Study Spanish Online: Time and Commitment

Is studying Spanish on-line always the soft option?

Students often underestimate how much commitment is required to take Distance Learning Spanish Courses. It’s true that online learning eliminates all the tiresome traveling to and from classes and is, therefore, potentially much more time efficient.

But aside from traveling time, participation in an online course can require as much commitment as a conventional course. Before deciding to learn to speak Spanish on line, be clear about your goals – online learning is not always the soft option.

How much time should I dedicate to learning Spanish online?

In order to get the most out of your studies, you must plan your time and pick your course accordingly. If you only have 2 free hours a week, then choose a flexible course rather than one that requires you to study a set number of hours per day. The clearer and more realistic you are about how much time you can dedicate to your course, the more successful your learning process will be.

It’s also very important to allow yourself time off. Because the online classroom is effectively open 24 hours a day 7 days a week it is all too easy to over-study. Don’t sign yourself up for 10 hours of Spanish conversation practice a day – you’ll become overloaded and burn yourself out.

The maximum number of consecutive hours you should study per day is about four or five, plus some extra work in your own time if you need or want to. The minimum amount of time you should dedicate to your course really depends on how urgently you need to learn Spanish and the level you have reached. If you’re at basic level, you should be studying between about 3 and 10 hours a week to get the most out of your course.

Naturally, if you’re just looking for some reinforcement to back-up what you’ve already learnt rather than a formal online course, you can study as much or little as you like. Practicing your Spanish on the web has never been easier – there are loads of Online Spanish lessons for free, most of which you can do in your own time at your own pace.  Just hunt around until you find the level and type of exercises you want to focus on.

Find out about how Complementary Spanish Programs such as Spanish immersion programs abroad, Spanish podcasts and videos will help you learn Spanish. Or learn more about live Spanish classes online.