Best language school for over 60s in Spain

[Jenyat53]

Hi all
I have enjoyed learning Spanish over the last 5 years or so here in Oz and practising during my Caminos. Here in Oz I have a weekly lesson with a delightful young Galician teacher. We have moved from going through basic grammar to basic conversation.
She suggests I would fall into an 'intermediate' class if I was to go to Spain for a month long intensive course. While I feel reasonably confident with basic grammar, I find myself very slow with processing Spanish speech and responding quickly.

I am hoping someone on this forum has had experience of classes somewhere in Spain that cater well for older students. My partner would probably come with me and find other things to do whilst I was 'at school' although that is not certain yet.

I would be most grateful for any advice or wisdom that fellow pilgrims might care to share.
Many thanks in advance
Jen

 

[alexwalker]

Hello,
Last year (April) I spent 1 month attending a Spanish language school in Alicante, They arranged for me a stay in a private apt, in the centre, with breakfast & dinner included. Was run by a woman who did homemade food. The school was intensive but perfectly managable. Great value for money. Upon arrival I was put to a test to determine level skills and put in an appropriate class ,7-10 pupils. Total cost for 1 montth ca. 1.300 Euros for school, stay and food. (!) I cannot recommend them highly enough: Professional, fun, highly educational! They have schools all over Spain as well as in other parts of the world.

I was classified as basic skill (only a little pilgrim knowledge) but learned enough in one month that I am now confident on my own. I am sure with your background knowledge you will do great.

PS: Part of the education (voluntarily/extra) was an extra hour at the end of each day, cultural, which means we walked in the city, talked, learned more about culture/sites/Spanish traditions, went to cafes for talking, all outside of the class room. Great fun and educational. I was 62 then and felt very welcomed. All age groups.

www.enforex.com

 

[linkster]

I really like this idea. I am currently taking Beginning Spanish 1 at the local state college. I will take Beginning Spanish 2 in summer B right before my camino. I might try and plan this for next year. I also checked the site and see that they have several locations. I have thought about taking a week or two with the family to Spain in June, and I might see if I can arrange a day with them as a primer to start are vacation (ordering food, travel basics, etc.). It might be a fun activity.

 

[Charlotte Helbig]

I would suggest Colegio de España in Salamanca. I went there many years ago and had a wonderful experience. As I recall you can choose to live in dormitory with other students or to live with a family. I highly recommend the latter. They can place you with a family closer to your age. Also, although Salamanca is a largish city, it isn't overwhelmingly so and it is easy to get around. AND the Plaza Mayor is one of the most beautiful in Spain. And I could go on and on.....

 

[Lmsundaze]

Hi. I went to an immersion program in Cádiz Spain which I thought was very good- Gaudi International. If you want to save money, I spent 2 months in Spanish immersion in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, at Academia Hispano American. SMA is a beautiful city -- lots of expats from the US and Canada though. Next month I am going to a different school in Mexico, Spanish Institute of Puebla, for 6 more weeks. I have heard good things about this school but won't know more until I get back. I'm not sure from Australia but from the US Mexico is way less expensive, both travel and the costs of being there. That said I love Spain. I applaud your decision to do an immersion program -- the best way to learn. And, I am excited for my next Camino in September.

 

[Lmsundaze]

Hi. I went to an immersion program in Cádiz Spain which I thought was very good- Gaudi International. If you want to save money, I spent 2 months in Spanish immersion in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, at Academia Hispano American. SMA is a beautiful city -- lots of expats from the US and Canada though. Next month I am going to a different school in Mexico, Spanish Institute of Puebla, for 6 more weeks. I have heard good things about this school but won't know more until I get back. I'm not sure from Australia but from the US Mexico is way less expensive, both travel and the costs of being there. That said I love Spain. I applaud your decision to do an immersion program -- the best way to learn. And, I am excited for my next Camino in September.

Old age, responding to myself. The classes I am recommending are not aimed at over 60's, but I don't think it is necessary for language learning - we don't learn differently when we are older. If you choose a language school that is taking place at a time when young students are in school, any place should be fine for adults of old ages.

 

[Jenyat53]

Thanks so much for everyone's suggestions. I will definitely follow up and look forward to any other pilgrim thoughts on the matter too.
Whilst I realise that we don't learn differently to young people, (and in fact I love connecting with such energy both in the classroom and on the camino ) I notice that some of the language schools seem particularly focussed on a younger audience .
I hadn't thought of the excellent Mexican possibility but I think that Spain has captured my heart

 

[trecile]

I took a class for over 50s at International House in Barcelona. This particular class is just two weeks, and only offered twice a year. If you are fairly advanced they may actually place you in one of the higher level classes, but you participate in optional daily cultural activities with your age group. I did a homestay with a wonderful Spanish woman just a few years younger than me. Besides providing meals and a bed she also took me to exercise class at her gym, and we went to dinner together a couple of times.

