Thank you for choosing Camino al español. This book is a comprehensive course, aimed at students with no previous knowledge of Spanish, that will take them to approximately the level required for university entrance. It is also suitable for ‘fast track’ learning such as for university students or their equivalents who need to establish the linguistic basis for advanced study of the language. The book is planned with the classroom in mind and its design reflects the need to make the learning process as active and stimulating as possible. It could also be a useful teach yourself course for highly motivated students who are unable to join a class.

As a team of university teachers who have been working together for some time, we draw on practices associated with communicative approaches to language learning. Students are encouraged to use the language and participate actively in class from the outset. At the same time, due attention is given to academic rigour to enable students to read and write with high levels of competency and accuracy. In short, balanced attention is paid to all four language skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) because we see them as supportive of each other.

Our team comprises two native English speakers, two native Peninsular Spanish speakers and a native speaker of Latin American Spanish (from Colombia), and we hope that the authentic materials we offer give some acknowledgement of the diversity of the Spanish language of which some four-fifths of the speakers live outside Spain.