 | Antigua Guatemala Language Schools Reviews | 1 - 9 of 9 |  |
 Doorway of Ixchel in Antigua by bellatrix
Taken from their website:
"Located in Antigua old colonial capital of Guatemala, Ixchel offers you a cross-cultural language experience customized to the student´s individual need using innovative learning techniques. Learning Spanish is not just a task it is an art, for the person teaching it and for the person learning it. Students are our focus, whom we host in a gracious courtyard surrounded by plants and flowers of Guatemala. Additionally, Mayan culture information is displayed throughout the school to stimulate your imagination about our people´s past, present, and future." Leave a Comment Address: 3a. Avenida Sur No. 6, Casa de los NahualesPhone: 502 832 7137Directions: It's right across the Hospital of Brother Pedro, or Hospital de Hermano Pedro.Website: http://www.ixchelschool.com/ Other Contact: email: Ixchel@conexion.com.gt
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Have you thought about traveling to Guatemala with your family to learn Spanish? Well you aren’t alone. It is a great way to introduce your child to a new country and immerse them in a foreign language.
But before I provide you with a first hand recommendation of a language school in Guatemala, let me tell you a little about the languages of Guatemala. Although Spanish is the official language, there are over twenty-one Mayan languages spoken in Guatemala. These languages are part of the Mesoamerican linguistic group and are spoken by the Mayans of Guatemala. Many of the Mayan people do not speak Spanish at all.
Now back to learning Spanish in Guatemala. I recently read a recommendation for a language school posted by a mother we will call Mrs. Smith. For two weeks she, her husband and her two daughters (aged eleven and seven) attended the Academia Colonial in Antigua, Guatemala and had a great time.
The instruction in this school is one-on-one, and each of them had their own instructor. The teachers follow a certain methodology, but the classes aren’t unnecessarily structured. After doing an initial assessment the first day, they create an individual learning plan for the student. They also incorporate games, field trips, videos, cooking and enjoyable activities. Mrs. Smith reported that the teachers were terrific and made sure that the children had age appropriate classes and activities.
And what does this all cost? A program of four hours per day costs $100 per week.
Regarding accommodation, Academia Colonial has a “family stay” option where students live with a local family and get lots of immersion in the Spanish language. The family stay is $80 per week per person, and that includes meals. Mrs. Smith stayed with a family that had two children so her kids had other children to play with. The house was very clean and they enjoyed staying there.
Mrs. Smith highly recommends this Academia Colonial Spanish School in Antigua Guatemala and I thank her for providing this helpful information. Leave a Comment Address: 7a Calle Poniente #11, Antigua, GuatemalaPhone: 502.5087.7636Directions: Academia Colonial Spanish School is located only 2 blocks from Antigua’s central park.Website: http://www.academiacolonial.com
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What a great place to learn Spanish or practice what you've learned. The people are so friendly and even many in town don't speak English so you HAVE to speak Spanish. I studied with Probigua with a miestra named Yesenia who was great. The director of the program Rigoberto looks like a good-looking Castro! There are computers there for email, it is right next to La Merced, they will hook you up with a host family if that is what you want, you can studied 4-8 hours a day, they have activities you can do in the afternoon. It is also resonably cheep. But in all fairness, there are lots of language schools so do some research and chose one that is best for you. Address: 6a Avenue Norte #41-B, Antigua G. 03001Phone: (502)8320-860Directions: Near La MercedWebsite: http://probigua.conexion.com Other Contact: Probigua@conexion.com.gt
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I am from Switzerland and was many times in Antigua for longer and shorter periods where I have seen several bigger and smaler language schools. The nicest school of all those I visited was „cooperation“ and I have returned there often. The school is serious and you learn a lot, but the school is also able to organise a party or excursion if the students like it and it is appropriate.
I had a great time there and speak fluently Spanish now.
