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FAQ's Adventures in Spanish

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Home Education Groups

Do you teach South American or European Spanish?

Kelly learnt European Spanish at high school (many years ago) then went on to live in South America for 20 years where she became fluent. Her accent is South American however her teaching covers grammar and vocabulary from both South America and Spain. As the GCSE and IGCSE syllabus in the UK are based on European Spanish they do also include cultural topics from Centra and South America, therefore it’s important students are familiar with all.

How can we contact you?

Students can contact me directly in our Google Classroom, parents are welcome to text, call or email me. Please bare in mind though that I teach over 70 students a week and am not always available to answer the phone. The best way to contact me is via email, kelly@adventuresinspanish.co.uk.

Is there any support outside of the lessons?

I have a Facebook Group where parents and learners alike are invited to continue the Spanish -learning conversation. I am available there for any questions. Join the Facebook group HERE Students can also ask any questions in our Google Classroom (you receive the link to this when you book).

How do I book?

Booking a place for your child couldn’t be simpler. Choose the course you would like to book from our bookings page HERE, add it to your cart and pay with your credit or debit card via Paypal. Once you’ve paid you will receive an automatic email with the zoom link and log in details as well as the booklets your child will need before their first lesson.

How do you control the behavior in the classes?

I request that all parents read our Terms & Conditions HERE. I also limit use of the chat function.

Is attendance to the GCSE group enough to prepare a student for the exam or do they need additional support?

Depending on the individual student and how motivated they are to learn independently combined with when the exam date is we usually recommend 1:1 support learning up to the exam. This is to go over past papers of the specific exam board they will be sitting with as well as to practice the oral element of the exam and focus on any areas of weakness.

What exam board do you prepare for in the GCSE group?

Through using a range of varied materials & resources from different exam boards the GCSE group prepares students for the three main Spanish exams; AQA, Exedcel Pearson (IGCSE) and CIE (Cambridge International Exam).

Do you set homework and is it marked?

Homework is set regularly in the KS3, Teens Conversation & GCSE groups. It is not marked. Students are asked to upload it into our Google Classroom if they would like feedback on it – they are not obliged to do it. Occasionally activities are set in the Teens Conversation Class mainly to allow learners to prepare any materials or vocabulary for the following week. Homework is not set in the KS2 group.

Are lessons recorded?

No. For safeguarding reasons lessons are not recorded.

Does my child need to have their cameras on?

Yes please. Students get so much more out of the lessons when they interact with others in the class. Interaction cannot happen if the camera is off. Also, As all other students have their cameras on it is a little strange for them if one person doesn’t. Exceptions as always can be made so please let me know beforehand if your child requires to have their camera off.

Can I book a trial lesson?

We hold 30 minute free taster lessons. More information on when the next lesson will take place here.

We do not offer trial lessons of courses. For a few reasons; firstly we get a lot of requests from parents for their child to try a lesson in a particular group. If we said yes to every request we would have new students “popping up” every week which is very disruptive for the rest of the class. Secondly, in 10 years experience of running these classes it usually takes a child a couple (sometimes more) of lessons to settle into a new group – regardless of how lovely and welcoming the group is (as with Adventures in Spanish). With that in mind, a one-off trial lesson will not be enough of an experience for your child to see if they enjoy the lessons or not. Also, we need at least two lessons to get to know the children and identify their unique learning styles that will allow me to tailor the lessons where possible and ensure they feel included and get the most out of the time.

We are always more than happy to arrange a 15 minute zoom call with you and your child to introduce Kelly and meet you both. If you think this is something you would like to arrange please feel free to email Kelly on kelly@adventuresinspanish.co.uk

What is the difference between the KS2 beginners and improvers class?

The Beginners KS2 class is suitable for children who have no or very little previous Spanish. In this class we follow a new primary scheme of work created for Cam Trust schools.

The lesson materials were created by Paula Vázquez-Valero, SLE at Comberton Village College and Rachel Hawkes.

The SOW draws on key recommendations from the pedagogy review and the Ofsted languages research report, which highlight the three key knowledge strands phonics, vocabulary and grammar. The lessons therefore owe much to the NCELP team’s KS3 SOW and resources (led for Spanish by Nick Avery and Amanda Izquierdo), which are in turn informed by the research work of Professor Emma Marsden and colleagues, including Rowena Kasprowicz.

