I highly recommend SIF Language School for learning Spanish at any level. Silvia Velez has developed a multi-faceted learning system that makes the process easy and enjoyable.
I had been studying Spanish off and on for several years I started studying at SIF Language School, but was always frustrated with the lack of advanced classes where I could improve and be challenged. SIF not only had advanced Spanish speakers, but also offered immersion opportunities where I could delve deeper into Latin American culture and politics.
I have taken private lessons, group classes and immersion workshops with SIF and have also booked week-long immersion trips to Spain, Chile, Colombia and Peru (April 2015) with SIF’s affiliated schools. All of these experiences have enhanced my knowledge of the Spanish language and culture, as well as Latin American history and politics.
My current group class has over time morphed into a something of a book club. In addition to our grammar lessons, we read and summarize books written by famous Latino authors: Gabriel García Márquez, Isabel Allende, Mario Vargas Llosa, Juan Rulfo and Ignacio Manuel Altamirano, among others. We not only discuss plot and character development, but also the historical context of the stories we read. We meet weekly for 1 1/2 hours, and often linger past the end of class to discuss different storyline theories and character traits.
