Study and Learn Spanish in San Pedro, Costa Rica - Spanish School in San Pedro, Costa Rica - Study Spanish abroad

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People of all ages and backgrounds can study Spanish abroad in San Pedro, Costa Rica. This is one of the many Spanish immersion programs offered by Spanish Por Favor. San Pedro borders San Jose, the capital, which is the cultural center of Costa Rica. San Pedro is an amazingly friendly and cultural rich city. Students who study Spanish in San Pedro, will have access to all the amenities of any Western city.

You can be confident in our selection of Affiliate Spanish Language Schools (ASLS) . It is our policy to personally visit and evaluate each school we represent. In addition to a comprehensive tour of all campus facilities and in-depth interviews of key faculty and staff, we actually take the classes offered to ensure that the company's elevated standards are upheld. A formal review and evaluation of all homestay accommodations is also undertaken. Relax, we do the work for you!

*Please contact us with any questions.

Learn Spanish at our Affiliate Spanish Language School (ASLS) in San Pedro, Costa Rica.

School History

Our ASLS in San Pedro, Costa Rica has been teaching Spanish to foreigners since 1979. The school is known for being one of the first Spanish language schools in all of Costa Rica.

The director states,
“ The basic to the school's philosophy is that it be a cheerful, congenial place to learn Spanish".

In addition, the school has been chosen among other Spanish language schools in Costa Rica by several foreign universities for their Spanish and cultural immersion programs.

Last year, over five hundred students from around the world studied Spanish through immersion education here.

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School Location

The school is located in a quiet, upscale residential neighborhood, approximately twenty minutes from downtown San Jose. San Jose is the cultural hub of Costa Rica and there is much to do and see here.

You will find movie theaters, museums, historic sites, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, parks, and much more. Your homestay family will live no farther than a twenty to thirty minute bus ride to and from the school. Some live 5 minutes walking.

The school is a two minute walk from Mall San Pedro, where you can watch current movies and buy all the latest trends in fashion and technology. You can also eat from many restaurants, which offer a diverse choice of cuisine.

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The School

The school boasts a modern facade and a spacious interior with tons of natural light and beautiful hardwood floors.

There is no need for air conditioning at our ASLS in San Pedro because the open air layout allows for a pleasant breeze all day.

There is a huge patio and lawn in the back of the school where students can socialize between classes. Students are assigned to morning or afternoon classes.

Students are assigned to morning or afternoon classes Monday through Friday.  The morning classes are held from 8:15 A.M. - 12:00 noon (with one 15 minute break) and the afternoon classes are held from 1:15 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.  Students must attend classes at the times indicated by the school.

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WiFi

The school has a computer room with five computers and offers students access to the internet as well as WiFi access. Students have access the the school's phones and can make international phone call, if needed, at the school with phone cards.

Cultural and Social Learning Activities

All excursions activities are posted on the bulletin board in the reception area. Latin Dance classes are offered throughout the week. This class is taught by a professional dance instructor who has been teaching this class for many years. Students without dance experience, as well as those with skills, are all welcome and are sure to have a laugh and fun.

The schools also provides the students with a comprehensive four week “excursion program” for those students who are interested in exploring Costa Rican culture.

This program includes several visits to many of the sites and national treasures that make Costa Rica unique.

The tour guides who lead the excursion programs are professional and trained to work with students who are learning Spanish as a foreign language. Besides giving information, they encourage learning and practice of the Spanish language.

These half-day excursions may be combined with any of the four lessons per day programs or with private lessons. For the complete itinerary, please contact us.

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Course Summary

To be selected as an ASLS, the school must offer classes that primarily focus on developing the students' communicative skills. Upon arrival, participants are tested for their facility in Spanish and placed in small classes at different levels, from absolute beginners through advanced.

Thus, active participation of each student is assured. Changes can then be made if a student progresses at a faster rate or shows different learning needs.

Students take a total of twenty or thirty hours of group classes per week and have the option of taking private one-on-one classes thereafter at an additional cost.

Private lessons are specially designed for those who have specific goals or who have limited time. Additionally, there is a group plus two hour private lesson plan for reinforcement that can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the client.

Combination 30: This course includes 20 hours per week of group classes and 10 hours of private, one-on-one classes. This is by far the best option for those who do not have much time and are serious about learning Spanish fast!

Classes are fifty - two minutes long with a fifteen minute break in between morning and afternoon sessions. Students must attend classes at the times indicated by the school.

Our ASLS in San Pedro has many Specialty Spanish courses is for people of all ages and backgrounds and there are many speciality courses to choose from.

The Specialized Spanish Course is a six lesson per day program is designed for students with specialized Spanish language needs: These professionals can be, but are not limited to, executives, physical and occupational therapists, physicians, flight attendants, teachers, nurses, law enforcement agents, and others. This course combines the standard program, which covers Spanish for everyday use, with two additional private lessons daily, focusing on the students’ individual fields.

