General Spanish Intensive (curso de español)

Objetivos

Intensive courses are an effective way of learning Spanish and improving one’s language fluency in the longer term. We focus firmly on ensuring that our students rapidly acquizre the language skills they need in a Spanishspeaking setting.

The classes are both enjoyable and eminently practical, helping students pick up the language right from the first day. The cultural programme included in the course deepens students’ knowledge of the language and provides them with the historical, social, artistic and political background they need to understand Spanish.


Sistema de Enseñanza

Language classes focus on students and their needs. Students’ linguistic requirements and progress are assessed on an individual basis.
The course enhances students’ verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Apart from conversation, classes also cover: listening comprehension; reading comprehension; writing skills; and the differences between formal and informal registers.

Group sizes are carefully chosen to maximize practice and student participation, ensuring active learning that goes far beyond simply learning grammatical and spelling rules: students share life experiences and information in the process of discovering Barcelona. The process of improving students’ Spanish is enhanced by a multi-cultural climate and a cross-fertilization of ideas.

English/Spanish exchanges are also organized with Spaniards of different ages and professional profiles from among those studying English at ESADE (when available).
The Cultural Programme is a key part of the intensive courses and reflects our belief that one cannot be fluent in a language without understanding the underlying culture. The cultural activities help students progress in their language learning and come to grips with the way Spaniards, Catalans and South Americans think. The activities cover Art, History and Social Issues with special focus on what Barcelona has to offer.

The cultural programme includes: 0 Lectures on Spain’s best known painters (Picasso, Dalí, Miró); Art Nouveau architecture (Gaudí); Spanish and Latin American literature (Magic Realism, Lorca, Cervantes); the history of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain and Latin America; Spanish Society (celebrities, the media, politics, customs and cultural differences arising in day-to-day contact with Spaniards). Spanish and Latin American films, which provide an excellent tool for improving students’ listening comprehension and understanding the cultural situation of the country where they were made.

Workshops (dancing, theatrical improvisation, etc.)
Cultural visits to places of interest in and around Barcelona.


Starting 2008:

• 7 January
• 21 January
• 4 February
• 18 February
• 3 March
• 25 March
• 7 April
• 21 April
• 5 May
• 19 May
• 2 June
• 16 June
• 7 July
• 21 July
• 4 August
• 1 September
• 6 October
• 20 October
• 3 November
• 17 November

Duration:
2 weeks to 6 months

Schedule:
Monday to Friday
9.30 to 14h.