Spanish Language School?

[Jennifer1959]

Id like to spend Jan 2019 somewhere in Spain learning basics of the language. Can anyone recommend a good language school for beginners? Many thanks

 

[Lirsy]

Not idea about the school, but what I can recommend you is the area.

I would go to wherever in Castilla la Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Madrid, Asturias, Extremadura, Canary Islands, Rioja, ....

The idea of that is avoiding areas in which an important percentage of the population is speaking a different language (Gallego, Catalan, Valenciano or Vasco). Also the pronunciation in Andalucia is very difficult (even for Spaniards).

In theory the purest Spanish language is spoken in Castilla y Leon area (Valladolid, Burgos, Leon, Palencia, Salamanca, ...).

Please, people from other areas .... don't be upset!!

 

[linkster]

I took Beginning Spanish 1 & 2 at the local state college during spring and summer B last year before my camino. It helped, but I ended up walking with groups that predominantly spoke English (many were from other countries, but they were kind to us). I was able to use my Spanglish successfully before, after, and during my camino with the locals. However, I was not fluent enough for a real conversation.

The best days for Spanish were spent with Alfonzo in Larrasoana. We spent the afternoon on the patio drinking wine. He spoke English to me, and I spoke Spanish to him. I got schooled in history, culture, and language. There was only one other day like that ... I hiked with Borja. We did the same thing back in forth in Spanish and English.

I am now taking Intermediate Spanish 1 at a local university. I have suffered from attrition, and I am playing catch up. 6 months off has taken its toll. I am getting by, but an A now seems illusive. Most of the kids speak Spanish fluently.

I just researched inhispania.com in Madrid. I think I am going to go there for spring break. I feel like a kid, I had to get permission from Mom (my wife). I am going to take a crash course. 20 classes per week + 10 hours of private 1 on 1 tutoring. There is an online placement test for them to help place you in the right level.

Lastly, search for immersion on this site. There has been a couple of threads and that is how I learned about inhispania. I know there is at least one other member south of the border in an immersion class now.

Buena Suerte Amiga.

 

[linkster]

Immersion Spanish...

 

[alexwalker]

www.enforex.com

Malaga/Alicante will be the best places in January. Or Mexico/South America. Very affordable, with private housing.

 

[trecile]

If you want cheap one one on classes try Guatemala! I'm in Guatemala right now in a village on beautiful Lake Atitlan. The cost for 20 hours of instruction per week and a homestay with 3 meals a day is approximately US$225/week. I think I'm actually saving money by being here!
There are tons of Spanish schools here. This is the that I'm attending:
http://cooperativeschoolsanpedro.edu.gt/

 

[Jennifer1959]

Not idea about the school, but what I can recommend you is the area.

I would go to wherever in Castilla la Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Madrid, Asturias, Extremadura, Canary Islands, Rioja, ....

The idea of that is avoiding areas in which an important percentage of the population is speaking a different language (Gallego, Catalan, Valenciano or Vasco). Also the pronunciation in Andalucia is very difficult (even for Spaniards).

In theory the purest Spanish language is spoken in Castilla y Leon area (Valladolid, Burgos, Leon, Palencia, Salamanca, ...).

Please, people from other areas .... don't be upset!!

Thats interesting- thanks so much!

 

[Jennifer1959]

If you want cheap one one on classes try Guatemala! I'm in Guatemala right now in a village on beautiful Lake Atitlan. The cost for 20 hours of instruction per week and a homestay with 3 meals a day is approximately US$225/week. I think I'm actually saving money by being here!
There are tons of Spanish schools here. This is the that I'm attending:
http://cooperativeschoolsanpedro.edu.gt/

Wow!!! THANK YOU so much- very appealing!

 

[Jennifer1959]

www.enforex.com

Malaga/Alicante will be the best places in January. Or Mexico/South America. Very affordable, with private housing.

Lots to think about, thanks so much.

 

[Jennifer1959]

Immersion Spanish...

Thank you!

 

[Jennifer1959]

I took Beginning Spanish 1 & 2 at the local state college during spring and summer B last year before my camino. It helped, but I ended up walking with groups that predominantly spoke English (many were from other countries, but they were kind to us). I was able to use my Spanglish successfully before, after, and during my camino with the locals. However, I was not fluent enough for a real conversation.

The best days for Spanish were spent with Alfonzo in Larrasoana. We spent the afternoon on the patio drinking wine. He spoke English to me, and I spoke Spanish to him. I got schooled in history, culture, and language. There was only one other day like that ... I hiked with Borja. We did the same thing back in forth in Spanish and English.

I am now taking Intermediate Spanish 1 at a local university. I have suffered from attrition, and I am playing catch up. 6 months off has taken its toll. I am getting by, but an A now seems illusive. Most of the kids speak Spanish fluently.

I just researched inhispania.com in Madrid. I think I am going to go there for spring break. I feel like a kid, I had to get permission from Mom (my wife). I am going to take a crash course. 20 classes per week + 10 hours of private 1 on 1 tutoring. There is an online placement test for them to help place you in the right level.

Lastly, search for immersion on this site. There has been a couple of threads and that is how I learned about inhispania. I know there is at least one other member south of the border in an immersion class now.

