As a Spanish translator/teacher, one question I am often asked is what learning package is the best for adults or teens wishing to learn Spanish from home.  When you look at the wide range of learning products out there it becomes clear that not only is it hard to choose, but that there is much variety in the way materials are taught. Choosing the best learning package is the most important step to geting started. With so many Spanish learning courses out there, let's first cover what these packages are and are not.

First, a digital learning package is NOT the only thing you need to master Spanish. You also need to take the time to read Spanish, to speak to other Spanish-speaking individuals, and make learning and speaking Spanish a part of your daily life. I can't stress how much this will speed up your learning process.

Second, NOT everyone needs a Spanish learning package. In fact, if you aren't dedicated to learning the language you likely won't, and the learning material will be a waste of money. Learning Spanish isn't hard if you apply yourself, but you need to make the decision right now that you are going to spend time each day learning. 

Third, a Spanish learning package IS the simplest way to get started with your learning. It will cost less, and take less time, than taking beginners lessons and it allows you to learn at home at your own pace. The best learning packages can take you right from beginner to advanced Spanish. 

Fourth, if don't take the time to choose the right learning package your will only make learning Spanish harder. This is actually the number one reason people don't follow through with their plan to master the language - too many of the tools out there are really just a waste of money. 

If you've been thinking of learning Spanish then you'll be please to know that, along with some of my students, I have taken the time to evaluate the top five Spanish learning packages available today. I chose the top programs in the industry and then used those programs with adult learners to gauge how well they worked. I based my evaluations on the following criteria. 

• Level of Spanish Learning - A good Spanish program should cover everything right from beginning levels up to having conversations with native Spanish speakers.
• Amount of Content - The amount of learning material included in the package
• Teaching Techniques - Many people retain information better when taught with different methods. A good Spanish program should use a variety of methods for aiding with teaching/retention. 
• Follow Up Material - Beyond the basic course is there more material available to take your learning further? The best courses should allow you to go further. 
• Additional Content (Fun Factor) - A good learning package should be fun to use. The best programs I evaluated included games that increased retention and made learning fun. 
• Basic Language Skills - Does the program give enough content (and teach it fast enough) that the learner could grasp a basic conversation after using the program for a while. 
• Reading/Writing Skills - Along with speaking does the program teach language/grammar for reading and writing Spanish?

With our evaluations we actually took two steps. First I evaluated the programs as a teacher. I looked that them from the point of view of - would they be able to teach students what I would teach. The next step I took was to actually bring the programs into my adult learning classes. I had my adult students use the programs from home for a period of time and then gave a basic test to see what they had learned and retained.