Studying Spanish in Mexico is a great way to learn about the world, experience a new culture and truly immerse yourself in the language. 5 Great Cities and Regions to Study and Pick up Spanish. Mexico is gigantic. It has hundreds of cities, towns and a lot of regional variation. Texts and quizzes for improving Spanish reading comprehension at all levels from beginner to advanced. I am here to: learn Spanish free online learn Spanish fluently speak a little Spanish impress somebody find an immersion program. Transparent Language offers online Spanish programs for beginner through advanced students. This is a flexible program that allows you to choose your own learning path—the lessons just give you a starting point. With activities to practice typing, speaking, writing and reading, you’ll learn the skills you need to understand and communicate.
UNAM and spanish language courses
Hi,
Does anyone know anything about UNAM giving intensive language coarses?
I try to find an email address at the unam.mx website, but my Spanish is bad, so reason enough not to find an email address.
I read in Footprint, UNAM gives 6 weeks classes, and I am interested.
Thanks for any help.
Ronald
Mexico DF
8 Answers
I did a quick search on google. The English language site did not come up so I checked the Spanish site. Apparently UNAM has a 'Center for Teaching Foreigners'
CEPE which has 6 week courses. The center is in Taxco. Registration for the lst spring session in January 12&13. The cost to register is30 US. The course cost is420. Maximum of 18 students per class 3 hours per day. They also have additional cultural and history courses for50 each. I think classes start on the 17th. They do have various levels.
Personally I think Taxco is too small with too much English spoken for learning Spanish and Mexico City is too large. There are lots of better places. Bob
Thanks for the info! At least it confirms my ideas that Mexico City is indeed not really the place for me to learn Spanish. I was hoping the hours per day would be around 5 and not 3. Thank you for your trouble!
Ronald
The main program of the school is conducted in Mexico City, with branches elsewhere. UNAM is a widely discredited school, but the foreign language program (Spanish for non-speakers) is considered one of the tops in Mexico. I've known many students who've attended in Mexico City, and all have spoken highly of it. If you're in Mexico City, why aren't you asking locally?
You seem to be serious so I will add a little more advice. Each to his own, but I would suggest that you do not need 5 hours a day of class. Three quality hours would be plenty if you can maintain your concentration and study 2-3 hours plus commit yourself to doing everything you can to make your experience one of total immersion. Staying with a family with no other English speakers can be really useful. (Estimate14 a day with 2 meals.) There are dozens of things you can do to add to your Spanish speaking experience at low cost. For example: you can watch plays or programs for children, join a Spanish speaking guided tour of a museum, go to a high class technical fair, spend hours reading the Spanish language labels in a small museum or large grocery store, attend a sporting event in the cheap seats,learn the words to songs, or see wrestling or the bullfights or a charreada . . .Look to join Spanish speaking groups for camping or other excursions. The key is to avoid English and English speakers like a plague. One problem with language schools is that they do concentrate together people who do not speak the language. It is natural to make friends with these students, but this is counter-productive if you do not speak to each other in Spanish.
Some language schools offer special programs designed to help you learn. One in Oaxaca for example claims to partner their students with college students learning English for lession exchange. Less helpful in my opinion would be dance classes, cooking classes, pottery classes or excursions etc. given by a language school and filled with non-Spanish speaking students. You would do better finding this type of activity directed at Mexicans.
You can see why I prefer a city small enough to make connecting with native speakers easy and large enough to support lots of activities.
You might consider Puebla, Queretaro, Morelia, or Oaxaca. Of course, the quality of the school is very important. There are lots of other towns with good schools. I would suspect that Taxco and Guanajuato are too small; Cuernavaca and San Miguel de Allende have too many schools, tourists and English speaking residents; Guadalajara joins Mexico City as being just too big. Buena suerte, bob (PS: In can be done. In two months my son went from zero Spanish to fluent intermediate studying in Sucre, Bolivia.)
Mexico City is an often overlooked location at which to study Spanish. As the largest Spanish-speaking city on the planet, there's no better place to be forced to use what you learn than the D.F.
If an out-of-town location is what you want, I think either San Miguel de Allende or Cuernavaca is where you should concentrate your search. Both cities are considered the best places for serious students of the language . . . and 'homestays' are commonplace for students. My own studies were conducted in San Miguel de Allende and I attended a 'total immersion' program of 8.5 hours a day (and that, I suggest, is truly punnishing yourself!). I wouldn't worry about 'too many foreigners' in either location. When you're seriously studying the need to talk in your own language proves a pressure release, and doesn't get in the way, IMO.
I loved my trip to Mexico City (just completed) last week. I have recently graduated with my Master's in Social Service (Gerontological focus) and want to return to Mexico City soon for an Intensive in Spanish (3-4 months). I am looking for the best spanish intensive schools and a non-conservative living arrangement that will suit the experience. Anyone have any ideas or helpful information on schools and living in Mexico City? A shared arrangement might work well...
