Reading, writing and speaking skills can transfer from Spanish to English, assisting non-English learners in English language acquisition. According to a University of Oregon website about learning theory, "Literacy skills that can transfer include phonemic awareness (phonics), alphabetic knowledge, and decoding." Think about it. You read Spanish from left to right on a page, and you read English that way, thus non-English speaking students don't have to learn that skill over again. What this means is that when students don't know any English and are adept in Spanish reading and writing, those skills will transfer over so that the student will learn to read in English more quickly.
A positive transfer of skills occurs when students solve math problems that are also used in science. For example, a student first learns multiplication of three digit numbers by one digit numbers in math. In science he will use the same multiplication concept to find the distance a car has traveled when given a speed in miles per hour and time traveled. Since the formula is time x speed = distance, a problem might be 5 hours x 70 miles per hour, which is equal to 350 miles.
You've probably heard it before. When you read well-written books your writing will get better. There are many ways to write; however, good writing is usually written in standard English. When you pay attention to the grammar, usage, punctuation and capitalization in things you read, you will learn them and be able to use them in writing.
Many people learned how to type using a typewriter. If you did, you probably took a class in touch typing, or typing by memorizing where the letters are on the keyboard so you can type without looking. Those people who did are more efficient at using the computer because the letters on the keyboard have remained the same from the time they were used on a typewriter to the use on the computer. The typing skill transfers from one platform to another.