What makes SpanishBlackbelt's teaching methodology so unique?
Our teaching methodology is ideal for building practical Spanish conversational skills at a fast pace.
SpanishBlackbelt provides its Spanish language instruction in accordance to accelerated language learning principles through:
Click on each section to learn more.
By delivering personalized Spanish courses that have been designed in house to attract the interest of students with different backgrounds using a variety of multi-sensory materials and activities to adapt to students' learning styles in accordance to the theory of multiple intelligences.
By replicating a total language immersion experience through the use of proprietary learning material and role plays, and by having structured guided conversations almost entirely in Spanish softened up with the aid of body language, dramatization, and visual aids, while increasing speed and sophistication of the language gradually as the students travels through the different class levels of Spanish fluency.
By keeping things simple and systematically introducing chunks of vocabulary, patterns and structures while focusing on what is practical or strictly needed, pointing out similarities and differences between both languages, and relying on exemplification, repetition, roleplaying, and mnemonic techniques to aid with memorization.
By using positive reinforcement and enabling a lively, fun, and relaxing atmosphere to increase confidence, facilitate assimilation, and motivate students to continue learning.
By providing one-on-one classes and by keeping our group classes small to increase students' "air-time" in class.
Exposing students to the cultural, social, political and economic aspects of Latin-American countries and the Hispanic community in general by matching them with a professionally-trained native Spanish speaking tutor.
What is the best way to learn Spanish?
Watch this short video to find out!
Spanish immersion is a method of learning by which you learn Spanish using only Spanish and little to none of your native language. You essentially surround yourself with Spanish (Spanish speaking people, Spanish movies & music, Spanish books, etc) and force yourself to communicate and interact with your environment only in Spanish.
According to the definition of the Real Academia Española, the most prestigious dictionary of the Spanish language, immersion is the action of introducing oneself into a real or imaginary context, particularly while learning a foreign language.
Although it was normally associated with the idea of studying while living abroad in a country where Spanish is spoken as a native language, nowadays with the advances in technology it is quite possible to experience many of the immersion benefits without the need to travel abroad. Although you will probably have to use your native language while at work and while talking to friends and family, while doing immersion at home you can push yourself to live the rest of your life in Spanish. If you have access to the internet you also have access to Spanish media, movies, music, and literature, which you can start enjoying at your own pace.
Spanish immersion works because you physically put yourself in situations where you have no choice but to speak the language. At the beginning you may be uncomfortable and confused because you will not know enough vocabulary and grammar rules to decipher the language. But you’ll also be forced to grow and to rise to the challenge as your instinct to survive kicks in. The idea is that, without your native language to fall back on, speaking in Spanish will become a real necessity. It will be a sink-or-swim kind of thing.
One of the key elements of learning Spanish through immersion the right way is having frequent, diverse and broad opportunities to hear, read, write and talk in Spanish. Students who learn Spanish abroad normally have incredible success in learning it precisely because of how frequent, diverse and broad these opportunities are. These students are exposed to the Spanish language everywhere they go which seems to sink in effortlessly.
Despite being a great strategy, Spanish immersion will not work, whether done at home or abroad, when it is executed poorly. It will only work as intended if you do not make the mistakes that people often make.
Some of the mistakes that students make when immersing themselves in Spanish (and which you should seek to avoid) include:-
Engaging in a Spanish learning experience travelling abroad with other people who are not interested in learning, surrounding themselves with people that speak their native language, or staying too much in contact with people back at home, or during study hours.
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Not trying hard enough to make friends who speak Spanish, and not trying hard enough to communicate with them only in Spanish
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Not being willing to dedicate the time and effort required
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Having unrealistic expectations like for example thinking that learning will happen instantly and without actively engaging with the language.
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Not being willing to revisit the same content a minimum number of times. Repetition is king. You will forget and you will relearn, several times throughout your journey. Forgetting is a blessing. The more you forget the higher the chances that you will remember longer.
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Not wanting to run the risk of failing due to prematurely giving up.
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Not having a strong enough motivation to learn the language or not working hard enough to find that motivation.
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Relying on study material that is not diverse enough and tailored to their likes which makes students lose interest in learning the language.
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Spending too much time with content that is just too difficult to absorb which makes them give up too soon.
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spending too much time learning grammar without trying to apply it right away in a verbal conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Spanish classes are very practical and conducted almost entirely in Spanish using a speech that gently increases in complexity, speed and sophistication so that you can get the feeling that you are understanding almost everything that the tutor is saying. You will learn to speak in Spanish in a context that considers your unique needs, interests and prior knowledge simply because we know students will learn faster when they are paying attention to something they care about. If taking private classes, we could include more English in the sessions although the more Spanish is used the quicker you will start using the language verbally.
Our Spanish classes focus mainly on developing your speaking and listening skills because this is precisely what interests most of our students. Having said so, attention is also given to develop all other skills of the language such as reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary acquisition. Of course, if you are taking private classes, we could also focus exclusively on any specific skills if that is what you are looking for.
