife who laughed because it was not how native speakers talk.
so now i dont know if it's worth taking spanish next year instead of another ap because i want to know some spanish so i can volunteer at the 08 olympics. (i would have known 4 languages by that time.)
need some opinions/help. thanks

Answer 1

Usually, very little. Not even close for you to become fluent.

Answer 2

I think it helps some, however, Spanish people have there own slang like we do! So the book doesn't have everything! It can help to know how to ask certain questions! I think they will be able to understnad a lo0t of it that is in the books they teach. I too spanish in high school and I can talk somewhat to a spanish speaker! Also, different kinds of spanish people speak differently. Just like us! In the south they might call soemthing different then what they call it in the north! So i think it help to know some spanish even if it isn't exactly the same. They should be able to pick up on it!

Answer 3

I think some of it is helpful, but not a whole lot. It depends on which spanish speaking country you want to go to. I would recomend taking the class but also try to get together with some people from that country and have them teach you what they know. I found out when I went to Mexico, that the spanish from my spanish class was "proper" spanish. Most people speak different than what is shown in the textbooks (slang). Use the books to gain the writing and reading skills, but also learn from spanish speaking people. Good luck!!

Answer 4

Think of it this way. When you take English classes in school, it's often an academic variety of English -- teaching you what's considered "good, proper English." In more advanced English classes, you might also be instructed in the academic ways of analyzing literature. It isn't all that common to hear an English teacher say "OK class, today we're going to study English in subcultures. Can someone tell me what "west side represent" means?"

It's similar with Spanish classes. You will be taught good, proper Spanish. It will not necessarily be the Spanish in common use on the streets, but it also depends on which group you're interacting with. Just because two people speak Spanish doesn't mean they speak the same kind of Spanish. Think about a high-class Englishman compared to a farmer from Jamaica. Both speak English, but are they going to speak in a similar way? Of course not.

Spanish courses provide a good, broad foundation for learning Spanish in particular contexts. It gives you a place to start understanding what people are saying. The key is to build that foundation, then once you have a basic level of understanding, immerse yourself in the group whose style of speaking you wish to learn best. Once you can communicate in a basic fashion, you can start asking people what they mean when they say a specific thing, and you'll start becoming more fluent as your understanding of "street Spanish" grows.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

My brother took spanish in high school and went to Mexico, while the dialect may not be the same, my brother speaks spanish fluently and he understood what everyone was saying and everyone understood him.
I think it would help you to take the classes.