Spanish Classes?

[Kaleenaautumn]

Hola!

I just arrived in Buenos Aires a couple weeks ago. I am looking to take a Spanish course for a week or two to improve my elementary level Spanish.

I was looking into El Pasaje Spanish School in downtown. Anybody recommend there or somewhere else?

Thanks and hope to chat with newcomers as well!

 

[murvee]

El Pasaje is a budget school (they have the lowest prices for a private Spanish institute in the city). It is a good option if price is your main concern. School is quite small, so small classes and you will be on a first-name basis with staff.

I recommend visiting it in person to double check it is the right option for you. Here are two other schools in the same area (just one or two blocks away) to also check out:

Academia Buenos Aires - Medium-sized schools with great teachers (the advertise they all have masters degrees)
Expanish - Large school with best facilities and extensive activity program

Good luck!

 

[DCexpatstudent]

I here nothing but great things about academia!

 

[Macanudo]

I can highly recommend Proyecto San Telmo. Private lessons for only $80 pesos an hour which is around $5.50 US. Artsy, low density neighborhood (near Plaza Dorrego) fun to roam around in before or after class. Not a social scene like some classes, but if you want one on one personal attention at a very low price, this school is fantastic. Open 7 days a week www.proyectosantelmo.com

 

[Lis]

I took classes for 4 weeks at Ecela. http://ecelaspanish.com/
You can choose how long you wish to take classes and whether you want group or private classes.
I took the group classes, which were very good. The max size is 8 people, but often it is less, so you can progress a lot.
The school has their own material, which was good in my opinion.
It is a nice building with a good service, in a nice neighbourhood (Recoleta, close to Santa Fe).

 

[Kaleenaautumn]

These are great suggestions, thanks!

 

[ninaso8]

Projecto San Telmo is horrible... lessons were not tailored and I question the teacher's teaching methodology. Teacher did not explain things very well. I asked for a chance to speak more in class because I wanted to practice conversation skills--rather then copying down everything in my notebook 100% of the time. She said well if you don't like the way I teach, here's your money. She threw her money at me and walked me out! How rude!

 

[mmoon]

Everyone has different experiences with schools, so you might just have to sign up for a week and see what you think. Several people raved to me about Academia Buenos Aires, and the only good thing I can say about it is that the building is beautiful. It was expensive and a total waste of my time. If you seriously want to learn Spanish (and not just meet hungover people who show up late and needing an immediate coffee break), I would go with a private tutor. I got more out of studying for three hours a week with Adriana Crom than I did spending 20 hours a week at ABA. Less expensive and more convenient as well. I'm not sure how long you are in BA, but the conversational tutor route was a godsend for my sorry Spanish.

 

[murvee]

I completely agree that the needs of each person depend on the selection they should choose.

The reason to go to a Spanish school is to take a group class and be social (meet people, explore the city, etc.). Private tutors will always be cheaper by the hours and you can focus on your specific goals, but it is not the best choice if you are new to the city and want to meet people.

When choosing also see what kind of rate the school charges in pesos. Some schools that are more expensive actually end up being a great deal when you pay in pesos as the official exchange rate (if you have access to the blue rate).

 

[Girino]

I think one should decide what they want from their study of Spanish.

Are you looking to become fluent (if you are likely to relocate permanently)? In this case it might be better to have a strong knowledge of grammar, as well. You should associate private study with something else.
Are you looking to get to a survival level (if you are here just temporarily)? In this case, conversational classes could be better.
Are you looking to make friends and to fill you days? Group classes would be best to socialize, the bigger, the better.
Are you looking for a tailored and intensive course? 1-to-1 is the way to go!
Do you have a native speaker to rely upon in case of doubts? If so, you could study alone the grammar and then practice/ask questions with your native aide.
Do you already have a strong knowledge of a similar language, such as Portuguese, French, Italian? This could be a huge advantage (basic grammar is almost identical) and reduce the amount of study necessary to reach an intermediate-high level.