UK Tel: 01209 211 800
Intl Tel: +44 1209 211 800
CESA House
Pennance Road
Lanner
Cornwall
TR16 5TQ
Great Britain
t: 01209 211 800
Intl t: +44 1209 211 800
f: 01209 211 830
Founder member of the Year Out Group and the International Association of Language Travel Agents.
Methodology
The college’s key concern is to get you to speak Spanish!
Of course you will cover the four core skills, in order to develop all the essential Spanish language skills. The curriculum is structured on six theoretical language levels, with a natural duration of between four and six weeks at each level.
The methodology is the result of years of experience in teaching Spanish. Special importance is given to the communicative aspect of the language and its use in everyday life. For this reason, the college encourages students to speak Spanish in class, and whenever possible out of class as well.
To ensure you fully participate and make maximum progress the college limits the class size to six students. Lessons are based on the communicative and intercultural approach, which ensures you will be able to use your new skills almost immediately. You will acquire new vocabulary and the skills to handle real-life situation, learn grammatical structures, build speaking and listening skills and develop reading and writing skills. The point is to activate your linguistic knowledge and audio-visual aids are used to keep the learning process exciting and to aid assimilation.
Each level includes grammatical structures of the Spanish language and presentation and discussion of details and special characteristics of life and society. Technical Spanish and Composition exercises are available, too (optional). Sessions II and III include writing exercises. Session III includes (optional or combined) Technical Spanish, contemporary Latin American literature, Latin American tradition and folklore, Latin American political and social problems.
In addition to the college material they also use local newspapers, magazines from Central America, songs, videos about the Latin American reality, illustrations, maps, textbooks and many other materials which are especially prepared for use in class. They also want students to visit places related to the topics and invite experts to give lectures. Discussion themes are presented in sections and include a variety of listening exercises.
Topics covered include:
National Parks of Costa Rica
Ecological problems of Costa Rica
Contemporary Latin American Literature
Costa Rican Educational System
Situation of Indigenous Minorities in Latin America
Costa Rican Traditions
Political Parties and Elections in Costa Rica
A student of average linguistic ability should allow at least four/six weeks to complete the Beginner or Elementary level, covering key conversational abilities and basic grammar structure to enable students to communicate in everyday situations.
Approximately four weeks will be required to complete each of the Intermediate levels (and at Intermediate level, introduces the subjunctive).
An additional 8 weeks covers the Advanced level.
In reality students chose to attend a short course or a longer “Languages for Life” course, according to their linguistic goals, personal wishes and time constraints.
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