School
The Spanish school in Costa Rica is located in a beautiful and quiet area of San José. It is about ten minutes away from the city center, Guadalupe. Near the school there are not only trendy cafés and a lot of small shops, but the country’s biggest and most modern shopping mall, offering a huge variety of restaurants, cinemas, banks and all different kinds of shops.
Since 1996 the school has dedicated itself exclusively to the teaching of Spanish as a foreign language. Students come from all over the world. The language course syllabus has been carefully chosen to ensure they provide you with quality service and a wide selection of courses to meet your language requirements. All materials integrate Spanish language education in the four linguistic abilities: speaking, comprehension, reading and writing. These abilities are taught creatively, alternating short lectures, conversations, exercises, music listening, and games in a way which enhances the classroom atmosphere and makes learning fun. The language school is equipped with modern facilities, a library and wireless internet access as well as a green recreation area in the garden where the students can rest after a stimulating day of classes.
Whether your interest is in a general language course, a specialized program, a Spanish immersion program for your university or college or to experience an enriching aspect of the culture while you learn the language, you will find exactly what you need amongst the short or long term courses designed for all ages and levels from beginner to advance.
Our team of highly qualified teachers, with many years of experience in teaching Spanish as a second language, has designed a practical, dynamic, and communicative method to learn Spanish in a spontaneous and natural way.
Course
The Spanish school offers you group classes or individual lessons. You will be placed in classes according to your Spanish proficiency level, which is determined by taking a placement test the first day of school. Every class, group or individual, is divided into 2 hours of grammar, exercises and lecture, 2 hours of reading and conversation including music listening, games, etc. You can book additional 2 hours Spanish lessons per day in the afternoon. These will be dedicated to vocabulary, reading lectures or newspapers and conversing.
The course aims to enable students to think and express themselves in Spanish from the very beginning. For this reason the methodology is based on the concept of total immersion. The materials integrate Spanish language education in the four linguistic abilities: speaking, comprehending, reading and writing. These abilities are taught creatively, alternating short lectures, conversation, exercises, music listening, and games in a way which enhances the classroom experience and makes learning fun.
All courses take place from Monday through Friday, starting on Monday at 8.00 am. One class lasts 60 minutes. Programs with 4 hours of instruction per day take place from 8.00 am until 12.00 noon or from 1.00 pm until 5.00 pm depending on the number of students enrolled. However, morning courses take place much more frequently and afternoon courses normally take place only during the high season (May to July).
Programs with 6 hours of instruction per day take place from 8.00 am until 12.00 noon and 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm.
Group Classes: Group classes consist of three to four students - never more than six. This intimate class size helps us guarantee your learning success by adapting the teaching methodology to the students’ style.
Individual Classes: If you select individual classes, all the class time will be dedicated to you in order to achieve the best results during the length of your Spanish program. Our teachers take into consideration your personal learning rhythm and personal preferences (more conversation or more grammar, certain topics to be repeated) and will modify the program according to your needs.
Non-academic activities: It is definitely worth participating in the San José City tour and getting to know the country’s capital. As you probably know, Costa Rica produces one of the best coffees in the world and you are warmly invited to join the Costa Rican Coffee Tour. Do you want to discover something about Costa Rica’s natural beauty? Let us take you on a trip to the famous Volcán Irazú, the largest active volcano in Costa Rica and to some of Costa Rica’s world famous National Parks! The language school also organizes typical Costa Rican cooking workshops, Latin American dance classes (salsa, samba, merengue, etc.), and visits to local markets and to the towns of Heredia or Cartago on a regular basis.
Accommodation
All students stay with well chosen host families. Living in a typical Costa Rican home gives you the best chance to discover the Costa Rican way of life as you will immediately become a member of the family. The families live either within walking distance of the Spanish school or a few minutes away by bus. You will have your own room (single room) and laundry services as well as two meals per day (breakfast and lunch or dinner). Half-board is included in the price.
Volunteering
If you would like to learn Spanish through a unique experience, volunteer work will give you an opportunity that lies beyond the ordinary traveler’s reach. Get to know other realities within Cost Rica! Anyone who wishes to gain personal experience while getting to know people and new cultures from different social backgrounds or Costa Rica’s amazing wildlife is kindly invited to volunteer. Over the years, students, professionals and pensioners have all been able to obtain the enriching experience of volunteer work. In addition to our Spanish courses in San José we provide volunteer work positions in social organizations or National Parks.
Teaching English at a rural school in the rainforest of Costa Rica. Many times, rural schools are not able to fulfill their basic English requirements due to a lack of well trained English teachers.
