ONLINE CLASSES
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we offer online classes and given us the opportunity to grow as a school even with all the sadness, frustration and difficulty is has caused us all. In all of our online classes, our goals remain the same—use Spanish teaching (and cultural classes) to expand learning and create a global community based in the ideas of collaboration, fair pay and mutual respect. In these trying and uncertain times, it is all the more important that we strengthen the bonds that connect us even as the disease separates and scares us. We are stronger together.
While we have long offered private class options online, including specialty classes in poetry, literature, politics, queer art & culture, vernacular language (slang, cursing, inclusive language, etc.), we have recently expanded our offerings to include Group Conversational classes at all levels as well as online workshops. In part we want to make sure learning Spanish is as affordable as we can make it.
WE ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING:
ONLINE GROUP CLASSES
ONLINE PRIVATE CLASSES
ONLINE SPECIALTY CLASSES
ONLINE PRIVATE CLASSES WITH EXTRA TASKS (readings, worksheets and written assignments)
TEACHING METHODS:
As a cooperative led by teachers, our goal is to teach you Spanish in such as manner that best sets the stage for you to become increasingly fluent. All of our classes are taught by Spanish teachers with many years of experience, and most have taught for years in the premier language schools in Oaxaca. While most teachers know English and other languages, our philosophy is that language learning has to happen in the language being learned, so that the students are immersed in the language starting at the beginning level. This also means that speakers of any language who want to learn Spanish are welcome!
We use a communicative method of instruction, in order to encourage engagement and allow our students to strengthen their communication skills. This means that while we focus on grammar and value grammatical understanding and form, the classes have always been conversational in nature and online they are even more so. We seek to balance the development of all language learning skills—speaking, listening, reading, writing—but we are especially attuned to how important it is for our students to take advantage of practicing their speaking and listening with native speakers who can guide them in correcting their mistakes. As such our classes are structured so that the students can actively engage in class at all times.
Usually teachers will asign simple tasks as part of their classes but if students require more exercises or activities, these classes have an different cost.
INTERFACE:
Group and private classes will be offered through Zoom.
For all classes, we will send you the materials you need electronically, either through email or other online forums. We ask that you have a pen or pencil, a notebook, and a dictionary, bilingual for lower levels and monolingual for high level students. (You can download them on your phone; we highly recommend the free SpanishDict for its fairly extensive collective of slang. For a monolingual dictionary on your phone, the Real Academia Española offers a free version if you have internet).
PAYMENT:
We prefer to receive payments in cash because of the fees associated with online international transactions. But for online classes, we know that PayPal is almost always necessary. We have structured our payments in higher quantities than we used to because of the associated costs related to PayPal.
GENERAL SCHEDULE & CANCELLATION:
For group classes, we will be updating this page with our offerings, and will be responding and adjusting to needs. Please write us with what times/days could work for you and we will try to open up new options.
Because of the nature of Group Classes there is no way to cancel these classes. Additionally, and as with all of our classes, there are no refunds. However, if the situation drastically changes for you or globally, obviously we will work to honor the payment.
For private classes, we are flexible and will work to meet your scheduling needs. Please give us your schedule and we will do our best to find a teacher to work with you in it. For group classes, we will be adapting based on need, so if you can’t work our current schedule, let us know.
For private class cancellations, we ask that you give us at least 24-hour notice, or we will have to charge 50% of the usual price for the class. When classes are not canceled by the student and the student does not show up to classes, the class will be taken as given. The teacher will be online for 20 minutes, which will be the maximum tolerance. After that time, the class will be also taken as given.
