Spanish Language Immersion

The Instituto offers a Spanish Immersion course which includes a solid grammatical base and focus on communicative abilities, presented within a cultural context which allows the student to develop the four language skills: oral expression, written expression, auditory comprehension and reading comprehension. The Spanish Immersion course is taught in small groups, exclusively in Spanish, by native speakers with university degrees and years of teaching experience.

In our classes, the teachers evaluate the students throughout the entire learning process, which allows the student to receive feedback and to self-evaluate. Together, the teacher and the student implement teaching strategies in order to facilitate language acquisition. For students who need credit, we do a close observation of the students’ progress in order to give them grades, which may serve as credit for a university course.

The academic program is comprised of 8 levels:
• Two basic levels (1A and 1B)
• Two intermediate levels (2A and 2B)
• Two advanced levels (3A and 3B)
• Two language-perfection classes (Advanced Language Practice and Literature)

Each level corresponds to a four-week course (80 hours of class). The placement of the students in these levels is determined by an exam with both written and oral components, which is administered on the day of the students’ arrival.

Basic Level 1A

This level is planned for students who are beginning to learn Spanish and who have not studied the language previously. As a course focused on the first contact with the language, the emphasis is placed on communicative skills and auditory comprehension in a personal context within the Mexican culture.

Basic Level 1B

This level is planned for students who have had an introduction to Spanish language studies and are able to communicate with basic grammatical structures or can make themselves understood, though they may use erroneous structures. In this course, the student will reinforce what (s)he has already learned and enrich skills with more grammatical points, permitting the student to use and comprehend more complex structures. The cultural context focuses on the connection between the individual and the world.

Intermediate Level 2A

This level is designed for students who already know the basics of Spanish, who are capable of communicating basic needs, and who understand the mechanics of the language, but nonetheless have the need to develop more complex structures in order to become more involved within the culture. The cultural focus centers around expressions of daily life by means of audiovisual aides.

Intermediate Level 2B

This level is designed for students whose knowledge of the language and its structure permits them to become involved in the culture; emphasis is placed on beginning to produce subjective and complex structures. The cultural focus provokes a more profound reflection of Latin American culture as a combination of pre-Hispanic elements and influences from outside cultures, which together provide a portrait of modern Mexico.

Advanced Level 3A

This level is designed for those students who want to acquire a greater fluency and to maintain conversations with a high level of grammar and vocabulary. The student will perfect basic grammatical constructions that always present difficulties to non-native speakers. The subjunctive mood will be expanded upon in all of its uses and forms. The cultural aspect is focused on Oaxaca.

Advanced Level 3B

This level is designed for students who have a high degree of fluency in communication and a strong knowledge of complex grammatical aspects, but need to place more attention on certain details. The course develops skills to compose and edit different types of texts. The cultural focus is Latin America through the lens of literary expression.

Advanced Language Practice

The Advanced Language Practice course is designed for students of Spanish as a second language who need to refine certain grammatical aspects and develop their oral and written expression as well as their auditory and reading comprehension. This is achieved through a greater appreciation of culture and its intimate connection to the Spanish language in Mexico. The revision of grammatical content is personalized. In this level, the class works with authentic materials such as magazines, newspapers, music, movies, etc.

Literature

This level is planned for students who have a complete knowledge of each of the previous levels, and thus do not require a revision of grammar but rather advancement in the practice of the language. This course leads the student to the acquisition and comprehension of colloquial expressions, knowledge of the culture, its history, and how these factors comprise the essence of Latin America. The focus is on literary production in Latin America.