Orientation / Placement - Spanish Language School Enrollment - Spanish Langauge College

Orientation

Orientations are held every Sunday. The orientation is required for new students who begin on Monday. Class schedules are distributed and the program is reviewed in detail. The Spanish proficiency level and subsequent placement of each student is determined at the orientation. This is the best opportunity for students to become acclimated to their new environment, meet their new peers and receive answers to any last minute questions.

For students taking advantage of the homestay program, the orientation is also the time to meet their host families. Homestays begin on Sunday.

All tuition balances are paid at the orientation. Payments can be made by check, travelers check, money order or US currency. No credit cards are accepted.

Students enrolled in Weekend Programs who want to stay with a host family on Friday evening should plan to arrive on Friday prior to 5:00PM. If a Friday night homestay is not required, or if students have secured their own accommodations, they may arrive for class on Saturday at 8:30AM.

To arrive in Ensenada by 2:00 PM, students taking the bus should plan to leave the ABC terminal in Tijuana no later than 12:00 (noon). Students driving to Ensenada should be crossing the border at San Ysidro at 12:30PM.

Placement

Spanish proficiency levels of students enrolled in the Small Group Immersion Program must be evaluated to assure placement in the proper class. Placement is determined at the Sunday orientation.

The evaluation is conducted at two different levels.

The first level is with written exercises. Upon receipt of completed applications and deposits, students are sent a series of exercises as part of a confirmation packet. The exercises are to be worked on without the use of reference material and brought to the orientation in Ensenada. The results help to determine the student’s level of formal Spanish training and where development is needed.

The second level of evaluation is done through an informal interview with the college director. The interview identifies the student’s ability to comprehend spoken Spanish and to respond accurately.

More weight is given to the second level of evaluation.

Students are placed in small groups with others at the same proficiency level and who need development in the same areas.

Those enrolled in the Private Immersion Program and the Executive Immersion Program also are evaluated by the above mentioned methods. However because of the one-on-one nature of these programs, initial evaluations are not as critical.

TESTIMONIALS

“I am a 56 yrs old female and have a Family Practice clinic in Florida. In 2010 I wanted to learn medical Spanish to assist the patients who visit my clinic from the USA and from abroad as I am located in a prime tourist. My previous background in Spanish was just one year of high school Spanish and I could only say a few phrases. After my first week at the Baja California Language College, and living with a host family, I was able to start talking in phrases to my patients with minimal use of a telephone translation service. After my second week of immersion 6 months later, I now rarely use a medical translation service with my Spanish patients and have even picked up some Portuguese phrases.

I am not always perfect in my conjugations and still have to ask “Como se dice… (how do you say….) sometimes, but my patients really appreciate my efforts and I am complimented on my Spanish language abilities! I have found that just attempting to talk in someone else’s language is a huge gesture of good will, and the way that I have gotten even better is to not be afraid to try! If someone is bilingual, it is better to approach them in their native language, and they also will give me invaluable feedback on my pronunciation and vocabulary when I ask them to please let me talk to them in Spanish for my own practice.

The travel to and from Ensenada, Baja California Mexico was very safe – I flew into San Diego and took all public transportation BY MYSELF each time. I walked through USA customs/bridge in and out of Tijuana and walked to the ABC bus station. In nice weather, I would walk the 3 miles from my host family’s home, or get a ride from them for a nominal cost. I also walked a lot around the town when not in school just to see the fabulous scenery. I would use an internet café a few blocks away from the house that I was staying in into the evening. The host families are all very nice with excellent meals and accommodations.

I would highly recommend this program to anyone of any age.”

Dr. Pat Wahrenberger Family Practice Physician Minneola Florida

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Baja California Spanish Language School - Offering Spanish Immersion Programs