Whether you learn Spanish through a class, computer program, series of recordings or a language exchange, you will experience better results more quickly if you develop methods for reinforcing new information. For example, beginners learning new vocabulary will boost their ability to remember if they use pictures, rhymes, symbols, colors, realia, physical movement or other tricks. This multimodal technique appeals to diverse learning styles but it also serves to shift new information from short-term memory to long-term memory. Write out large-scale labels of key Spanish phrases, color-coding your target vocabulary. Post these in your home or work environment and practice saying them several times a day.
Many Spanish students fall into a trap of repeating every phrase they learn. A better way to acquire Spanish vocabulary and grammar quickly is to work from a phrase you have rehearsed, but change its content and meaning slightly to stretch your Spanish to the next level. For example, set up a simple phrase describing your clothing. Then, alter the phrase to describe different colors of your clothing. Then, alter the grammar to describe another person's clothing. Finally, have someone ask you questions about clothing that you must answer.
The tried and true best method for developing fluency in spoken and written Spanish is via the immersion method. In this approach to language learning, students immerse themselves in a environment of Spanish-speakers, preferably native speakers of the language. The environment should also contain environmental print in Spanish, such as signs, posters, instructions and learning materials. Some people travel abroad for an immersion situation, but this plan can be foiled if they remain in a tourist center filled with English speakers. Immersion requires entering into foreign situations armed with a guidebook and attempting to engage in conversation or to ask and answer basic questions. Some people enroll in Spanish classes while abroad to add some structured lessons and guidance to their immersion experience. Other people sign up for Spanish immersion week-long classes in the United States.