2021 is here and, as usual, many of us set new goals and resolutions for the new year. If you are one of those who have set out to improve their Spanish and, specifically, your oral fluency, keep reading …
Looking back and taking stock of what 2020 meant to us, there is one thing most of us would agree on: the year we have said goodbye to was a challenge and a turning point in many aspects of our lives, for example, our way of teaching and learning.
With the lockdown of the month of March, many of us who were forced to stop face-to-face classes and replace them more or less overnight with online lessons. And though perhaps true that in the beginning the change was a struggle and maybe we thought more of the negative aspects or the daily difficulties to be overcome, little by little we got used to interacting via the screen and became more aware of the possibilities that this new format had to offer. During the pandemic, online teaching positioned itself as a solid alternative to face to face learning and, like many other things, it’s here to stay.
– Flexibility: if you have returned to your country, you cannot go to school at the moment or, because of your work, you have a varying schedule, online classes will let you continue studying Spanish, working around barriers such as physical distance or a fixed timetable.
– Savings: virtual classes save you time and money: the time it takes to travel and the money it costs you for public transport or fuel. The fewer trips made, the lower the energy consumed and the smaller the carbon footprint. Have you considered that? By attending online classes, you will contribute to the sustainability of the planet ?
– Comfort: whilst respecting protocol, you can attend classes in your pyjamas, sitting on the sofa at home, from your office or while having a coffee. You only need a device and a good Internet connection to continue learning with us.
– Range of learning options: at International House, a benchmark in the world of language learning, we have adapted to the new needs of students: group classes, 121 classes, exam preparation classes, our Conversation Club or even workshops on cooking, craft, gardening … who offers more?
And among our online options, today we want to highlight our Conversation Club. These are two-hour sessions focused exclusively on the practice of spoken Spanish that will help you improve your ability to communicate more fluently. If you are attending classes, these sessions will allow you to put into practice the contents that you have learned. If you are not studying right now, they will help you maintain what you have learned in the past. Additionally, you will expand your vocabulary in different registers, learning many words and expressions both in formal and in colloquial Spanish, which is usually learned more on the street than from a book, talking to native speakers. Express yourself freely by speaking in a relaxed environment and giving your opinion on a range of topics: current affairs, news, customs, interests …, universal, profound and trivial topics (you have to laugh at everything, and more than ever in current times!)
Asking our students about the Conversation Club, most emphasise that for them it is a chance to speak more in Spanish, while meeting people from other countries and cultures from the comfort of home. Read what some of them personally think:
For Sarah and Osman, students who attended face-to-face classes with us, the Club has given them the opportunity to continue practising their Spanish and not to lose what they learned now that they have returned to their countries.
For Yong, the Club helped him lose his fear of speaking in order to take an oral Spanish exam. In addition, in his words: "For me, the Conversation Club is an international meeting in Spanish, and also a mutual learning experience".
And Merry dedicated these beautiful words to us: “I love participating in the International House Conversation Club. We talk about culture, politics, food and much more. I really like meeting the other students, from China, England, France, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Slovenia… All speaking in Spanish, learning a lot with very friendly and intelligent teachers. I am from the US and thanks to the class I have friends from many countries around the world. I recommend the Club as a special experience”.
So now you know: if you want to practice your Spanish while you benefit from getting to know people from around the planet, drop in to our Conversation Club!
