MONROE - ¿Español, alguien? (Translation: Spanish, anyone?)
Anyone who answers "¡Si!" need go only as far as the Behring Senior Center to start learning conversational Spanish.
A weekly class, offered through Blackhawk Technical College, in basic Spanish speaking and understanding simple conversations will begin Monday, Feb. 18, at the Behring Senior Center. The class for beginners goes from 1:30 to 3 p.m., while an advanced session for those who already have taken the beginning course is from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Each class meets for 12 weeks. The cost is $4 for those over 62 and $45.42 for those under 62. Students may register at BTC or at the Senior Center office.
It's a class that will appeal to a lot of people, said teacher Karen Hogan, who retired from teaching Spanish at Monroe High School in 2005.
"It's not just for seniors," she said. "It's for all people in the community."
The class starts at the beginning, covering greetings, asking for someone's name, numbers, dates, months and even weather.
"All the common things that would be in conversation," Hogan said. "At the end, we get to things we like and don't like."
The second class builds on what has been covered in the beginning class, moving into learning words about family, food and describing things, Hogan said.
Each class meets for 90 minutes, which includes time to practice with a partner. Hogan said she also has worksheets, so students can practice at home during the week.
"The emphasis is on speaking, with a little writing to back up what is learned in class," she said.
There's a variety of reasons people decide to take the class, Hogan said. Some people are traveling and want to pick up conversational skills, while others may need it for work. Some simply enjoy learning something new.
Many of the students recognize the ability to speak Spanish is an important tool to have as the population changes, Hogan said.
Whatever the reason, past students have enjoyed taking the noncredit Spanish couse.
They like working in pairs and "trying to say words in a different language," Hogan said. The class becomes a social experience too, as students get to know each other.
"It's been lots of fun," she said.
Anyone who answers "¡Si!" need go only as far as the Behring Senior Center to start learning conversational Spanish.
A weekly class, offered through Blackhawk Technical College, in basic Spanish speaking and understanding simple conversations will begin Monday, Feb. 18, at the Behring Senior Center. The class for beginners goes from 1:30 to 3 p.m., while an advanced session for those who already have taken the beginning course is from 3 to 4:30 p.m.
Each class meets for 12 weeks. The cost is $4 for those over 62 and $45.42 for those under 62. Students may register at BTC or at the Senior Center office.
It's a class that will appeal to a lot of people, said teacher Karen Hogan, who retired from teaching Spanish at Monroe High School in 2005.
"It's not just for seniors," she said. "It's for all people in the community."
The class starts at the beginning, covering greetings, asking for someone's name, numbers, dates, months and even weather.
"All the common things that would be in conversation," Hogan said. "At the end, we get to things we like and don't like."
The second class builds on what has been covered in the beginning class, moving into learning words about family, food and describing things, Hogan said.
Each class meets for 90 minutes, which includes time to practice with a partner. Hogan said she also has worksheets, so students can practice at home during the week.
"The emphasis is on speaking, with a little writing to back up what is learned in class," she said.
There's a variety of reasons people decide to take the class, Hogan said. Some people are traveling and want to pick up conversational skills, while others may need it for work. Some simply enjoy learning something new.
Many of the students recognize the ability to speak Spanish is an important tool to have as the population changes, Hogan said.
Whatever the reason, past students have enjoyed taking the noncredit Spanish couse.
They like working in pairs and "trying to say words in a different language," Hogan said. The class becomes a social experience too, as students get to know each other.
"It's been lots of fun," she said.