Our Spanish Programs

Junior Spanish Program

Chac-Mool Spanish Institute has put together a specially and careful designed a Spanish program for those Children between 7 and 12 years of age who already have some background experience in the Spanish language or who are participating in Dual immersion programs. The Spanish Program offers a balanced 25 hour weekly program that combines structure, roll play activities with workshops, social activities, sports and guided or escorted visits to places of interest. In this special (three or four week) program your child will be exposed to a very strong academic foundation on which he/she will be able to start or continue successfully with high school Spanish classes. The foundation is academic with a strong emphasis on developing communication skills in the new language.

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Spanish Program´s Dates

Our Spanish School´s Program is offered during all year round for children who have at least one parent (or a designated guardian) studying Spanish at the school. The size of each group is no larger than 5 or 6 children. All students are placed in a small group based on their Spanish ability. This ability is determined by an oral interview on the first day of class. In addition, during afternoon activities, your children will interact with Mexican children making this interaction a great language lab for them.

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The Children’s Program

Chac-Mool´s Spanish Institute offers a children’s Spanish program any time of the year for children who have at least one parent (or a designated guardian) studying at the school. The class hours are weekdays 8:50 am to 1:50 pm (same as the adult program). In summer, our Children’s program becomes a binational and bicultural program: The Amiguitos Program. After daily lessons the children can participate for educational and fun activities and to form friendships.

Children learn Spanish through educational, yet fun activities. Since many children have previous exposure to Spanish, such as participation in Dual Immersion programs that have become widely implemented in some parts of the United States, our program here at ICM has evolved to meet those needs. We have adapted a thematic approach that offers small group instruction (6-8 kids) to all levels. This approach assures that each student is challenged at his/her level, as well as enjoys interesting, diverse themes, such as ocean life, etc. As part of the learning Spanish process, the young students may write a story, act in a play, make a piñata, or draw and paint in art class.

For children under 4 years of age, an excellent day care center accepting children infant to 4 years old is just a short walk from ICM. Be sure to bring your child’s vaccination records and a passport size photo.

Children may join the weekend cultural excursion with parental supervision. Plus ICM has comfortable homestay families that welcome families such as yours into their homes.

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The VIP Spanish Program

The important social, economic and cultural development of the majority of Spanish speaking countries, together with their continuing population growth, has led to an important and Hispanic presence in non-Hispanic countries. As a result, more and more professionals in such countries need to able to respond to the various cultural backgrounds of their clients. Conscious of this necessity, ICM offers an exclusive immersion program for CEO’s, executives, business professionals, diplomats and other professionals in general. ICM combines the excellence of an academic course with a program uniquely designed for each participant. The flexibility and effectiveness of our program allows our students to advance rapidly in areas specific to professional communication and communication on a daily basis

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Spanish School for Bilingual Teachers

The SBTS program is a two to three week program specially designed to help bilingual educators and future educators to enhance their instructional skills and knowledge of Spanish and culture for the purpose of improving their effectiveness with their Spanish-speaking students and parents. The SBT program is open to anyone who is seeking an opportunity to improve their Spanish language skills as they relate to the act of teaching. These classes will be taught by native or superior level speaking Spanish teachers with experience in the primary and secondary Mexican school system.

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The Total Spanish Immersion Program

The TIP is a tailored program designed to develop conversational fluency in the shortest time possible meeting the language needs of individuals regardless of their personal, study or professional interest emphasizing the four skills of a language: speaking Spanish, listening, reading and writing.

The TIP is recommended for all students with a minimum age of 17 who don’t need special attention in professional or specialized areas.

The Total Spanish Immersion Semester Program

The TISP offers a Total Immersion opportunity to those college students who want to cover up to five Spanish and Latin American Studies courses in only twelve weeks in which they will have the opportunity to earn up to 18 semester credits and develop a conversational fluency. Students will be surrounded by a total Spanish speaking environment that will allow them to develop the four skills of a language: speaking, listening, reading and writing in a very short period of time. TISP is opened to anyone, from beginner to advanced levels.

