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Costa Rica Spanish Language School
Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health.
The Language School
The school provides a unique Spanish language experience with particular emphasis on participants understanding the culture, as well as learning the language. Fun cultural activities will be included in your programme such as free cooking lessons, Latin dance lessons and Latin American song classes.
As one of the few schools in Costa Rica to be entirely owned and staffed by Costa Ricans you are getting a genuine cultural experience. The school aims to make the lessons interesting and fun, as this is the best way to learn a language quickly and easily. The teaching approaches are dynamic and varied and the classes are intensive and challenging, but very enjoyable.
The course is designed to enable students to actively participate in classes. Right from the start, students will learn how to communicate, comprehend and use accurate pronunciation in Spanish. The small classes and flexibility means that you get loads more attention when you need it.
The classes look at the Spanish language as a whole with the emphasis on speaking, but they also take into account grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, pragmatic use and cultural understanding.
Language classes will generally consist of 3 to 4 students but you will never be with a group of more than 6. In order for you to be placed into the correct class according to your Spanish proficiency level, you will have a written test, which is sent to you by email, and an oral evaluation on your first day.
Throughout the course your teacher and the Academic Director will assess your progress on a daily basis. Each day, your teacher will complete a progress report for you and this information will help the Academic Director determine how best to help you reach your language goals!
Levels of Spanish Classes:
Beginner Level
The beginner's level course has been designed to provide you with an introduction to elementary Spanish. The main aim of this course is to provide you with the opportunity to acquire communication skills including using appropriate greetings, introductions, courtesy expressions and asking/giving directions. They also aim to get you to a level where you can communicate in situations such as visiting a restaurant, bank or other public places. In addition you will learn how to give personal information and talk about personal likes/dislikes and activities.
You will also study basic sentence structures, learn everyday vocabulary and develop the ability to clearly communicate basic ideas in Spanish.
Intermediate Level
For intermediate students your course will cover most grammatical structures, which will give you the tools needed to achieve more confidence and fluency when using the language. The lessons will also continue to develop your vocabulary, pronunciation, comprehension, written and oral skills. The aim is for students to reach a standard where they can hold conversations on various topics with native Spanish speakers.
The emphasis of the course is on cultural aspects of the language, culturally authentic reading and writing, along with the continued development of your listening and speaking competencies.
Advanced Level
At this level the course will include the study of advanced Spanish grammar. By this time you should begin to master complexities of the language. In order for you to improve your fluency and precision you will also have conversations with a higher level of complexity and abstract thought. At the advanced level your classes will include cultural, social and historical aspects on different Hispanic speaking countries, which is seen as a way of explaining the relationship between language, history and culture.
The objective of the Advanced Level course is to become proficient and fluent in the Spanish language. Further to this the course places an emphasis on the use of the language in unrehearsed situations.
Teachers
The teaching staff are native Spanish-speaking instructors who are accredited with the Costa Rican Department of Education. All our instructors hold university degrees in Spanish, Education, Linguistics or Philology, from either the University of Costa Rica or the Universidad Nacional (the two most prestigious universities in Costa Rica).
Project Orientation
On your first day of class you will need to be at the school at 8am for an oral evaluation to determine your Spanish level (placement test). You will then have an orientation, which will include information about the course, and about San Jose and Costa Rica, this is a great opportunity to ask any questions that you may have. You will be provided with a student card with telephone number and exact address of your home stay. In the afternoon there will be time for a salsa class and a chance to use the facilities at the language school.
Accommodation and Meals
Your accommodation will be with a home stay family, which is a perfect way for you to learn more about the Costa Rican culture. You will have the opportunity to practise speaking Spanish with the family everyday and learn about the Costa Rican way of life.
You will have your own private bedroom at the house. If you are travelling with a friend we can also try to accommodate you at the same home stay. Your home stay family will provide you with breakfast and dinner each day.
We make sure that the host families we use have clean, secure, comfortable homes and all families are carefully selected for their hospitality, friendliness and warmth. Each home will have been visited and checked by a coordinator.
Project Support
Throughout your stay you will have the support and guidance of a coordinator and their team. They will be able to help you with any questions you may have or advice you may need. In addition, you are able to contact our UK staff 24 hours a day should you need to, via our emergency contact number.
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