You will be using Spanish in engaging exercises and activities that will prepare you to communicate with confidence in any situation. When a weakness or problem area is identified, your native Spanish speaking tutor will take the time to explain the theory you need to know to overcome that weakness.
All small group classes will be 2-hours long. A typical one-on-one class will last 2 hours but you could choose to meet as little as 1 hour long or as much as 4 hours long. In each of those hours you will be working on improving a specific structure and vocabulary set. The framework to make this possible will be provided by a syllabus that we will be using to give structure to your classes.
Each syllabus will have 16 chapters, and ideally we will aim at working on the content of each chapter in an hour. Our syllabi consist of 16 chapters designed to enhance your language skills. Each chapter focuses on different aspects such as grammar and vocabulary to provide a comprehensive learning experience.
We value your comfort and productivity, which is why we've incorporated a 5-minute intermission between each hour. This allows for brief relaxation and reflection before diving into the next chapter, ensuring that you stay fresh and engaged throughout your learning journey.
In line with our commitment to interactive learning, we have eliminated traditional lectures from our classes. Instead, we provide you with the necessary theoretical framework through our user-friendly online student center. This pre-class preparation ensures that your in-class time is exclusively devoted to participatory activities, enabling you to put your Spanish skills into practice immediately.
Get ready for an exhilarating experience as we switch activities every 15 minutes, keeping the classes interesting and dynamic. By immersing yourself in a range of engaging exercises, you'll not only master Spanish efficiently but also develop the confidence to use it in real-life situations.
While all our tutors are fluent in English, they have been specifically instructed to teach you in Spanish, and we believe this approach will greatly benefit you. Embracing a full immersion experience might seem challenging at first, but we assure you that the long-term advantages are worth it. By learning through this method, you will achieve better and faster results in developing your conversational Spanish skills.
We understand that initially, you may feel more comfortable using English, and your tutor is happy to accommodate that. However, we kindly request that you consider trusting our expertise and immerse yourself in the Spanish language as much as possible. While your tutor can assist you in English when necessary, please note that progress may be slower compared to fully embracing the immersion approach.
Rest assured, even during classes conducted entirely in Spanish, you have the freedom to interrupt your tutor at any time and request explanations in English. Your tutor is committed to making sure you understand the lessons through various means, such as gestures, acting, writing, drawing, speaking slowly, simplifying grammar, and carefully selecting words. These techniques are specifically designed to minimize any potential frustration while still providing you with valuable exposure to the Spanish language.
We genuinely believe that immersing yourself in Spanish will yield tremendous benefits in your language learning journey. Trust in our methodology, and you'll soon witness the remarkable progress you can make.
Most of our Spanish classes focus on developing your conversational skills without losing attention to reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary acquisition.
Some private classes may instead focus mostly or exclusively on any of these other skills as per the request of the student. There should be no need to sign up for supplemental classes anywhere else.
Most of our Spanish students are mostly interested in improving their speaking abilities. We strongly believe that this objective is not achieved in a short time by paying too much attention to grammar. It is indeed grammar that makes most people lose confidence while speaking.
The idea is that there is only a limited amount of time to be exposed to the language. Studying grammar would distract you from your ultimate objective.
Our method is deductive. You practice in class using the target language in role plays, dialogues, conversations and presentations that address your topics of interest... and then stop to review the grammar/areas that your tutor identified as areas of opportunity for improvement. Grammar, therefore, is analyzed only when specific mistakes are made. That way you learn it within a context so that you can recall what you learn easier.
Please note however that grammar is not the enemy. It is only the enemy if poorly taught. A student will never be able to converse fluently without addressing it. Our approach is to incorporate grammar principles (or logic and structure as we call it) in each conversational class so that a new topic is worked with extensively and verbally in a fun way. If not being able to use and distinguish the tenses for example, a student will most likely end up making significant mistakes as part of their job, and may even put people at risk.
Our Spanish tutors undergo a meticulous selection process, rigorous training, and continuous monitoring to ensure that they possess the necessary flexibility and expertise to adapt our curriculum to your specific requirements. We prioritize your unique learning needs and strive to provide personalized instruction tailored to your strengths and weaknesses.
To further support your learning journey, we have developed comprehensive materials that are accessible through our online student center. These materials have been carefully crafted to address a wide range of proficiency levels, ensuring that you receive targeted instruction appropriate for your skill set and class format. We highly recommend utilizing these resources to ensure thorough coverage of the essential structures and vocabulary relevant to your level before progressing to the next.
By combining the adaptability of our tutors with the comprehensive materials we offer, we are dedicated to providing you with an exceptional learning experience that caters to your individual needs.
At our Spanish language school, we implement proficiency-based language courses, which prioritize the acquisition of specific language skills and competencies over traditional classroom-based measures. These courses are designed to ensure that students achieve a high level of proficiency and fluency in the target language. Key features of our proficiency-based language programs include clearly defined language proficiency levels, competency-based assessments that prioritize practical language skills, flexible learning paths tailored to individual needs, and a focus on real-world language usage. Our approach empowers students to progress at their own pace, apply language skills in practical contexts, and embrace lifelong language learning.
