The
campus is located in colonial Heredia, approximately
20 minutes by bus from the capital city of San
José, and is Costa Rica’s primary
coffee-growing province. Originally known as the
“City of Flowers,” Heredia has since
developed considerably, providing all the conveniences
of a medium-sized city in an environment which
escapes, to a large extent, the common urban problems
affecting San José.
Heredia is home to
the National University, and an important cultural
center for Costa Rica. The central park retains
a typical Latin American “pueblo”
feel, despite increasing modernization.
The province of Heredia is the coffee-growing
capital of Costa Rica, where one can still see
loaded ox-carts bringing in the beans from the
coffee plantations characteristic of the green
mountainsides. In the rural villages you will
witness a way of life very different to that of
the cities, and see vestiges of the old colonial
architecture once typical in the entire Central
Valley.
The school program uses a combination
of immersion teaching methods centered around
the Communicative Approach with a solid grammar
component. Instead of a traditional grammar program,
classes are designed to provide a fully balanced
intensive immersion experience for students.
This
means that they incorporate all aspects of language
acquisition: conversation, grammar, reading, writing,
general comprehension and idiomatic expressions.
The teacher’s role is seen as one of facilitator,
where the students have input into their own learning,
thereby making it more meaningful to their own
experience. In addition to formal textbooks, they
use a wide variety of current materials: newspapers,
literature, audiocassettes/CD’s, videos,
advertisements, music, short stories and more.
Classes also incorporate field trips and out-of-class
learning. Thus classes remain interesting as well
as educational!
Cost per week per
student:Contact Coodinators
All meals as well as classes/homestay, airport transport and activities are included.
Examples of First Week's Schedule of Classes
(Note: Classes may shift to afternoon
on high season and details are subject to change)
Monday, July 2nd
8:30- 12:30pm Spanish Classes
12:30-1:30pm Teen Orientation, ice-breaker activities and lunch
1:30pm-2:30pm Latin Dance class
3:00pm-4:00pm Latin Cooking Class
4:00pm-5:30pm Intercambio with local teen students
6:00pm Dinner with host family
Tuesday, July 3rd
8:30- 12:30pm Spanish Classes
12:30-1:00pm Lunch
1:00pm Community Project
6:00pm Dinner with host family
7:00pm Movie at the school
Tuesday, July 3rd
8:30- 12:30pm Spanish Classes
12:30pm Lunch
1:30-2:30pm Dance Classes
5:30pm Departure for the movies and mall visit
9:00pm Return to homestay
Thursday, July 5th
8:30- 12:30pm Spanish Classes
1:00pm Cultural Charla (Costa Rican Teens, Trends and Traditions)
6:00pm Departure for Dinner and Entertainment at La Tiquicia
Friday, July 6th
8:30am- 10:30pm Spanish Classes
10.30- 11:00pm Graduation and Tropical Fruit
11:00pm-12:30 Exam
12:30pm Lunch
1:30 Sports at local field
Saturday, July 7th
7:00am – Departure from the school to the Atlantic coast through Braulio Carrillo National Park.
9:15am- Boat Ride through lush rainforest canals
11:45 am-Arrivals at your canal-side lodge.
12:30pm Lunch (included)
1:00pm Explore gardens and nature trails.
1:30pm- Tour of Tortuguero Village/ Tour of the Caribbean Conservation Corps Museum
3:00pm- Optional activities: canoeing, tour of Tortuguero National Park, Beach-combing, hiking, etc.
7:00pm- Dinner
Sunday, July 8th
6:00am- Early morning nature tour through a jungle /Caño Palma Biological Research Station
9:00am-Breakfast
10:30am- Return to Heredia
1:30pm- Lunch on the way
5:00pm- Arrival to Heredia
Program is ongoing in one week blocks, starting every Monday, 20 hours per week.
Students must participate in minimum one week of the program
Teens from 13 to 17 will be accepted.
Activities and excursions are included in the program and are non-refundable. Activities/excursions are provided and chaperoned by Costa Rica teen Spanish immersion summer staff.
Parents and teens must sign a behavior contract before beginning the course.
Facilities, full-time, on-site, program coordinator and chaperones will be provided by the school. Chaperones who wish to participate may receive free activities, when accompanying teen groups.
The Teen Coordinator will be available 24 hours per day and may be reached by parents and students via cell phone, in case of emergency. This person will maintain close contact with student´s host families in order to keep informed on the student’s whereabouts at all times.
Local Host families will be involved in the care of the teens and will help enforce the curfew.
The program is ran on-site, as our infrastructure at both campuses will enable us to keep an eye on the teens, as well as keep them busy with activities
This program is all-inclusive for teens and includes the following: Intensive Spanish classes, cultural activities, guided excursions, free internet access, airport transport, and homestay (includes 2 meals/day and laundry service).
Students will be provided with the textbook for the classes as well as a Teen Spanish Immersion Summer School shirt, distinguishing them from other adult students.
Applicants must apply online at http://www.spanishforsuccess.com/Registration.htm and specify enrollment for the Youth/Teen Spanish Immersion Program and what city. Students may stay together in the homestay with another teen from the program or may choose to stay alone. Please specify all dietary needs, allergies and preferences when registering.