 

[marilyn van graan]

Hello,
Last year (April) I spent 1 month attending a Spanish language school in Alicante, They arranged for me a stay in a private apt, in the centre, with breakfast & dinner included. Was run by a woman who did homemade food. The school was intensive but perfectly managable. Great value for money. Upon arrival I was put to a test to determine level skills and put in an appropriate class ,7-10 pupils. Total cost for 1 montth ca. 1.300 Euros for school, stay and food. (!) I cannot recommend them highly enough: Professional, fun, highly educational! They have schools all over Spain as well as in other parts of the world.

I was classified as basic skill (only a little pilgrim knowledge) but learned enough in one month that I am now confident on my own. I am sure with your background knowledge you will do great.

PS: Part of the education (voluntarily/extra) was an extra hour at the end of each day, cultural, which means we walked in the city, talked, learned more about culture/sites/Spanish traditions, went to cafes for talking, all outside of the class room. Great fun and educational. I was 62 then and felt very welcomed. All age groups.

www.enforex.com

I love your response and all the info - this has sparked something for me that I am definitely going to consider seriously for next year. I am going to Spanish classes in Cape Town (2/week) and whilst I am nowhere near a conversational level I have started to grasp the grammar - we have a lovely teacher and he also said teaching young people (maybe to teenage) is different to us much older folks. I am going to contact or google the school and see what can be arranged - thank you so much everyone for the great info- happy learning and buen camino too!!

 

[marilyn van graan]

Hello,
Last year (April) I spent 1 month attending a Spanish language school in Alicante, They arranged for me a stay in a private apt, in the centre, with breakfast & dinner included. Was run by a woman who did homemade food. The school was intensive but perfectly managable. Great value for money. Upon arrival I was put to a test to determine level skills and put in an appropriate class ,7-10 pupils. Total cost for 1 montth ca. 1.300 Euros for school, stay and food. (!) I cannot recommend them highly enough: Professional, fun, highly educational! They have schools all over Spain as well as in other parts of the world.

I was classified as basic skill (only a little pilgrim knowledge) but learned enough in one month that I am now confident on my own. I am sure with your background knowledge you will do great.

PS: Part of the education (voluntarily/extra) was an extra hour at the end of each day, cultural, which means we walked in the city, talked, learned more about culture/sites/Spanish traditions, went to cafes for talking, all outside of the class room. Great fun and educational. I was 62 then and felt very welcomed. All age groups.

www.enforex.com

Forgot to ask do you know the name of the school - thanks

 

[alexwalker]

Forgot to ask do you know the name of the school - thanks

www.enforex.com

 

[marilyn van graan]

www.enforex.com

oops sorry missed that!!

 

[Jenyat53]

Hello,
Last year (April) I spent 1 month attending a Spanish language school in Alicante, They arranged for me a stay in a private apt, in the centre, with breakfast & dinner included. Was run by a woman who did homemade food. The school was intensive but perfectly managable. Great value for money. Upon arrival I was put to a test to determine level skills and put in an appropriate class ,7-10 pupils. Total cost for 1 montth ca. 1.300 Euros for school, stay and food. (!) I cannot recommend them highly enough: Professional, fun, highly educational! They have schools all over Spain as well as in other parts of the world

Alexwalker, did you study for four hours each day followed by the cultural hour and if so did you find it difficult to maintain your focus?

I am wondering what others have found to be an ideal number of hours per day to concentrate effectively and still enjoy the process?

 

[alexwalker]

Alexwalker, did you study for four hours each day followed by the cultural hour and if so did you find it difficult to maintain your focus?

You are correct: 4 hours (9-13) followed by 1 hour cultural. Was easier, because not so intensive hour.

I am wondering what others have found to be an ideal number of hours per day to concentrate effectively and still enjoy the process?

5 was enough for me. But I usually went for a beer afterwards, reading through that day's notes for another 1/2-1 hour.

 

[Jenyat53]

You are correct: 4 hours (9-13) followed by 1 hour cultural. Was easier, because not so intensive hour.


5 was enough for me. But I usually went for a beer afterwards, reading through that day's notes for another 1/2-1 hour.

Wonderful. Many thanks Alex (?)

 

[Icacos]

Now, how am I going to manage all this? Iceland at the end of August next year on my way over to the Camino, a month of Spanish immersion, an hospitalera stint, plus a trek starting from SJPP (over Route Napoleon, which was closed when I went through in 2013) to .........? What fun this planning is going to be.

 

[notion900]

This is so useful, thanks to all. I have never managed to do an immersion and I would love to. I study at the Instituto Cervantes in London: the organisation is part of the Spanish government and also accredits language schools - so you can check on a school's website if it has the logo. Their website also has a list of the schools they accredit, but it's very long and I have pondered it to little effect, so it's very helpful to get personal recommendations.