One on One Spanish Course

This program is specifically designed for those who are looking for individual attention or who need to cover the most in the shortest time possible. The One on One Course is a flexible program that allows students to choose the time, place and intensity of the teaching schedule. Courses can be full time or flexibly timed and start any day of the week.

We can tailor your VIP course according to your particular needs. Here are three suggested options that will help you to find the best one for you.

Option 1.

8 hours of One on One classes in two sessions from 9:00am to 5:00pm. Each session will be run by a different teacher*.

Option 2.

6 hours of One on One classes in two sessions from 9:00am to 3:00pm. Each session will be run by a different teacher*.

Option 3.

3 hours of intensive private classes taken at your most convenient schedule.

The One on One course is interactive and task-based, using case studies, role-plays, formal presentations and simulations. Everything to be rapidly applied in your workplace.

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The Semi-private for Professionals Program

The SPP offers the benefit of private instruction in which each student can concentrate on aspects of the language relevant to his/her particular demands as well as group work so students can interact with other students with same level and language skills. This program offers an Intensive oral and written Spanish practice through simulations involving real life situations in intercultural settings and provides vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and cultural information for the specific needs of the targeted professions.

We tailor a specific Program for Professionals to meet your needs:

Spanish for Teachers and School Administrators

Spanish for Medical Personnel
Business Spanish

Spanish for Law Enforcement

Spanish for Lawyers

Spanish for Social Workers

The Total Immersion Program for Teens

ICM offers a careful designed program especially for teenagers (12 to 17 year olds) during Spring Break and summer, where fun, exciting, language Spanish learning experience and the warmest of our Mexican host families provide a unique study abroad experience that will open their minds and their hearts to other world cultures.

The TIPT combines a balanced 25 hour weekly program in small group classes at all levels, workshops, social activities, sports, as well guided or escorted visits to places of interest, full room and board with one of our excellent Mexican host families, and optional weekend excursions to Aquatic parks, Spas, beaches, museums and ancient pyramids.

The Senior Citizens Spanish Program

For those mature professionals, retirees or senior citizens whose passion is not only to travel abroad but learn the Language and Culture, ICM offers a unique Spanish Language program specially designed for you. No matter what your level is: beginner, intermediate or advanced, you will learn and improve your Spanish language skills day by day by building new vocabulary and practicing everyday useful phrases that will allow you to enjoy and understand not only the language but the culture of a magic and colorful country – MEXICO!

If you are traveling alone, with a partner, or a group, Instituto Universitario Chac-Mool welcomes you! Our Natural Approach to learning is the easiest way to acquire a new language and no age is too old to learn. We guarantee it!

Housing

Some of our campuses offer the option of taking room and board with a local host family. In each of the beautiful locations where you can find a www.chac-mool campus, you will also have the option of renting at a local hotel, and sometimes private residences can also be found to rent for the duration of your stay.

Living with a local family is an amazing experience that will provide you with the opportunity to acquire the language, AND explore the culture of Mexico or Costa Rica. Our homestays in Turrialba or Cuernavaca have been carefully selected. The host families understand their important role in shaping your Spanish immersion experience, and enjoy sharing their culture with students by including them in family gatherings and outings. And because we understand the importance of this part of your visit as well, host families attend school meetings and participate in certain school activities, helping us ensure the best experience possible. At the end of each student’s stay, we ask them to fill out an evaluation of their time with their host family.

All our families are located just 10 – 15 minutes walking from school. Our Housing Director takes into consideration the information students provide on the registration form, such as food requirements, etc, when partnering up students and host families. Your host family will prepare typical Mexican or Costa Rican food, which we encourage all students to try, and most host families can accommodate dietary requests (ie: vegetarian, etc). Approximately one week before travel, students are notified of the name, address and home phone number of their host family. If you don’t use our pick-up service from the Airport to your host family’s home, you will need provide us with your arrival time in the closest airport, so your host family knows around what time you will arrive at their home.