Healthcare Program
We see an increasing need in North America for physicians,
nurses and other healthcare providers to communicate with Spanish
speaking patients and medical colleagues. With this in mind, Personalized
Spanish has designed a special program to meet this need in the healthcare
profession.
The course is designed to provide healthcare practitioners with
effective language skills so that they can communicate effectively
and confidently with their patients and/or their caretakers in Spanish.
Emphasis will be on oral communications.
The course starts with a week long classroom language instructions
at Personalized Spanish with specialized vocabulary for the profession.
Starting from the second week of class, the students may elect to
conduct interviews with their Costa Rican peers and to visit local
clinics and hospitals to experience first hand how the language is
used in their profession. The school will be able to arrange such
interviews and visits for the students.
For this program, we recommend a minimum of 2 weeks Spanish study.
Spanish for Business and Law
If you have little time available and want to maximize
it, you may choose our special program for business and law. Before
your arrival to Costa Rica, we will assess your needs and tailor
a personalized program to meet them.
The program includes classes designed to concentrate on the language
used by international workers, MBA students, managers and the like.
Visits to business institutions that are of interest to the class
can also be organized. For instance, students interested in the legal
system may have an interview with a local lawyer or attend a court
session with the teacher as part of the class. Such visits can also
provide the students with excellent sources of local contacts in
their profession. The materials used in this class can be readily
applied in the work place. In addition to language acquisition, the
students will also learn a great deal about the Costa Rican legal
and economic systems.
Weekly classes normally begin on a Monday. For this program, students
may also opt to start classes any day of the week or study for a
weekend provided they come with a group or they choose the private
lessons.
Spanish for Children
If you are planning to travel with your children,
you are welcome to have them attend the school and learn Spanish
at the same time as you. The program is specially tailored for children
between 6 and 13 year old whose parents are studying at Personalized
Spanish.
The program includes:
- Airport transportation
- Lodging with their parents in a host family
- 2 meals a day and laundry services
- Spanish classes and special materials
- Supervised recreational activities in Spanish such as coloring,
puzzles, videos, sports
Educational outings to places of interest: The Children’s
Museum, The San Jose Zoo, Bird Museum, Insect Museum, Butterfly Garden,
Children’s Theatre, Visits to local schools, entertainment
parks, participation in activities with Costa Rican children, INBIO
Park (bio-diversity park), roller-skating, public libraries
Spanish Internship Program
Internship programs run all year long and last 10
weeks each. They are aimed for:
- High school graduates who would like a rigorous internship experience
before entering college
- College students and college graduates who wish to experience
possible international career options before beginning graduate
or professional schools
- Students needing assistance with placements and logistical support
to complete an undergraduate or graduate thesis
- Professionals who are seeking experience to advance their careers
or would like to explore other career options
- Most importantly, all those who would like to offer their time,
energy and expertise to help with organizations that work on promoting
social justice, especially for the socially oppressed groups
The flexibility of the program allows our staff to identify, and
where necessary, to create opportunities that meet the needs of individuals
with widely differing experiences and interests. Structured internships
are readily available. Most internships are linked to well-established
activities or organizations in community development, environmental
conservation, healthcare, women's issues, suitable agriculture, wildlife
conservation or social services such as childcare, education, and
public health. In agreement with the fundamental Personalized Spanish
philosophy, the goal of the program is to benefit the host community
and organization, as well as the intern.
The Program includes:
Stage 1: Intensive Spanish Classes (4
weeks, 80 hours)
The objectives of the Spanish classes are consistent with the philosophy
and goals of Personalized Spanish. Teaching is done with emphasis
on political and social conditions and environmental issues in Central
America. Teachers supplement intensive conversation, grammar and
practice with guest lectures and discussions on the environment,
culture, political processes, women’s issues, and development.
Participants attend Spanish classes 5 days a week, 4 hours a day
with a 20 minute break. Classes gear toward the individual abilities
and needs of each student. Class size is limited to a maximum of
3 students.
Upon arrival, students are tested and placed in classes according
to their level of language skill. This assures active participation
of each student in an atmosphere which is stimulating, supportive
and conducive for learning.
In addition to classes, students will have the opportunity to participate
in a series of afternoon lectures, activities, and excursion, with
an emphasis on social and environmental topics.
Stage 2: Structured Internship (5 weeks)
On the first day, the Spanish instructor will accompany the participants
to the Organization and introduce them to the program director and
supervisor.
In the first week, the participants will have an orientation to
gain a thorough understanding of the organization where the internship
will take place. The participants will meet with the program supervisor
to discuss and to plan the activities for the internship. The program
director, supervisor and the participants will work together to ensure
that the goals of the internship are in line with the objectives
of the program.
During the subsequent four weeks, the participants will have the
opportunity to immerse themselves in a Latino working environment
and interact closely with their fellow Latino colleagues. This shall
give the participants a real flavor of how the society functions
in this part of the world.
At this stage, the participants will prepare a weekly report. The
program director will meet with the participants once a week to review
the report and to discuss the progress of the internship.
Stage 3: Compile Final Report and Oral Presentation (1
week)
Upon completion of the five week internship, the participants will
return to the institute for a week to compile a final written report
(in Spanish) and prepare to present their report to their peers and
teachers. This will conclude the 10 week internship program.
This internship program is designed for participants who have at
least 1 year of college Spanish or its equivalent. The four week
intensive Spanish classes at the first stage of the program expect
that the participants arrive with a good working knowledge of Spanish.
This is so structured to ensure that the participants will have sufficient
Spanish language skills to carry out meaningful work in the field.
No previous work experience is required to participate in this program.
Upon successful completion of the internship program, the participant
will receive:
- A Certificate of Participation issued by the Organization where
the internship takes place.
- A Certificate from Personalized Spanish for attending the Intensive
Spanish Classes.
Prices
Total tuition and program fees are US$3,600. These fees cover:
- 4 weeks of intensive Spanish instructions
- 5 weeks of structured internship
- 1 week of supervised preparation of the final report and oral
presentation
- Room and half board (breakfast & dinner) with a Costa Rican
family
- A donation to the host Organization for the internship
- Class materials
- Laundry services
- Airport pick-up
A non-refundable deposit of US$500 is due upon acceptance to the
program to guarantee placement. The balance is due at the beginning
of the program. After the program begins, we regret that no refunds
may be made.
Personal Expenses
Depending on personal habits, on the average, students should budget
$400-600 per month for personal expenses such as local and weekend
travels, lunches, visa-related fees and so on.
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