Buena Suerte Amiga.

Thanks very much, ill search the Forum for more info re Immersion. All the best with your Spanish, youre way ahead of me!

 

[jungleboy]

Also worth considering is that in the modern world there is a huge amount of language learning you can do on your own. Many polyglots and other language learners prefer to do it this way rather than in a traditional classroom setting. I won't go into the reasons for this but instead I'll just give you some beginner Spanish resources that may be helpful.

Notes in Spanish - Inspired Beginners
Spanish audio conversations by Ben and Marina, who run a hugely successful operation (31m+ downloads). The audio is free and you can pay for worksheets which include transcriptions, questions, exercises etc.

SpanishPod101
Another podcast-based resource. Here there are recorded dialogues in Spanish with an introduction to the dialogue and post-dialogue analysis in English (at least at the beginner level).

DuoLingo
Popular app that game-ifies language learning and is a good starting point for beginners.

LingQ
Both a method and a resource that I use daily in my own language learning. LingQ focuses on input (reading/listening) as a way to absorb language and at its core is a reading system that learns your 'known words', the words you're studying (lingQs) and your never-before-seen words, with the ability to import any digital text from the web or anywhere else into this system. The free version doesn't get you much but you could try it out anyway to see if you think it might interest you.

¡Buena suerte!

 

[trecile]

Wow!!! THANK YOU so much- very appealing!

And I forgot to mention the weather - which has been perfect every day. Mostly sunny with highs in the 70s to 80, lows in the 60s

 

[trecile]

Also worth considering is that in the modern world there is a huge amount of language learning you can do on your own. Many polyglots and other language learners prefer to do it this way rather than in a traditional classroom setting. I won't go into the reasons for this but instead I'll just give you some beginner Spanish resources that may be helpful.

Notes in Spanish - Inspired Beginners
Spanish audio conversations by Ben and Marina, who run a hugely successful operation (31m+ downloads). The audio is free and you can pay for worksheets which include transcriptions, questions, exercises etc.

SpanishPod101
Another podcast-based resource. Here there are recorded dialogues in Spanish with an introduction to the dialogue and post-dialogue analysis in English (at least at the beginner level).

DuoLingo
Popular app that game-ifies language learning and is a good starting point for beginners.

LingQ
Both a method and a resource that I use daily in my own language learning. LingQ focuses on input (reading/listening) as a way to absorb language and at its core is a reading system that learns your 'known words', the words you're studying (lingQs) and your never-before-seen words, with the ability to import any digital text from the web or anywhere else into this system. The free version doesn't get you much but you could try it out anyway to see if you think it might interest you.

¡Buena suerte!

I really like the teaching style of Unlimited Spanish with Oscar podcasts. He also sells courses on his site, but the podcasts are free.

http://www.unlimitedspanish.com/podcasts/

 

[Jennifer1959]

I really like the teaching style of Unlimited Spanish with Oscar podcasts. He also sells courses on his site, but the podcasts are free.

http://www.unlimitedspanish.com/podcasts/

Wonderful- thanks so much!

 

[Craig Towers]

Id like to spend Jan 2019 somewhere in Spain learning basics of the language. Can anyone recommend a good language school for beginners? Many thanks

Just a thought. Some cities are now so touristy that you will fall back to English perhaps too easily. Think about a medium sized town with a university. Bilbao or Oviedo spring to mind. Universities give a breath of life. Big cities are great but sometimes lack the charm of their smaller compatriots.

 

[Sunbun]

If you want cheap one one on classes try Guatemala! I'm in Guatemala right now in a village on beautiful Lake Atitlan. The cost for 20 hours of instruction per week and a homestay with 3 meals a day is approximately US$225/week. I think I'm actually saving money by being here!
There are tons of Spanish schools here. This is the that I'm attending:
http://cooperativeschoolsanpedro.edu.gt/

I did the same thing, loved it. And highly recommend Mariposa Spanish School in Nicaragua as well.

 

[Charlotte Helbig]

If you want to go to Spain I would suggest Salamanca. It is an absolutely beautiful city, but as it is a bit smaller than Madrid or Seville it isn’t as overwhelming. Also you won’t have any problems with other languages as you might in Cataluña or the Basque Country. I studied there with the Colegio de España...I assume it is still around. You might google it and see what you can find. Other than that the Universidad de Salamanca certainly has programs for foreigners.
Buena Suerte

 

[Jennifer1959]

Just a thought. Some cities are now so touristy that you will fall back to English perhaps too easily. Think about a medium sized town with a university. Bilbao or Oviedo spring to mind. Universities give a breath of life. Big cities are great but sometimes lack the charm of their smaller compatriots.

Smaller cities definitely more appealing, thanks so much!

 

[Jennifer1959]

If you want to go to Spain I would suggest Salamanca. It is an absolutely beautiful city, but as it is a bit smaller than Madrid or Seville it isn’t as overwhelming. Also you won’t have any problems with other languages as you might in Cataluña or the Basque Country. I studied there with the Colegio de España...I assume it is still around. You might google it and see what you can find. Other than that the Universidad de Salamanca certainly has programs for foreigners.
Buena Suerte

Wonderful, Ill check it out, thanks so much!

