An adult continuing education course in introductory Spanish is described. In planning the course, special attention was given to making course objectives realistic for the target population; rather than undertake a traditional college-level syllabus, academic and grammar-oriented in nature, the course was designed to provide students with basic communicative skills in Spanish. Grammar instruction is de-emphasized; for example, only the present tense is employed in the textbook used, and no grammar terminology is taught overtly in class. The functional-notional approach was selected as the most appropriate for adult learners. Some students initially resisted this approach, preferring a traditional grammar-oriented one. The once-a-week, 2-hour class and irregular attendance made classroom continuity difficult, and pronunciation was not easy for the adult students to grasp. However, the older learners' creative abilities and thoughtful approach to language learning were found to be instrumental in their acquisition of language skills and confidence. Suggested adjustments for such a course in future would be incorporation of some traditional grammar exercises in the textbook. (MSE)