Studying in Spain: Questions to Ask When Choosing a Language School. Part One
The impressions that remain after studying in Spain in one of the language schools of the Kingdom are usually the most positive, especially if the trip was preceded by a careful choice of educational institution. What questions should be answered before giving preference to one or another school?
Oddly enough, the first of these questions will not be the cost of education. Experts believe that it is worth first deciding whether the teaching methods of the chosen school correspond to the style of education that the future student prefers. Otherwise, the studies are unlikely to be successful, since the student will simply be bored and uninterested. While some language schools focus on grammar, others pay maximum attention to oral communication and gaining knowledge about the history and culture of Spain. In addition, many schools offer additional classes: master classes in cooking, dance, sports, etc. If, when choosing a school, you take into account not only the goals that the student sets for himself in the process of learning the language, but also his own hobbies and preferences, learning can become much more interesting and fruitful.
Another important point: many Spanish language schools allow their students to create their own training program based on their goals and preferences, while other schools adhere to a very strict and once and for all established structure of classes. Some people need such strict discipline to overcome the period of initial difficulties in learning the language, while others, on the contrary, it can scare off, creating self-doubt. Therefore, before making a final choice, it is worthwhile to get detailed information about the teaching style adopted at the school. But even if this is not done, often a certain correction can be made already in the learning process, asking the teacher, for example, to write more on the board (for visual learners) or pay more attention to the pronunciation of words.
The next question to answer is: how many people will be studying in one group? Depending on the chosen educational institution, this number can vary quite widely – from 3-4 to 25-30 people. As a rule, the larger the school, the larger the groups will be, although there are many exceptions.
Those planning to study at language centres at universities should keep in mind that the groups here are usually the largest. This means that you cannot count on individual attention. The number of groups is always indicated on the school’s website, but in fact it is often smaller than the average: the number of groups usually varies throughout the year. If a student wants to receive maximum attention, it is worth finding out in advance when the groups are the smallest. However, one should also take into account the following paradox: students often get more language practice in a large class, where an interactive teaching method is used, than in a small group, where a traditional approach to teaching is used, which again refers us to the first question.
Another important question to ask when going to study in Spain at one of the language schools
Having answered the first two questions, you should ask yourself the following: how many teachers will be teaching? If the school is small, then it is quite possible that the entire course will be taught by one teacher. Some consider this a positive factor, ensuring the stability of the educational process. But there is another opinion: different teachers mean different styles of speech, different styles of presenting the material, and different points of view. All this contributes to faster acquisition of the language and the formation of communication skills.
The number of teachers who will teach in a group usually depends not on the size of the school, but on the style of work it has chosen. This question should also be asked in advance by contacting the school administration and choosing the most suitable option for yourself. Some people find it more convenient to work with one teacher, without the distraction of getting used to different people, while others prefer variety in this regard.
