Elebaires’ Teaching Method

I sat down the other day with Cecilia Wolman, Elebaires’ Educational Coordinator, and talked with her about our teaching philosophies.  This is what she explained to me:

In Elebaires, we focus on communication skills, teaching grammar in the context in which it is used and encouraging our students to speak and listen.  Our goal for our Spanish students is to achieve full competency in different fields of communication.

Semantic competency: pronunciation, vocabulary, language structure and syntax.

Speech competency: the selection,  sequence, and arrangement of ideas expressed must be eloquent and clear.

Strategic competency: the speaker must have strategies that help fill in blanks in a conversation; that is, the way the person finds ways around gaps in understanding a speaker, or expressing an idea.

Gaining communication skills is the primary objective of each level and refers to the actions& tasks students are able to perform in Spanish upon completing our levels. Our courses have a practical approach: we want you to use the language, not just know it.

The grammatical content for each level are the “tools” to communicate correctly. Grammar topics are not usually addressed directly in class. Many activities are presented to help students grasp the language structures and rules in a natural way.

In Elebaires, our goal is that every student learn and develop Spanish skills to the best of their ability, to be able to appreciate Latin American culture more and to be able to build relationships with locals.  Our multi-dimensional approach and focus on communication help make that happen.

Are you interested in learning more about Elebaires and our teaching methodology?   Please contact us!