There are plenty of Spanish courses available that students can take from their computer. Downloadable programs and software for purchase are two options that individuals can choose if they want to study Spanish via computer. Software allows students to follow along on their computer by listening to the facilitator, seeing phrases on the screen, answering questions and choosing options, all of which reinforces their learning. Downloadable software allows students to study the lesson and perform exercises.
While software and e-learning courses are helpful, another alternative for students wanting to learn Spanish is to watch videos. YouTube has a wealth of videos where students can learn Spanish translations, grammar, common phrases and conversations. There are also specific videos where, for example, students can learn common hotel and travel-related phrases. Spanishdict.com has interactive video courses where students can watch videos and perform activities such as Spanish-speaking games. Flashcards reinforce what you learn, and the site also tracks your progress. In 2009, both YouTube and Spanishdict.com sites are free for users.
Notes In Spanish offers students the ability to download podcasts and listen to them from their computer or from an MP3 player. Specific topics are discussed during the training, and worksheets accompany the podcasts to reinforce learning.
If a student is only interested in learning certain Spanish phrases on the computer or is interested in translating documents, online Spanish translation programs are available for this purpose. Sites such as Spanishdict.com, Google and Babelfish offer individuals the ability to translate words or phrases in many languages. At StudySpanish.com's website, students can enter text and translate it from Spanish to English or vice versa. This type of site may be helpful to learn short words or phrases if you are traveling to Spain in the near future or you have a document to translate. The reinforcement activities such as pronunciation or interactive activities are not available on some of the translation sites.