The school is small and is organised as a coopertion of teachers. You learn Spanish in private lessons that means every student has his own teacher. You get from the school teachingmaterial about the language in general or about the special subjects you ask for. Every teacher has a university degree, is flexible and very friendly. You can take lectures in the morning or in the afternoon. The students can stay in a hotel or in a guestfamily if you prefer. The teachers will help to find a good family to stay with. The prices are adequate compared to other schools. In the afternoon you can participate in different activities like excursions, cooking or dancing salsa and many more. Go and have a look at the homepage of the school or speak with Jorge, write them a mail and you will get soon an answer in English. Try it out, you will have a lot of fun and be soon master of a new language! Address: 7a.Avenida Norte N0. 15 "B", LA ANTIGUA GUATEMALAPhone: (502)5812-2482Directions: near the parque centralWebsite: http:/www.spanishschoolcooperacion.com Other Contact: www.geocities.com/escuela_coop
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I first went to San Jose El Viejo language school in 90 after doing extensive research on Spanish language schools around the world. I loved it so much I went back two more times for a total of 5 weeks of 1 on 1 instruction. I'm happy to say I am now conversational. It also helps that my Mom is Latina!
Antigua Guatemala is a beautiful Spanish Colonial town, up in the mountains about 45minutes outside of Guatemala City (Guate). The locals are very friendly and used to foreigners coming to their town. There are many Americans, Europeans, and Japanese in the area that are visiting. Antigua is also a great point to tour the rest of the country. I recommend going to Panajachel on Lake Atitlan, Chichicastenango, and Tikal which requires that you fly from Guate to FLores.
For those that want to learn Spanish, San Jose is the type of School I wish every school was like. They have little "casitas" for each student and teacher that are in a beautiful garden setting. Because you have one on one instruction you have no choice but to learn the language! The setting is very relaxed and easy going. When I went I stayed with a family that I really liked and stayed with them on my other two visits. If living with a family isn't your thing, San Jose has some residences on their property that they rent out to students by the week or you can rent a hotel in town. Address: Antigua, GuatemalaDirections: All info is in the website or just ask anyone on the street in Antigua, they'll know where it is.Website: http://www.sanjoseelviejo.com/
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I spent 3 months studying at Escuela de Español "Cooperación" (Spanish School Cooperación) in Antigua, Guatemala and I highly recommend it. Here’s why.
First, the teachers are great and have a lot of experience. Jorge Mario basically runs the show although he occasionally teaches classes as well. I communicated with Jorge Mario via email before arriving and he was very helpful. We arranged for him to pick me up at the airport but the day I arrived he was quite sick with the flu. Still, he sent someone in his place and still came out in a terrible rain to meet me at the school and then took time to quickly walk me through town and show me some things. I also did some activities with Jorge Mario (whose nickname is “El Sapo”) and always enjoyed spending time with him.
My teacher was Milly and she is very professional and experienced – I think one of the most experienced in Antigua, actually. She has a teaching system with materials she developed herself and in my 3 months I started at the beginning and made it through all of the materials, getting a very solid grammar foundation with plenty of time to actually have conversation in class. I don’t think I am especially good at language but I met many students from other schools and with only a couple of exceptions it seemed that I had learned more in a shorter time. I also never met anyone who had a better study of the dreaded subjunctive than I had with Milly. But, Milly isn’t just a great teacher, she is also a great person who is easy to talk with. She also knows a lot about Antigua and you can learn a lot besides Spanish from talking with her.
The school is one of the more reasonably priced schools and they are flexible in terms of scheduling. I didn’t need much flexibility but some of the other students did and I saw that they were accommodated every time. You can also start pretty much any day of the week and study for pretty much any duration you can manage.
The Cooperación is a small school which has its pluses and minuses. You get great attention and all the teachers are experienced and professional. But, if one of your goals is to make a ton of friends with other students, there will obviously be less opportunities at a smaller school. Still, I met wonderful people from Norway, Germany, Ireland, France, U.S., Canada, UK, etc.
The only aspect of the school I can’t talk about from direct experience is the homestay as I chose to stay for 3 months and got my own apartment (which El Sapo helped me find). But, it seemed that others students at the school who stayed with local families did have a good experience.
