How to become bilingual

Butterfly3001 · Apr 24, 2006

I would think that you would have to be comfortable enough to speak to spanish speaking patient. Just because you've had two semesters of spanish, just using that as an example not implying in any way, doesn't mean you can tell a paitent what procedures are gonna be performed on them. I'm not sure though, but if you're fluent in the langauge then put it on your resume.

FNPhopeful · Apr 24, 2006

I dont know spanish at all. So Im wondering how many semesters of spanish I will need- to say Im bilingual.

Im thinking probably 4 semesters...... I know you can get certified so there must be some kind of determination of wether your really bilingual

karmyk · Apr 24, 2006

Maybe you can take the Defense Language Proficiency Test and put that score on your application/resume?

Butterfly3001 · Apr 24, 2006

I dont know spanish at all. So Im wondering how many semesters of spanish I will need- to say Im bilingual.
Im thinking probably 4 semesters...... I know you can get certified so there must be some kind of determination of wether your really bilingual

Oh okay, Sorry I can't help. I wanna learn spanish too it helps out so much in a health care.

LydiaNN · Apr 24, 2006

It seems that you're asking two separate questions. If there is some certification you can get, it most likely would be issued after you passed a test. If you're asking how long before you'll actually be able to pass such a test, I do know that when I was in college, you had to take 4 semesters of a language or prove that you were fluent (this was for the liberal arts majors; alas, I didn't avail myself of the opportunity to learn a foreign language).

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Apr 24, 2006

I took Spanish in school for years (5 to be exact) and several years of Latin. I am in NO WAY considered fluent or bilingual though I can read and understand Spanish some.

I do not know of an exam outside of the Military or the Federal government that certifies people. But those I know who are certified, are fluent in Spanish. They can speak and write with ease and comprehend and interpret with ease. Therefore, they are translators of the language and considered bilingual, unlike myself.

Those of my friends that know Spanish and are certified, no amount of school made him/her fluent speakers. They all told me that they lived in Spanish speaking countries for some time and that is what made him/her fluent.

I know one person who is not certified and is an exception to this rule. She did not take Spanish in school or grow up around Spanish speaking people. Instead she married and lives with a man who speaks Spanish.

After two years of working at learning the language she was able to become fluent in speaking and comprehending the language. However she is not considered to be bilingual because she cannot write or read Spanish.

Good luck to you.

stpauligirl · Apr 24, 2006

Hey, does anyone know how to become certified bilingual?
How many semesters of spanish do you need before you can say your bilingual??
I want to be able to say Im bilingual on applications and such

I am considered bilingual...my native language is different than English but I live and "operate" in the US and speak English...I also speak some French.

I would guess that you would need a degree in a foreign language to be "officially" considered bi-lingual. I clepped my native language for the record and got the maximum of college credits ;-)

Megsd, BSN, RN · Apr 24, 2006

I have a BA in Spanish and honestly sometimes I don't feel like I'm "fluent". My vocab is very academia oriented... stuff like literature, history, philosophy, etc. I don't remember words like body parts anymore since I haven't much used them since 8th grade when I took my first Spanish class.

I'm unaware of any certification program to say you're fluent, and honestly on my resumes I mention my degree and say I am "able" to read, write, and speak Spanish and/or that I'm "proficient". I don't really feel comfortable saying fluent, although admittedly part of why I finished my degree was so it was perfectly clear that I knew Spanish and no one could really question it.

moonischasingme1 · Apr 24, 2006

I took 4 years of Spanish, but there is no way I could speak Spanish to a patient! haha, however, I think the BEST WAY to learn a language is to live in a country that speaks that language and you will be forced to learn how to communicate. My boyfriend's family is all Bosnian and just by being around them and learning throughout the years, I might be able to help a patient.

Seriously, I think the only way is to live in a country that speaks Spanish and speak ONLY SPANISH!

However, that's probably not possible, but if you study hard enough and you're serious--you probably could learn Spanish enough from class to help you in a clinical setting. You just have to keep speaking it and practicing. Maybe find a friend who speaks Spanish? Watch the Spanish televisions? Watch Spanish movies? Immerse yourself in the language!

Good luck!:)

FNPhopeful · Apr 24, 2006

Thanks everybody. The idea (for me) is to be able to say on job resumes when Im a nurse that I can speak spanish, because alot of jobs want bilingual people. Being bilingual gives some people an advantage.

I know I have DEFINITELY noticed point systems for admission to some RN programs give you points for being bilingual.

Maybe thats to much to try and acheive being a white girl from Cali. LOL

pshs_2000 · Apr 24, 2006

I have a BA in Spanish and honestly sometimes I don't feel like I'm "fluent". My vocab is very academia oriented... stuff like literature, history, philosophy, etc. I don't remember words like body parts anymore since I haven't much used them since 8th grade when I took my first Spanish class.
I'm unaware of any certification program to say you're fluent, and honestly on my resumes I mention my degree and say I am "able" to read, write, and speak Spanish and/or that I'm "proficient". I don't really feel comfortable saying fluent, although admittedly part of why I finished my degree was so it was perfectly clear that I knew Spanish and no one could really question it.

i feel kind of like Megsd. my spanish is ok but my medical spanish is very limited. right now i'm working in a foreign lang dept at a large univ. so i get to practice my conversational spanish often and feel like its improving (soon i'll be a master at ser/estar:lol2: ). when i was in undergrad rotc i got to take the army language certification test (or something like that) and i have a score for that but i don't know how that applies in the civilian world. as far a certifications there really isn't anything standard or mainstream. on your resume if you don't necessarily want to say "bilingual" you can indicate that your other languages include spanish. i include ASL on mine but i only know the basics nothing medical related.

see if any schools in your area offer a spanish for the health professions course. then you can indicate that you took that class and made an A;). if you're looking for a quick score try this http://www.uab.edu/foreignlang/placement.html. it's a placement exam and you get a score. you can also try contacting translation/interpretaion services in your area and see how they certify their employees.