Programs

Personalized Spanish offers 7 different program options as well as the flexibility to add additional hours of private class time. You decide what will best meet your goals. Have your classes in a group with other students, or choose private classes. Take four hours of class each day or choose six. You can even add extra hours on the weekends, holidays or in the evening if you want. It's totally up to you.

• 4 hours in mini-group
• 4 hour semi private program
• 4 hour private program
• 6 hour program (4 hours in mini-group + 2 private hours)
• 6 hour private program

• Professional Concentration
  -Healthcare Program
  - Spanish for business and law
  -Spanish for Social workers
  - Spanish for Teachers
• Specialized Courses
• Study Spanish and travel
-Spanish with tours
-Survivor Spanish for your trip

• Spanish in Action
• Spanish for children
• Spanish for retirees
• Spanish for residents

Methodology

Personalized Spanish classes are flexible, using a variety of tools, materials and methods including music, videos, audiocassettes with conversation, role-play, games, pronunciation practices, vocabulary flashcards, situational prompts, etc. Each class includes grammar, pronunciation and conversation in Spanish.

Start Dates

Personalized Spanish classes begin each Monday. No matter what your current Spanish level is, you may begin classes on any Monday you wish and take classes for as many weeks as you wish.

While you may register for classes as little as one week in advance, we recommend that you give us at least a month or two advance notice to reserve your space for that time. For classes in June, July, and August, we recommend that you reserve your space as far in advance as possible due to increased enrollment during these months. Personalized Spanish is a small school and in order to maintain our personalized emphasis, we must limit the number of students attending the school at any one time.

Schedules

Depending on the number of students in the school and their levels, some students may be scheduled for morning classes and others for the afternoon. Schedule One is used for all students participating in one of our 6 Hour Programs as well as 4 Hour Program students scheduled for morning classes. Schedule Two is for 4 Hour Program students scheduled for afternoon classes.

Schedule One:

Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm Spanish classes
1:15 pm - 3:15 pm Students signed up for a 6 hour program have classes
Others may use the computer, work on homework, etc.

Schedule Two:

Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 12:00 pm Cultural activities (times will vary depending on activity)
Students may use the computer, work on homework, etc.
1:15 pm - 5:15 pm Spanish classes

Mondays at Personalized Spanish

New classes begin every Monday. At 7:45 am, all students, new and old, gather for Tiempo Para Conocernos (time to meet each other). Coffee and fruit juice is served and we spend approximately 1/2 hour getting to know each other. We will discuss what it is like staying in Costa Rica and any key points you should know before heading off on your own. Also, at this time, our instructors will evaluate each student's current Spanish level. We encourage students to make an effort to use whatever Spanish they currently know. If necessary, teachers may speak to individual students privately in order to better evaluate their level.

After Tiempo Para Conocernos, students will receive their class assignments and those scheduled for the morning will head off to their classes. New students (and old, if they wish) assigned to afternoon classes will go on a field trip, taking the bus into San José for a brief tour. After the field trip/morning classes, students will (optionally) eat lunch together at the school. When 6 hour program students finish their day at 3:00, morning students will have the opportunity to participate in the field trip.