There is also the slight consideration of which part of Spain to immerse yourself in. I find the accent in the South pretty hard, they chop the ends off words. And folks in Madrid are very lispy and talk very fast: my current teacher is from Madrid and it was a real struggle to understand her at first.

 

[Charlotte Helbig]

You are right about that! It's not really a lisp...it just sounds like one. But that's another reason to consider Salamanca. In that part of Spain it is a bit easier to understand.

 

[alexwalker]

I liked Alicante: Good Mediterranean climate, not too big, and by the sea, with beaches for a swim & cold beer after class.... But could also consider Malaga: Same there.

PS and the Camino del Sureste starts in Alicante! A lonely camino, but I will walk it one day, for sure.

 

[Jack Heilgeist]

Hi all
I have enjoyed learning Spanish over the last 5 years or so here in Oz and practising during my Caminos. Here in Oz I have a weekly lesson with a delightful young Galician teacher. We have moved from going through basic grammar to basic conversation.
She suggests I would fall into an 'intermediate' class if I was to go to Spain for a month long intensive course. While I feel reasonably confident with basic grammar, I find myself very slow with processing Spanish speech and responding quickly.

I am hoping someone on this forum has had experience of classes somewhere in Spain that cater well for older students. My partner would probably come with me and find other things to do whilst I was 'at school' although that is not certain yet.

I would be most grateful for any advice or wisdom that fellow pilgrims might care to share.
Many thanks in advance
Jen

Hi all
I have enjoyed learning Spanish over the last 5 years or so here in Oz and practising during my Caminos. Here in Oz I have a weekly lesson with a delightful young Galician teacher. We have moved from going through basic grammar to basic conversation.
She suggests I would fall into an 'intermediate' class if I was to go to Spain for a month long intensive course. While I feel reasonably confident with basic grammar, I find myself very slow with processing Spanish speech and responding quickly.

I am hoping someone on this forum has had experience of classes somewhere in Spain that cater well for older students. My partner would probably come with me and find other things to do whilst I was 'at school' although that is not certain yet.

I would be most grateful for any advice or wisdom that fellow pilgrims might care to share.
Many thanks in advance
Jen

I already speak Spanish so I never went to a school in Spain. However after completing my Camino in 2010 I went to Salamanca to live for three months. Salamanca is home to the oldest university in Spain and is a World Heritage site. It is convenient to Madrid by train and Avila is on the route to Madrid. It is alive with students from all over the world taking language courses and consequently it is a fun place to be when you are not studying.

Should you follow this path I recommend that you check easypiso.com for a place to stay. I used it and paid 200 euros a month and stayed with a very lovely and charming young woman and her dog Poncho. She was a Spanish speaker with some English so we both benefited from our interaction. Salamanca is a great walking city. Also there is a direct overnight train from Salamanca to Lisboa,

Just thought I would give you my two cents.

 

[kerdi]

Hi
I attended a one week total immersion language class at "Spanish in Nature". This is a small privately led language school in the vicinity of Madrid and they offer various programs, which can be tailored to meet the students needs.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, learned a lot and would like to return there for another course.
http://www.spanishinnature.com/

 

[SioCamino]

Just to add, perhaps try to avoid taking such classes during the school holidays. I did a 2 week stint in Salamanca a few years ago. For the first week, a good portion of the classes were second level school students. Their spanish was good and they weren't disruptive or anything.... More that the dynamic with moody/self conscious teenagers was really difficult (for me). To be honest as an adult, I've learned to just set aside fears of embarrassing myself in language classes and I'm used to being in classes where the students actively participate. These students were like drawing blood from a stone. Very hard for the teacher though I'm sure well used to it and able to manage it. But frustrating for me as lots of long silences - and i wouldn't mind but they were all able for the material just reluctant to speak.

The following week all the kids were gone and the dynamic was totally different, much tougher class too as only 3 of us left!

I've not come across any other age issues - generally classes can have a mix from early 20s through to late 70s and often end up with very good rapport across the ages (a bit like the Camino).

Hope this helps.


P.s. I second the suggestion to take accommodation with a family/in a home. In my experience the woman of the house will fuss and cluck over you and talk endlessly in Spanish (and usually doesn't have English) so you get lots of good listening and speaking practice!

 

[henrythedog]

I’m a repeat attender at Instituto Picasso in Malaga; now at a comfortable B2. It caters for all ages and ranges of experience. The tutors are excellent. They offer regular classes and 1-2-1 add-ons.

 

[C clearly]

Just to add,

Good suggestions. However, this thread dates back to 2017. Click on the tag "language" (now at the top of this thread) to get more recent threads. I'll close this thread now.