English is the international language, but the Spanish-speaking community is growing every day, and many people are making the decision to learn this language.
Campbellsville University sophomore Audrey DeJaynes began studying Spanish six months ago.
“I started to study Spanish since many people around me speak it,” she said. “That made me draw my attention to that specific language. In general, I think it is helpful to learn a new language.”
Dr. Carmen Arranz Ordas, professor of Spanish, has been teaching at CU for 12 years. She knows how important it is to learn this language.
“Including the United States, there are 21 countries where it is necessary to be capable of speaking Spanish,” she said. “Also, Spanish is the fourth most spoken language in the world, so it opens up many opportunities for students for the future.”
However, for many students, extra tutoring is necessary and important to succeed in their classes.
Sergio Andrade, a junior from Ecuador, is part of a group of student-tutors who provide their services to help students improve their Spanish language skills.
“Teaching Spanish from a basic level is interesting for me,” he said. “One of the biggest challenges for them is the pronunciation, so I always try to get the students to practice with words that are difficult for them.”
Learning a new language can be more difficult for some people, so it’s important to have good teachers to have a better learning experience.
“I always try to have a variety of activities in my classes,” Arranz said. “Not all students have the same learning pace, so it’s important to know their favorite learning method.”
A report by David Fernandez, a professor at the University of Alcala in Spain, states that in 2024, the United States surpassed all countries except Mexico, with 57 million Spanish speakers, making it the second-largest Spanish-speaking nation. This only means that the language is reaching new levels in this country and many more people will be encouraged to study it.
“Learning Spanish will help me to be connected with more people and different cultures of the world,” said DeJaynes. “That makes me very happy and motivated to keep learning more every day.”