Specialty Spanish Course: Spanish for Elementary School Teachers:

Non-native Spanish teachers wishing to improve their language proficiency and Spanish teaching skills are welcome to enroll in this program. Participants will be introduced to a variety of classroom activities, materials and techniques.

They will have access to children’s literature, books and materials developed in Costa Rica and other Latin American countries. Visits to local schools are included. Minimum number of participants required to operate the Spanish Teachers Program is six.  Please check with us before applying.

Spanish Program for Teenagers:

Students under the age of 18 can participate in this "summer only" program (months: Junio, Julio and Agosto). This organized and effective "Teen Program" teaches Spanish for functional use. The main focus of teaching is placed on oral skills, but students will learn grammar and practice Spanish through games and interactive exercises, which is maintain the student's interest and enthusiasm.

Teens can travel alone, with their family or within a group. They will be placed to live with Costa Rican families (homestay) who have teen children themselves, so new local friends will be made.  The school is always willing to provide personalized attention to the needs of students.

All of our Spanish immersion programs are very flexible and the staff are open-minded and willing to try new and fun things to keep learning Spanish exciting. Different methods of teaching will be implemented according to the specific needs of the students. Methods include: cassette tapes as a corrective method, call and response, singing, audio lingual, audio visual, interactive games, reading and writing activities, realistic dialogues, grammar drills, role-playing, story telling, and field trips.

If you have any concerns or questions, want to change teachers or try something different, just let the Director of the School know and they will do their best to accommodate you.

The students are always monitored by staff members and/or their homestay families. The homestay families will have "house rules" which students are required to follow throughout their stay. Every night, the school has a curfew of 8:00 P.M. However, students can stay out later, only if accompanied by a school staff or homestay family member or if a parental authorization has been received.

Students will participate in sport, social and cultural activities throughout the program.

Some trips require a guide, private bus and a nominal fee. All of the guides who lead  the excursions are experienced and trained. Get ready to experience the beautiful Costa Rican culture, sites, and way of life!

Program for Kids:

Families that wish to travel with their children to have them participate in Spanish immersion education are welcome. This is extremely common and recommended by us. Families can live together with a homestay family, in an apartment or hotel.

Children in the "Kids Program" are between six and twelve years old. The teaching methodologies used in this program allow the kids to learn in meaningful and fun ways that maintain the child’s interest and enthusiasm. The teachers incorporate games and physical activities that promote both enjoyment and learning. Picture and word cards are frequently used to teach vocabulary and structure. Less focus is placed on grammar and writing and more on speaking and listening. If a family has two kids that are between the ages of 6-12 years old, the second child studies for "Free". That's right, for free and will be in the same class as their sibling.

Families with kids who are too young to take formal classes can still bring the kids and participate. In these cases, the families can live with homestay families who have kids of the same age and they can provide child-care while other family members take classes at the school.

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Teachers

There are ten full-time Spanish language teachers on staff at our ASLS in San Pedro, but this number increases during the high season.

All of the Spanish language teachers have earned bachelors degrees and some hold Master's degrees in linguistics.

All teachers are native speakers of Spanish.  They share the school's belief that classes must be enjoyable to the students.

The teaching staff is multi-lingual, speaking English, French, German, and Italian as well as Spanish. All of the teachers have over two years experience teaching Spanish as a second language and most have over ten years experience.

Upon arrival, participants are tested orally for their facility in Spanish and placed in small classes at different levels, from absolute beginners through advanced. Thus, active participation of each student is assured. Changes can then be made if a student progresses at a faster rate or shows different learning needs. The small group situation provides a relaxed classroom atmosphere that facilitates spontaneity.

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Additional Information

All students receive an orientation on their first day of classes. After this, students will take a verbal examination to identify their appropriate language level. This test usually takes thirty to forty-five minutes to complete.

The school guarantees no more than 6 students per class however, the average group class size is about  4 students. If there is only one student in a particular language level the cost will not change and the student will still get the full four hours of classes per day.

Our school has affiliations with universities in the United States where students can receive credit for classes taken.

The books and materials are original and created by the excellent teaching staff and management.

After you have completed your Spanish immersion experience, you will be asked to fill out a satisfaction questionnaire to critique your teachers, overall classroom experience, and homestay. We at Spanish Por Favor are always striving to improve our programs and services and, therefore, will also request that you critique your experience once you return to your home country through our own personalized survey.

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Study and Learn Spanish in SAn Pedro - price points for 2014

Prior to departure, students must pay a $99 enrollment fee and deposit to reserve a seat. All homestay accommodations (to live with a native family) start on Sundays and end on Saturdays. The airport pickup service is optional, but recommended.

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1.800.699.9685

Study and Learn Spanish in San Pedro, Costa Rica - Spanish School in San Pedro, Costa Rica - Study Spanish abroad