Academic Methodology
We are committed to providing high-quality Spanish language education. The classes are one-on-one (unless you specifically choose to study with a friend or in a group). Our method of total immersion in the Spanish language and the Guatemalan culture allows students to learn as rapidly as possible. Instead of enrolling in a fixed ‘course’, you receive personalized instruction tailored to your learning pace, level, and interests. Our communicative approach also helps students gain practical skills quickly by using the language in everyday situations as soon as possible.
What level am I?
We believe that each student is unique, which is why our classes are tailored to accommodate different teaching styles aligned with students’ individual needs and motivations. To help define your progress, we use the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), a globally recognized standard for evaluating your language comprehension, speaking, and writing skills.
When you sign up for our program, we will ask you to complete a needs assessment to provide us insight into your motivations for learning Spanish, your planned duration of study, and your specific goals. To help determine your level, here’s an overview of the CEFR levels:
A1: Breakthrough (Beginner):
The student can understand and use everyday expressions. They can present and use very basic information about their living, belongings and people they know.
A2: Waystage (Elementary)
The student can understand common phrases, sentences, and expressions. They can exchange information about common issues and know how to describe occurrences in their past. They can also communicate about their environment and their needs.
B1: Threshold (Intermediate)
The student understands phrases about common issues such as situations at work, school, or leisure. They can deal with situations likely to arise in their daily life in a foreign country and produce simple phrases/sentences about familiar topics or personal interests. They can also describe experiences, events, dreams, and aspirations, as well as express opinions.
B2: Vantage (Upper Intermediate).
The student understands the basic ideas of complex texts of both concrete and abstract topics. They can communicate with native speakers with a degree of fluency and spontaneity. Also, they have no trouble producing clear, detailed text on various subjects and explaining their viewpoint.
C1: Effective Operational Proficiency (Advanced)
The student is capable of understanding most phrases and sentences, can express thoughts in fluidity and spontaneously without effort, and uses correct sentence structure. They use the language correctly in common personal and professional situations. They can create clear, well-structured, detailed sentences about complex subjects.
C2: Mastery (Proficiency):
The student is capable of understanding practically the entire language, whether written or spoken. They express spontaneity, with fluidity and precision, and distinguish the small details of the language even in very complex situations.
Progress
At the end of each week, your teacher will prepare a written report detailing the subjects and language skills you’ve covered. You can request a copy of this report if you wish. Should you change teachers, this report will be shared with your new instructor to ensure a seamless continuation of your learning journey. Additionally, you have the option to take written or oral exams at the end of each week to assess your progress; however, this is entirely up to you.
Lesson Schedules
Most students opt for our intensive program, studying 25 or 20 hours a week, but we can offer a flexible timetable to suit your needs. You also have the option of studying in the mornings or the afternoons, however, we recommend starting in the mornings as the majority of our activities are in the afternoons. If you prefer fewer study hours, we usually schedule those sessions in the afternoons, allowing you to still participate in evening activities. We can offer classes from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday, and can offer weekend sessions on request, depending on availability.
Teaching Materials
In the school we have a variety of teaching materials that the teachers may use, including the text books ‘Sueña’, which specifically follow the CEFR levels. However, we encourage our teachers to tailor lessons to each student, rather than follow a rigid syllabus, and they may use photocopies from different books, plus any other materials they wish to incorporate.
The copies that your teacher makes for your classes are included in your tuition. If however you would like to purchase a full text book/exercise book to work from (in class and independently), we can provide one for you for $6.50
Where Will I Be Studying?
You’ll primarily study at your individual table in a “classroom” environment, which could be within our main building, on the terrace, or in the Posada courtyard. Each student has a designated area equipped for a classic classroom experience, with tools like whiteboards for effective learning. However, learning isn’t confined to these spaces; you have the flexibility to step outside and spend part of your lesson in the park, the market, or other locations that offer real-world context to enhance your language skills.
Special Requests
One of the key benefits of our methodology is the ability to tailor lessons to your specific needs, whether it’s learning vocabulary for travel, academic pursuits, or any other specialized area. We have previously provided customized training for volunteer nurses, NGO workers, lawyers, and social workers, adapting Spanish language instruction to suit various professional and personal contexts.