San Carlos
Depend on school. Usually from 7 am to 11.30 am and 12 pm to 3 pm.
|
Prices
| in USD |
Group course
(20hrs/week)
|
Group course
(30hrs/week)
|
Group course
(20hrs/week)
+ Homestay*
|
Group course
(30hrs/week)
+ Homestay*
|
| 2 weeks |
525.- |
775.- |
790.- |
1,040.- |
| 3 weeks |
770.- |
1,140.- |
1,170.- |
1,535.- |
| 4 weeks |
895.- |
1,435.- |
1,425.- |
1,965.- |
Additional week
|
250.- |
375.- |
385.- |
505.- |
*single room incl. breakfast and dinner and airport pick-up.
| in USD |
Private course
(15hrs/week)
|
Private course
(15hrs/week)
+ Homestay*
|
| 2 weeks |
600.- |
870.- |
| 3 weeks |
900.- |
1,305.- |
| 4 weeks |
1,200.- |
1,740.- |
Additional week
|
300.- |
435.- |
*single room incl. breakfast and dinner and airport pick-up.
What’s included:
- Orientation kit
- Local support
- 24h-Emergency Number
- Laundry service (Homestay)
- Free internet access at school
- Airport pick-up
- Quality Spanish Course
- Homestay with 2 meals per day
- Teaching material
- Evaluation test
- Refreshments, coffee and tea at school
- Activity calendar
- Language Certificate
What’s not included:
- Flight
- Medical Insurance
- Visa (if necesary)
- Local Travels
Location
San José is the capital and largest city in Costa Rica and contains about 30% of the country's inhabitants. The city is located in the central valley, surrounded by mountains, volcanoes and national parks. The city's central location, comfortable weather and abundant variety of cultural events throughout the year have made it a popular destination for tourists from around the world. The capital is the political and economic center of the country. The Inter-American court for human rights is also based in San José.
San José today is a modern city with bustling commerce, brisk expressions of art and architecture, and spurred by the country's improved tourism industry. There are numerous tourist attractions around San José. Visitors will find many fancy bars, restaurants, clubs as well as art galleries, shops and even malls. Cultural activities mainly take place in The National Theater and The Melico Salazar Theater. The city center is located around The National Theater and plenty of little shops and cafes invite you to taste the delicious Costa Rican coffee with typical local sweets.
There are also many museums and other attractions offering alternative ways of exploring the city. You can immerse yourself into indigenous culture and life styles of ancient Latin American civilizations.
Source: Google Maps
Country information Costa Rica |
 Costa Rica stands as one of the smallest countries in Central America with approximately 19,000 square miles and a coastline of 810 miles. The country borders Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the south and the Pacific and Caribbean Sea on either side. Costa Rica is home to 4.5 million people with upwards of 350,000 people living in the capital city of San Jose.
The Costa Rican climate is commonly humid and warm year round, although temperatures in the highlands are typically colder and cloudier. Incredibly, 23% of an already small amount of densely populated land remains protected territory by National Parks and/or private reserves. This protected land is home and host to a wide variety of exotic plants, animals, and social and environmental projects to ensure the protection and conservation of the tropical habitat. When walking the streets of Costa Rica, make sure to ask Costa Ricans, who typically know heaps, about their national treasures.
Further, Costa Rica is the most politically stable country in Central America, with a disbanded army for more than sixty years and a relatively high standard of education. Tourism is one of the main economic income sources for Costa Rica. With over 2 million tourists exploring Costa Rica each year, the country stands as the most visited nation in the Central American region. Through eco-tourism programs, (which CR was one of the first countries offering this type of tourism), a variety of activities, and year round tropical weather, the country attracts tourists from all over the world.
Aside from protected land, the true jewels of Costa Rica are the surrounding islands with serene beaches and breath-taking nature. This country offers beautiful landscapes for dream vacations of beach lounging, surfing, snorkeling, hiking volcanoes, zip-lining, rafting, bird watching, fishing, and exploring rain forests.
The dry season of Costa Rica is between December and April, though like most Latin countries, schools are closed, beaches full and finding last minute hotels may be tricky. A second peak season arrives with the Europeans and North Americans during June and July. As the off-season arrives in May, so does the lush green vegetation with the rainy season. Lastly, Costa Rica encompasses year round possibilities for surfers, fishing enthusiasts and wildlife lovers alike. Depending on what coast you want to surf, what fish you want to catch and what bird you hope to see, there are variations on ideal months to further research.
Finally, Costa Rica is a perfect place to learn Spanish, as the Spanish spoken here is typically slow without strong accents and layers of slang. The Costa Ricans are very friendly, energetic and always with a smile!
- Check out all projects and Spanish courses in Costa Rica! Read more...
|
|
|
Programs Abroad 