 

[HedaP]

Hi Jennifer
I’m hoping to do something similar next northern hemisphere winter. Currently tossing up between Salamanca and Leon. Have never been to Salamanca so it may well be the final choice.

@trecile wish I could travel south to learn Spanish at those prices but in my corner of the world all they speak down there is Penguin.

 

[intrepidtraveler]

For those who like to learn on their own and need to start at the beginning, Coffee Break Spanish podcasts are free and very helpful.

 

[Albertagirl]

@Jennifer1959
I started my Spanish language studies through the online resources of my local public library. I worked my way through the Mango Languages Spanish course twice on my own before registering at my local university for first year Spanish (both were free: for me as a library member and for me as a senior). This year I am unable to go to Spain, so am taking a second year in Spanish from the university. I recommend that you check what is available online in your local public library. This will give you a bit of Spanish vocabulary and grammar, but more important (to me) the sound of Spanish. I find conversations in Spanish challenging and it is good to get a feel for the language before more formal study. This is preparatory to study in Spain, not instead of. If you decide to try out an online course, check to see if there is an option to study the Spanish of Spain - Castilian - as there are some minor differences in grammar, vocabulary and accent from Spanish American Spanish. Buena suerte [good luck].

 

[Irenie]

If you want cheap one one on classes try Guatemala! I'm in Guatemala right now in a village on beautiful Lake Atitlan. The cost for 20 hours of instruction per week and a homestay with 3 meals a day is approximately US$225/week. I think I'm actually saving money by being here!
There are tons of Spanish schools here. This is the that I'm attending:
http://cooperativeschoolsanpedro.edu.gt/

Hi, @trecile, are you back now from your Guatemala Spanish classes? I may be in Guatemala this coming summer before I return to the Camino and maybe I will add a Spanish class to my journey there instead of in Spain, as I originally planned. I would love to hear about your experience, recommendations. I'm grateful for any suggestions or ideas about language school in Guatemala (or anywhere!). Gracias y Buen Camino, Irene

 

[Rajy62]

Id like to spend Jan 2019 somewhere in Spain learning basics of the language. Can anyone recommend a good language school for beginners? Many thanks

Yes. In 2015 I got injured at the start of the VDLP. My return flight was some 6 weeks away. So to kill that time I went to Valencia and enrolled at "hispania" Spanish language school. Ended up doing Level1 and 2 over 2 months. Wonderful school. I even rented room through them. I highly recommend it. The beginner level classes start every week.

You can start learning with the free App Dualingo. Also download the dictionary "SpanishDict".

 

[trecile]

Hi, @trecile, are you back now from your Guatemala Spanish classes? I may be in Guatemala this coming summer before I return to the Camino and maybe I will add a Spanish class to my journey there instead of in Spain, as I originally planned. I would love to hear about your experience, recommendations. I'm grateful for any suggestions or ideas about language school in Guatemala (or anywhere!). Gracias y Buen Camino, Irene

I attended two different schools in the Lake Atitlan area. The first, La Cooperativa in San Pedro la Laguna was highly recommended, and was a beautiful school, but I didn't find the quality of instruction to be that great. All the instruction at the schools in Guatemala is one teacher/one student, so I could have just been unlucky, though I did have two different teachers. I decided to stay in the lake area, because it's so beautiful, with many hiking opportunities, so I moved to another village, Panajachel, and attended Jabel Tinamit Spanish School, which I can highly recommend. I loved my teacher, Gladys, and I'm continuing to have lessons with her via Skype. I paid $35 extra per week to have a private bathroom in my homestay in Panajachel - I wasn't given that option in San Pedro. I paid about $250/week for my room, 3 meals a day, and 20 hours per week of instruction.

 

[Irenie]

I attended two different schools in the Lake Atitlan area. The first, La Cooperativa in San Pedro la Laguna was highly recommended, and was a beautiful school, but I didn't find the quality of instruction to be that great. All the instruction at the schools in Guatemala is one teacher/one student, so I could have just been unlucky, though I did have two different teachers. I decided to stay in the lake area, because it's so beautiful, with many hiking opportunities, so I moved to another village, Panajachel, and attended Jabel Tinamit Spanish School, which I can highly recommend. I loved my teacher, Gladys, and I'm continuing to have lessons with her via Skype. I paid $35 extra per week to have a private bathroom in my homestay in Panajachel - I wasn't given that option in San Pedro. I paid about $250/week for my room, 3 meals a day, and 20 hours per week of instruction.

@trecile, Muchas gracias! So good to hear your experiences, especially how you attended more than one school and also moved to different villages. It’s helpful how you compared schools and teachers, especially since you are sharing a recent immersion class in Guatemala, where I’m considering a visit and more. I’ll be working on arrangements and reservations. I look forward to reading how your español helps you on the Camino.

I appreciate all the replies and suggestions and always the stories. Buen Camino, amigos.

 

[thepacman]

Hi @Jennifer1959 - as we now seem to maybe be coming out of Covid, I'm looking at options for a month of intensive Spanish next year. What did you end up doing, and how did it go??