Although the number of people learning Chinese in Spain has increased rapidly in recent years, the history of Chinese language teaching in Spain is relatively short. According to our survey and interviews with Spanish teachers, Chinese language teaching only began at the University of Barcelona in the 1980s. While there has been significant progress, it still cannot compare to other countries, such as Germany and France. However, Chinese language schools can now be found in some major Spanish cities. However, among these Spanish students who do study Chinese, some give up after just one or two years. It's not that they don't want to learn, but rather that the difference between Chinese and Spanish is too great. They find that after a year of study, their level is still very low, and they can speak very little Chinese. Even when they have the opportunity to chat with Chinese people, they rarely succeed. When they encounter Chinese characters, they often find it difficult to read or write them. These situations make them feel that Chinese is simply too difficult. In response to this situation, many experienced Chinese teachers and experts in Spain believe that this is not just a problem for the students. They cite the following six reasons for these problems:

1. Differences in languages.

Spanish is a phonetic alphabet. Chinese, on the other hand, uses characters and has tones. The two languages ​​derive from two different systems.

2. Different teaching methods.

Many Chinese teachers in Spain often feel their students aren't diligent or intelligent. This is due to the different educational approaches of the two countries. Traditional Chinese education focuses on memorizing texts, new words, and grammar, with memorization being the primary method of learning. In contrast, in Europe and the United States, children are taught from kindergarten onwards to develop independent learning, deduction, and reasoning skills. This approach fosters active thinking, stimulates an interest in learning, and fosters the ability to learn independently. Therefore, Eastern and Western educational approaches can sometimes conflict. Chinese teachers consider memorizing 30 words a common task, but European and American students often balk at it. Most find rote memorization boring, and memorizing words without understanding them is meaningless, ultimately leading to poor learning outcomes. I believe combining these two approaches would be highly effective: teachers can use games, competitions, or teaching materials related to everyday life in class to stimulate students' desire to memorize and apply new words flexibly. They can also encourage students to practice these memorized words outside of class. The teacher's role is to make students understand that learning Chinese is not a difficult task but rather a joyful one. There is joy to be found in the process of learning Chinese. But you need to try your best and be persistent to keep learning.