STUDIES HAVE examined various factors that impact learning a second language including lesson planning, classwork activities and the use of technology such as audio and video in order to achieve proficiency and to motivate students to learn a foreign language.  Without a doubt, when it regards verbal language acquisition, in which speaking is an imperative component and motivation for many students to learn a second language, the studies are inconclusive due to the many factors and variables that can contribute to the process of acquiring language.  The only common factor all of these numerous high-priced studies share at the end is a strong foundation of syntax and vocabulary as the basics for fluency and proficiency.  Therefore, as a language teacher, I found “Foreign Language: let’s speak more, write less” insuficcient in knowledge, in research and in common sense.

As a teacher of Spanish, from Spanish 1 to AP Spanish Literature and Culture, I believe our students are exposed to speaking according to their level of proficiency and they acquire the necessary tools at the beginner’s level to then rapidly advance to higher levels of verbal complexity. Sadly, it appears that the opinion given in the last article is limited by the author’s lack of understanding of the topic and exposure perhaps to only a Regents level class and not to the higher-level verbal expression of our department’s final product.  “Ignorance is not bliss, es solo ignorancia.”