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One-on-One

PricesIndividual instruction is the most efficient and powerful way to learn Spanish. That's why at Vida Verde Spanish School the overwhelming majority of lessons are held one on one. Compared to group lessons there are the important advantages such as:

  • learn at your own pace
  • lessons tailored to your needs
  • immediate feedback
  • enjoy 100% of your teacher's attention

Mini Group Lessons

PricesWe offer classes in mini groups of up to 4 students. We offer assessment tests in advance to make sure all students of a mini group have the same skill level. The mini group is great if

  • you study with friends or family
  • you want a social class ambience
  • if you want to get to know other students

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Rotation Method

Our teachers naturally have different teaching styles, personalities and interests: Our study program suggests that you switch teachers every week. Of course the decision is always yours and often once on good terms with their teachers students want to continue.

Flexible Schedule

We offer flexible study schedules. Most students though prefer to study during mornings, from 8:30 to 12:30. That way the afternoons can be used for activities.

Our Teaching Material

1 up to 3 within 3

Breaks

We have a 20 minutes' break each morning around 11:00. It is included in the hours of classes. We provide complementary coffee and tea, sometimes accompanied with a snack. Students are encouraged to use the break to meet and talk (preferably in Spanish) with other teachers and students.

Course Content

Our teaching material: Español del MundoOur Study Program is based on the internationally recognized CEFR framework for Learning, Teaching and Assessment which is also the basis of DELE-Diplomas (Spanish as a Second Language). The levels are Basic (A1, A2), Independent (B1, B2) and Proficient (C1, C2). No previous knowledge of Spanish is necessary to study at the Basic level. After enrollment only students who already know some Spanish are given an assessment exam (written and oral) to determine at what level they should begin their classes. The professor and student then together design a customized study plan. Students starting at Basic level communicate fluently after 5 to 6 weeks (100 to 120 lessons). At the end of every level students take an exam.

Our teachers use a selection of modern Spanish textbooks and reading books to cover our Study Program. Vida Verde provides a workbook containing grammar and lecture exercises that our teachers integrate into their lessons. For fun and excitement we use a variety of other didactic tools: participatory videos, magazines and newspapers, movies, audio material, group discussions, "escape the classroom" excursions and student presentations. Because we do not forget about our green commitment cultural and environmental topics are also part of the curriculum.

Levels

Basic Speaker (A1, A2)
 Independent Speaker (B1, B2) Proficient Speaker (C1, C2)
A1 (Breakthrough):Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce him/herself and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people he/she knows and things he/she has. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. B1 (Threshold): Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans. C1 (Effective Operational Proficiency): Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
A2 (Waystage): Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need. B2 (Vantage): Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options. C2 (Mastery):Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.
These levels belong to the "Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR): Learning, Teaching, Assessment" of the Council of Europe and thus also match the DELE-levels. DELE-Diplomas are available for the levels B1, B2 and C2. Vida Verde also offeres special DELE-Preparation Courses.

Detailed Level Description

Basic Level Description

  • Presentation of alphabet
  • Pronounciation and phonetics
  • "Survival Spanish": Key vocabulary for daily life
  • Articles: definite and indefinite
  • Nouns: use of gender and number
  • Adjectives
  • Pronouns - personal and demonstrative
  • Use of the verb "to be" (ser and estar): uses, differences
  • Affirmative and negative sentences; forming questions and answers
  • Conjugation of regular and irregular verbs in present tense
  • Basic periphrastic constructions with infinitives
  • Immediate future tense ("ir" + "a" + verb)
  • Modal verbs ("tener que", "hay que", "saber" y "conocer")
  • Possessive pronouns and adjectives
  • Reflexive and reciprocal pronouns
  • Simple (preterit) past tense (regular verbs)
  • Simple (preterit) past tense (irregular verbs)
  • The imperative (or command) form (affirmative and negative)
  • Direct and indirect object pronouns

Independent Level Description

  • Imperfect past tense (formation, uses, comparison with simple past)
  • Present perfect tense (formation and uses)
  • Formation of past participle (regular and irregular
  • Past perfect tense (regular and irregular): formation and uses
  • Prepositions: a, de, con, sin, desde, hasta, en
  • Prepositions: por, para, sobre, segun, tras
  • Adverbs
  • Comparisons: superiority, inferiority, equality, and identity
  • Superlatives
  • Reflexive verbs (special cases)
  • Use of "se"
  • Gerunds: formation and uses
  • Imperfect future tense (regular and irregular)
  • Simple conditional tense: formation and uses
  • Subjunctive Present: formation and uses
  • Subjunctive Imperfect: formation and uses

Proficient Level Description

  • Subjunctive Present Perfect
  • Subjunctive Past Perfect tense: formation and uses
  • Compendio de todos los tiempos y modos de indicativo y Subjuntivo
  • Conjunctions (temporal, conditional, final, causal, concessive, consecutive, modal)
  • Uses of "Si"
  • Relative Pronouns
  • Periphrasis Verbal
  • Future perfect tense: formation and uses
  • Conditional perfect tense: formation and uses
  • Sequence of tenses (all tenses and modes, subjunctive and indicative)
  • Idiomatic Expressions

Spanish for Professionals

Vida Verde offers study programs for professionals in the following five areas:

  • Environmental Science
  • Business and Economics
  • Latin American Literature
  • Medicine

These programs allow students to focus on a career-related or personal topic of interest. Programs are available for students who have reached the Proficient User level. Each subject is taught only by a specialized instructor.

DELE Preparation

The "Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera" (DELE) issued by the Instituto Cervantes on behalf of the Spanish Ministry for Education are official qualifications accrediting levels of competence and command of the Spanish language. The University of Salamanca collaborates with the Instituto Cervantes in the development of the examinations and in the marking of the examination papers.

DELE is the Spanish equivalent to the English TOEFL or Cambridge Certificates. Vida Verde offers DELE preparation programs taught by our certified DELE instructors that correspond to the DELE levels A1, A2, B1 (Inicial), B2 (Intermedio) and C2 (Superior).