So, there are a lot of school choices in Antigua and I am sure you won’t go wrong with many of them. But, if you aren’t decided yet on a school, I recommend you check out the Cooperación. Leave a Comment Address: 7a. North Avenue No. 15 "B"Phone: (502) 5812-2482Directions: The main office and the actual school are in different locations. The office never changes but the class locations occasionally do.Website: http://www.spanishschoolcooperacion.com/
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I spent one month studying at the Spanish School Cooperacion in Antigua. Like any school, there are good teachers and not-so-good teachers; some students were very happy with their experience, and others were not. My advice: whatever school you choose, tell them that you'll just stay for one week, and don't pay for more. By the end of the first week, you can book for longer if you like you're happy; if you're not crazy about your teacher, you can either try to change teachers or switch schools. It's pretty much impossible to get a refund from anybody.
Although this school is much cheaper than others in town, a drawback is that it does not have much of an activity program - because it's so small (generally only 5-10 students at any given time, versus dozens at other schools), the most you'll get it a weekly salsa class and maybe one extra excursion. There's a trip every Friday morning, but that's in place of language class.
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If you are looking for a great Spanish school in Antigua, Guatemala, go to Escuela Cooperacion.
Its a cooperative of teachers and everyone there is paid fairly and is happy to be there. You have the option to customize your studies and can study for as little as one week or a few months. The teachers are very flexible and want to help you to learn. It is a great value and includes the option for homestay (yummy food). The price for a week also includes a daily field trip to local attractions. We went to the market, a nearby town, the cemetary and a macadamia nut farm. It is a great place weather you are looking to learn a few key phrases or to speak and understand Spanish.
You study one on one with a teacher for 3-4 hours a day (more or less if you want) on a beautiful terrace in the sunshine. Our teache Milly even took us out for a day at the hot springs!!
The owners of the school are sooo friendly and they also teach Salsa lessons (they are GOOD!!)
I can't say enough great things about Escuela Cooperacion. Its location very near the plaza central is also quite easy to find. Address: 7a.Avenida Norte N0. 15 "B"Phone: (502) 8122482Directions: near the parque centralWebsite: escuela_coop@yahoo.com
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Thousands of tourists come to Antigua each year, many to study Spanish. I'm no exception, and based on the recommendation of a fellow couchsurfer (www. couchsurfing.com), I signed up for two months of classes with Escuela de Espanol "Cooperacion". Boy, am I glad I took her recommendation. I signed up for classes at the school with Jorge Mario, director of the school, while on vacation in Antigua in December.
I was worried about finding an apartment over the internet (I'd seen a couple while on vacation which didn't suit me) but Jorge Mario promised to find something for me that I'd like. He worked with local contacts and visited a variety of apartments before finding one he thought I'd like and sending photos and a description. He also arranged to pick me up at the airport in Guatemala City.
My first day in Antigua, enjoying the wonderful apartment Jorge Mario arranged, I met Mily, new maestra. That day we didn't have class. Instead Mily helped me shop for basics and showed me around, answering questions and making me feel like I'd moved to a town where I already had a local friend.
The teachers at the Escuela de Espanol Cooperacion each have more than ten years experience and terrific resources to make learning Spanish both easy and fun. Classes are tailored to each individual and involve traditional practice, along with conversation, games and "field trips". The quality of teaching and support materials is excellent (and as a former teacher, I'm not easy to please!)
Whether you'll be in Antigua for a week for a month, I strongly recommend you try the Escuela de Espanol "Cooperacion". You'll still have plenty of time for all the standard tourist stuff - but will have the inside track, thanks to Jorge Mario, Mily and the other teachers at the Escuela. Leave a Comment Address: 7av. Norte No. 15 "B", AntiguaPhone: (502) 5812-2482Directions: One avenue east of the mercado, and two blocks east of 4calleWebsite: www.spanishschoolcooperacion.com Other Contact: escuela_coop@yahoo.com
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