Escuela de Español "Cooperación"

About

The Escuela “Cooperación” is different from most other schools in Antigua because we have a well-developed system of teaching which includes structured materials created by our own experienced teaching staff. These materials are designed to supplement our focus on the oral practice of Spanish and allow you to continue your grammar studies outside the classroom. And, unlike the few other schools which have their own materials, we we don’t charge extra for this. Our prices are among the best in town and include:

• A complete textbook of grammar
• A collection of homework to supplement the learning process
• Activities in the afternoon
• Coffee, tea and purified drinking water in the school
• Excellent teachers with years of experience

Why is a System Important?

Learning a language is not easy and sometimes not fun, but the fact is you must master the basics of grammar to communicate well in Spanish. Having a well-developed teaching system in place helps ensure that you will have a strong base of knowledge to help you progress with your Spanish speaking abilities. It also helps maintain consistency and avoid gaps in learning if you switch teachers, for example. Finally,whether you choose “Cooperación” or not, ask yourself the following question: if you end up with an inexperienced teacher will there be a system in place to make sure that you still learn what you need in the order you need, or will you be at the mercy of that teacher’s personal experience?

We’re Not for Everyone While we can accommodate the student who solely wants to learn survival or travel Spanish, generally our school and system is designed for the more serious student. We know it can be frustrating for complete beginners, but using and sticking with a well-designed teaching system will ultimately prove worth the extra effort. That isn’t to say we don’t know how to have fun, or encourage conversation even at the lower levels, but if you are a beginner and expect to just come and start speaking in class without doing the work of learning the grammar, you may be disappointed with our structured approach.

As educators, we have an average ten years of experience or more in teaching Spanish to students from all over the world. We each have university degrees specializing in teaching Spanish grammar. We use this knowledge and experience to tailor our program to meet your particular level (beginning, advanced, and everything in between!) using an intensive one-on-one, total immersion approach.

As part of our program, we can also arrange a home stay with a Guatemalan family for all or part of your time in Antigua. Not only does this provide a wonderful opportunity to practice what you learn in class, but you will also enjoy the unforgettable experience of seeing family life in Guatemala, first-hand.

What happens during a typical class?

Classes include grammatical instruction, conversation, and a variety of games to help you memorize conjugations and vocabulary. This approach will get more comfortable using your new language as quickly as possible. Some of our games include:

• La Oca Loca
  Based on a famous game from Spain, this activity facilitates conversation, and helps you get to know your fellow students.
• Scrabble Play
  Play this classic game in Spanish, and find out just how well you’ve learned your new vocabulary. (Hint: Don’t forget to use conjugations! They provide a wealth of different spellings!)
• Escrupulos (Scruples)
  A game to improve your fluency that will also put your moral fiber to the test!
• Dados (Dice)
  A great drill to help you conjugate verbs with ease
• Flashcards
  A visual aid to help you broaden your vocabulary
• Musica (Music)
  This exercise uses music to help you understand what you hear when people speak to you.
• Collective Grammar
  Group classes that review some of the most commonly confused grammatical points
• Mesa Redona (Round Table)
  Group discusses of specific themes in politics, social, cultural, religious issues, etc.
• 20 Questions
  Can you figure out what person, place or thing I’m thinking of, just asking yes or no questions? Practice forming questions in Spanish.
• Mimica
  A game to help you learn action verbs
• Memoria (Memory)
  This is the classic flashcard game, translated into Spanish.

Schedule

Individual Classes

Morning Classes

• Four hours of daily classes, 08:00-12:00
• Five hours of daily classes, 08:00-13:00
• Six hours of daily classes, 08:-12:00-14:00-16:00
• Seven hours of daily classes, 08:00-12:00-14:00-17:00

Afternoon Classes

• Four hours, daily: 12:00-16:00- 13:00-17:00- 14:00-18:00
• Five hours, daily: 12:00-17:00- 13:00-18:00

Learn Spanish by Skype

http://online.cooperacionschool.com/