I am particularly interested in a program I can start in March or April at the very latest. I only have a window through next summer at the latest. I particularly want a gay friendly environment, which is partly why Mexico City is so appealing to me. It can include home placement or a shared apartment. I looked at UNAM and missed the enrollment for this term. So another choice, even if second best, will have to do. This plan is an old idea that was fired by my recent vacation in Mexico and that means that there is no time like the present. I need to close up my house and complete some work this month and will be able to leave by early March.
I have some comments about your advise:
You said:
“Most of the spanish language courses are a waste of time and money. I learned spanish by living in Mexico for a few years. Now, I teach both english and spanish courses---private classes, corporate classes, translations and I am a certified bilingual specialist.”
My response:
Relatively few people are going to be able to take off and learn by immersing themselves in Mexico for a few years. It’s just not a realistic expectation.
You said:
“I know several people that have spent a lot of money, time, and have taken language courses at the places that you listed and still can't communicate at a basic level.”
My response:
I think you need to widen your circle of acquaintances. Many people learn very well by attending language programs - and that’s an established fact. Of course, one needs to practice what he/she learns and use the material/skills. But to suggest classes are useless is a ridiculous assertion.
You also make a case, by offering such comments, that your own work is useless. Why should learning English, or Spanish, you teach be any different than what you criticize of other programs? I think it’s a bit hypocritical.
We’ll all have our opinions on the topic, and I feel compelled to say your advise is about the worst I’ve ever read on the topic.
UNAM (I am currently taking a second term of 6 weeks) is pretty good in my opinion. Together with having Mexican friends and living in an appartment I rent together with a Mexican lady and another (Korean) CEPE student is pretty good. Spanish you cannot learn in 6 weeks. This I found out by now, so it takes time. But even if you go to Mexico or another Spanish speaking country, when you go back to your own country you can still continue to study the language and try to meet people who speak/study Spanish too.
In Mexico City being gay is not really 100% accepted (where else in the world it is???) But the gay area of Mexico is Zona Rosa. So you can find a place to stay there. It is also a nice area to go out.
Did you actually make it to the UNAM in March??? Havent seen you yet hahaha
Go to NEW Mexico City questions
or browse older Mexico City travel answers
The Language programs for Portuguese and Spanish at UNM help develop student’s speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills at the elementary and intermediate level (1000 and 2000). For students who are taking the 4 course sequence (or intensive 2 course sequence) it is recommended that these classes be taken in successive semesters. In this way the lessons learned in one semester may be easily accessed and developed in the next semester, facilitating the student’s deeper understanding of the culture and language usage.
Português na Universidade do Novo México
The Portuguese program at UNM is one of the oldest Portuguese programs in the U.S., with a full range of undergraduate and graduate courses that emphasize both the culture and the literature of Brazil. The beginning Portuguese language courses (Portuguese Language Program) are designed with the student’s background in mind. These courses do not require a placement evaluation.
Español en la Universidad de Nuevo México
The beginning Spanish language courses are accessed through two Spanish language programs that address the needs of our diverse language learners:
Sabine Ulibarrí Spanish as a Heritage Language Program SHL - Spanish classes numbered 1210, 1220, 2210, and 2220 are designated for students who grew up in a Spanish-speaking environment, understand Spanish but may not speak it themselves. In the Sabine Ulibarrí Spanish as a Heritage Language Program, we recognize that the cultural connection to the language serves as a powerful motivating factor. Because of this, we design classes from the point of view that language learning must take place in a context in which the students' culture is honored and explored.
Spanish as a Second Language Program- SSL - Spanish classes numbered 1110, 1120, 2110, and 2120 are designed for students of Spanish whose native home language is not Spanish.
Both Spanish language programs are designed to prepare students of Spanish for 300 and 400 level courses, each has four levels that are similar to one another as far as materials and concepts covered. Neither program is inherently superior or inferior to the other, they are simply catered to the educational needs of different types of learners. The main difference is found in the approach:
- In SHL classes - students come together to learn about a language to which they have a cultural connection. Often, they are able to share experiences, cultural background, and linguistic knowledge with one another.
- In SSL classes - students come together to learn about a language to which they might not have a cultural connection. These students share in the experience of learning about cultures different from their own and in learning its language.
Required Course Placement for Spanish
Spanish Language Programs For Adults
All UNM students who choose Spanish to fulfill their language requirement(s) must take a Spanish Placement Evaluation for placement at the appropriate level.
Students taking courses should know:
Spanish Language Classes
- An evaluation should be taken BEFORE enrolling in a Spanish class.
- Spanish Placement Evaluation scores are valid for one year only.
- If a period of one year or more has passed between Spanish courses, you must take the placement evaluation again.
The Benefits of Placement:
Students who place into higher-level Spanish courses advance through degree requirements faster. Students who place out of Spanish language courses have options:
The CLEP test has a small fee that pays for taking one test. Depending on your score, it is possible to earn from 3 to 12 Spanish language credit hours.
Spanish Language Programs
Course Challenges – allow student to purchase credit hours for specific 1000 and/or 2000 level courses.