What's New
If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart. ~Nelson Mandela
Our Spring Small Group Class Session is Underway
Spring is a great time to learn Spanish to get ready for a trip to a Spanishy-speaking country or expand your horizons for work or pleasure.
Our spring session of small group classes has already begun (view class schedule). Sign up for our SWC email list to get an email announcing the next class session as soon as it is posted online. As always, feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Classes are held online using Zoom live video conferencing, so we are face-toface and highly interactive. Meet with us, socialize online and learn a new language in fun classes. Our group classes are usually limited to 6 students and sometimes fill up early. If you want to be sure of getting a spot, register early.
When the time comes for that trip to a Spanish-speaking country, you'll be ready. Not to mention that learning Spanish also expands job marketability and personal horizons, improves brain fitness and teaches about a vibrant culture. It's about much more than classes, it's buying a fresh mango on the beach in Mexico, chatting with a guide in one of Costa Rica's national parks, or ordering food at a local street fair in Spain. Smiling and personally connecting with someone from another culture changes everything.
Just wondering if this kind of trip is your thing? Take a look at our travel and culture page and see what you think.
Sounds good -- take me to the small group class page.
Why You Should Learn from a Real, Live Teacher
As a student, you have many language learning options, including apps, podcasts, YouTube videos, audio lessons and software. Does this mean that real, live teachers are obsolete? Not at all; most students still prefer learning with a real teacher. Local schools and universities still use teachers. What do real, live teachers have that software and recordings can’t match? Teachers connect with you personally. They can sense if you are “getting it” or not and adjust on the fly. They can be creative and spread a contagious enthusiasm. They can communicate with humor, passion and body language. If you are making mistakes, they can help you understand the error and teach you how to get on the right track. If you have questions, you can ask them and get answers. A teacher pulls all the other elements together, plus learning techniques and strategies, to make it all happen in a way that is motivational, organized, effective and fun. And, having a scheduled class keeps you committed, on track and moving forward. If you try learning a language using just an app, don't expect to get to where you can engage in an actual conversation. If you really want to learn Spanish, go with a quality teacher. For more advice, check out our free online library and read The Essential Elements to Successful Language Learning.
Traveling to Spain or Latin America?
Make your trip better with Spanish!
If you're planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country, learning even a little Spanish will make your trip way more enjoyable. Most Americans don't speak a second language, so if you do, even a little, the locals will treat you differently. You can get a quick prep before you go with our Spanish for Travelers lesson package, including four hours of instruction. We'll teach you the things that travelers need, so you can communicate and connect. And, we'll practice speaking together so you'll be ready when you get off the plane. Or perhaps you're not in a hurry and prefer to learn Spanish in more depth? Check out our personal instruction and small group classes.
Many of our students are studying Spanish because of their travels, which have included Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico and Spain. We don't know anybody that didn't have a fantastic trip. Does this sound good but you don't know where to start? Ask us in class and we can point you in the right direction for what you want. Chances are you'll find the trip that's just right for you.
Dear SWC, Dear Hope, |
You’d be surprised how far even a little bit of Spanish can take you. And, you'll score a lot of points just for effort. There are a lot of words that are almost the same in Spanish as in English, so relax…you can learn a lot and have fun doing it. We have three options that could work with your schedule. Our Let us help you begin your journey of exploring a new culture, its people and their language. You may want to check out our library of articles about travel and culture -- no charge. To our students traveling to Spanish-speaking countries, we trust that your lessons with us are paying off.
Beth took our Beginning 1 class and kindly sent us this note:
I just wanted to thank Natalia for the Spanish lessons over the summer. We just returned from 10 days in Mexico and we were able to get around with my basic Spanish. Just being able to say hola, gracias, de nada, buenos días, etc was helpful. And I could put together a basic question such as "donde está la playa?" and make myself understood. We bought a fish to cook from a fisherman's cooperative and they spoke no English. "Quiero comprar un pescado" got us through as did "no cabeza" so they would cut off the head. We really loved Mexico.
Many of our students have come to us after their first trip to a Spanish-speaking country. They had such a good time that they're going back and want to be able to speak with the people in their native language. It completely changes your travel experience. We have a lot of students who travel regularly to Spanish-speaking countries and know how much difference it makes when you converse with people in their native tongue.
Are You Receiving our Emails and Articles?
We started our email list to let you know about upcoming sessions, but we also include short articles on various Spanish language and culture topics. You can now find much of this informative content on our website under Articles on the menu. This library includes the Furthering Fluency series, which covers various aspects of language learning, and language-technology info you won't find anywhere else. And you'll want to check out our learning tips; they'll help you immerse yourself in Spanish while you're still at home. The mailing list is free; sign up now!
Spanish in Waterbury Center in its 18th Year
We began our classes in 2007, the same year the iPhone came out. We are now in our 18th year and our spring 2024 small group class session will be our 65th! We would like to thank all our customers for making it possible for us to offer Spanish instruction here in the Green Mountains. When we see students who began learning Spanish with us and are now speaking wonderfully, it all seems worthwhile. ¡Muchas gracias!
Technology for Learning Spanish
There are some great apps including Spanish-English dictionaries and verb conjugation tools that can be handily accessed on a smartphone or tablet, as an aid during and outside of class. Learn more on our webpage, Technology for Learning Spanish. Enrolled students get access to more materials on our resources (Recursos) member web pages.
Check out these extras, located in "Articles" on the menu. We are proud to include cuentos and poesia written by our students. And, listen to the audio story in Spanish, produced by the Advanced class. La Ñapa
Practice is important, but how to fit it into your schedule? Audio practice! We provide our beginning students with a free audio MP3 recordings that cover the same material as our beginning textbook. Listen in your car, on the bus, during lunch, while working around the house or yard -- whatever works for you. This will help you get the pronunciation right while saving time. Also, check out our learning tips for other ways to amp up your learning -- free, quick and fun. See our podcast suggestions here.
Spanish for "Resources for Students," Recursos is a web page specifically for our enrolled students. Here, students will be able to access a variety of resources that will assist them in learning Spanish. Included are web sites, apps, verb conjugation tables, learning tips, how to set up your computer for Spanish, our own MP3 recordings and more. Registered students can access this page from For Our Students.
We help students catch up after a problem semester or year at school, or get ready to jump a level. For students that need some extra help or want to go beyond what is covered in class. Every summer we have students that want to get ready for a college Spanish course in the fall, or jump a level in high school. See Tutoring for Students.
We provide private classes for professionals who need to learn Spanish and the specific vocabulary of their profession (such as medical, construction, farming, tourism, travel). Or perhaps you're a teacher that needs help prep'ing for the Praxis exam (Spanish for Teachers) . We'll design the course to fit your profession, level, and schedule. Please contact us for more information.
Need Something Else? ¿Otra Cosa?
If you don’t see what you’re looking for, by all means let us know. We are always trying to adjust our offerings to respond to our customers' needs. We also do private and customized small group instruction.