Tutor profile: Lorena O.

What is SAT II Spanish?

The Spanish Subject Test is a great way to highlight your knowledge of Spanish and demonstrate your interest in the Spanish language during the college-admission process. Plus, it could give you a head start in college by allowing you to fulfill basic language competency requirements or place out of introductory-level Spanish courses.

Why is it important to learn Spanish?

There are over 400 million Spanish speakers world-wide. With more than 33 million speakers, Spanish is the second largest language in the United States. Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States, with the majority of them being Spanish speakers. By learning Spanish, you'll be better able to communicate with Spanish speakers. Being able to speak Spanish greatly enhances your resume. If you are bilingual you are more competitive in the workplace. You can travel to a Spanish-speaking country and really get to know the culture. Your ability to understand Spanish enables you to gain important insights which monolinguals cannot. As we grow older, our memory begins to fade. Learning a foreign language actually helps keep your memory sharp.

How long does it take to become fluent in a language?

The length of time can vary greatly due to a number of factors. A person's prior educational background is important. Literacy in the first language is big help in acquiring a second language. The learner's comfort level is important. If a person is under a lot of stress or duress, the learning process will be greatly impeded. It is important that a learner feel safe in order to process input and experiment and practice new skills. Generally, SOCIAL communication skills may be mastered in one years, depending on each individual learner's situation. Academic language used in class settings, take anywhere from a minimum of three to five years, and sometimes much longer. A lot depends on the learner. No one learns the same way or at the same pace, so there are no set time parameters.