Children as young as 6 can join this class.

The Improvers class is suitable for children with some knowledge of Spanish. Each student has their own Student Book which they work through as each topic is taught.

What age are your courses suitable for?

Due to the topic content in each course I like to adhere to certain age criteria for each course (see below) however exceptions can be made.

The KS2 classes as I like to call it is suitable for children aged 7-11 (I can accept six-year-olds with adult supervision or those with advanced knowledge of the language). Older children can join in however please note that the average class age is usually eight.

The KS3 classes are suitable for children aged 11-14. Younger children who have been learning Spanish before or who have attended my KS2 class can attend. Older children may find the group topics too “young”. The average age for this group is 12.

IGCSE group. As the content of this course is geared towards preparing children for the GCSE exams it is important parents take this into consideration before booking a younger but able student into the class. I recommend booking a call with us to discuss your child’s ability if you are unsure if this course will be suitable for them.

Teens Conversation Class – As the name suggests this is suitable for teens, late tweens are also welcome. Similar to the GCSE group, the content of this class is prepared for teenagers. Average age in this group is 14.

How do I access the tutor support?

Great question! You can access the Tutor support in our Facebook group here Adventures in Spanish | Facebook or via email kelly@adventuresinspanish.co.uk

Bespoke Classes

Are the lessons recorded?

Yes they are. They are recorded and available in our online classroom for up to three months after the end of the course.

What materials are provided?

All materials are provided by your tutor and are included in the price. You may be asked to download and print some activities to do in between lessons to reinforce your leanings. And you may also want to purchase additional books to support your learning.

How long is each session?

Choose from 60 or 90 minute weekly lessons.

Where are lessons held?

Lessons take place on Zoom.

When do the courses run?

Courses run weekly throughout the year. Daytime slots allow you to log into your lesson from wherever you are.

What level are these classes suitable for?

As lessons are tailor made and can be adapted for any level from total beginner through to advanced speaker.

Are the classes suitable for children?

Absolutely, these courses are suitable for families and are a great way for families to learn together.

You may also be interested in our Holiday Spanish Course – a great self-paced beginners Spanish for families.

How long before my trip do I book the classes?

The classes are booked in six-week blocks. The minimum recommendation would be to book the classes six-weeks before the date you are due to travel. If you would prefer more time to prepare you can book two six-week blocks back to back.

The more lessons you book before your trip the more value you’ll get out of your holiday while you’re away.

What does “tailor-made” mean?

Tailor-made means that the course content is created especially for you, to suit your group’s requirements as well as the destination you are traveling to.

The Spanish language differs from country to country and there are many words, phrases and accents that are country-specific.

Examples:

If someone in your group is in a wheelchair you will need appropriate phrases and vocabulary which will allow you to communicate your requirements while you’re away.

A younger group may be more interested in vocabulary and phrases around the topic of nightlife and dining out.

A charity group traveling to Costa Rica to experience the nesting turtles will prepare for their trip completely differently, with vocabulary and phrases suitable to marine conservation and wildlife.

Lesson content for classes for Sports clubs are designed around their specific sport.

Etc.

Are these private lessons?

Yes! These are private lessons tailored to your group and are suitable for groups sizes 2-10+.

Holiday Spanish Course

Is this course suitable for beginners?

It is indeed. It is designed for beginners, but also a great refresher course.

How do I access the freebies?

You automatically receive access to the FREE lessons when you purchase the course – it’s loaded in the course content in Week 7. With regards to the FREE signed copy of my bilingual children’s book “Fernando Baila El Tango” you’ll receive an email asking you to send me the address you would like the book sent to as well as who it should be signed for.

How come the price on the site is in USD $

The price is in USD due tot he Paypal settings. However it converts to GBP £150 which is the advertised price – which is how it will appear (dependent on the conversion rate of the day) in your bank account.

How do I pay?

You can pay with your debit or credit card via Paypal.

Can we purchase it as a family?

You can indeed, yes. In fact I encourage you to take part in it as a family. Learning a language together is a great fun and can really enhance your learning experience.

Is this course suitable for children?

Absolutely, yes! In fact it has been beta tested by my own children (age 11 & 12).