For Ages: 13 - 17 years old
 Beginner to Advanced Spanish
Supervised Program

This summer course takes place in a building that is designed for 14 to 17 year olds. It offers them the chance to study Spanish in a safe environment near some of Spain´s most beautiful beaches.

The program includes intensive Spanish language courses in the mornings followed by a varied program of activities in the afternoon. The activities include sports, parties, visits to places of local interest and the beach and a full day excursion on Saturdays. The Summer Teen Program combines two fundamental aspects: the suitability of Vejer de la Frontera for this type of program and quality of the teaching specifically designed for teens.

The quality of the teaching is demonstrated both by  its recognition from the two most important educational institutions in Spain the Cervantes Institute and the University of Alcalá . The syllabus followed in the Junior Course has been  developed with adolescents in mind, and is completely focused on the development of the students linguistic skills. Students are taught from day one how to communicate in Spanish in an effective way. All of the activities have designed to complement the classroom activities.

The teachers' goal is to help the student intensively develop their reading, writing and speaking skills in a friendly atmosphere. Rather than passively receiving lectures, students actively participate in the classroom learning experience. All teachers have excellent training, and years of experience in teaching Spanish to non-native speakers.

One of the characteristics that makes this program stand out is its intimate family atmosphere in the classes. This enables students to learn about the Spanish language and culture in a pleasant and effective manner. The subjects of the classes are directed towards the interests and needs of the teen students. Currently there are four different levels of classes:

1. A1 Beginners. Students who have never studied Spanish before begin to understand basic structures and vocabulary and to take part in general conversation.
2. A2 Elementary. Students who have already studied some Spanish can add to their knowledge with more vocabulary, practice more complicated structures and above all, speak and understand with greater ease.
3. B1 Intermediate. Students who have been studying Spanish for some time can enter into more advanced structures, read and write with greater fluency and understand native speakers more easily.
4. C1 Advanced. Students are able to perfect their Spanish, fill in the remaining gaps in vocabulary and grammar and practice the four main linguistic skills reading, writing, listening, speaking... 

Activities & Excursions

Activities and excursions are a fundamental part of the teen program. They give the students a chance to experience the Spanish culture, meet their peers, and enjoy the beautiful Spanish Summer. They activities in the program are put together in conjunction with the teachers to ensure that all of the activities are well chaperoned and to help students with any language needs that may arise. This gives the students a chance to enjoy  their free time, and it reinforces what they learned in the classroom.

The following are representative the student activities:

• Beach Activities Making the most of the fact that we are very close to the Atlantic  beaches of El Palmar and Los Caños de Meca, which are famous for their size and cleanliness, we organize mini-courses of various sports like canoing, kitesurf and windsurf and also excursions to other beaches of interest.
• Walks and Bicycle Rides Since Vejer has very beautiful natural surroundings, the school organizes walks in order for students to get to know the town and the nearby countryside, particularly the natural parks and the historical sites of the Roman aqueduct at Santa Lucía and the Visigoth chapel at San Ambrosio. Some of these outings are made on foot and others by bicycle. We can also arrange horse-riding for students who are interested
• Excursions In order for students to get to know at first-hand the most interesting cities and natural spaces in the area, we arrange a series of excursions to places like Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Ronda, Cadiz, Tarifa and Jerez. We also arrange visits to the local natural parks of el Pinar de Barbate, Los Alcornocales and Grazalema.
• Cooking Classes Our students learn to cook (and practice their Spanish) with the help of mothers from Vejer families who teach them how to make a paella or how  to toss a tortilla. Afterwards, it's off to the garden to eat it!
• Music Workshops Our flamenco teachers and other musicians are specialized in the teaching of percussion and rhythm using games.
• Dance Workshops These are mini-courses designed to introduce students to sevillanas and the rhythm of salsa, so that they can have a good time after class and between beach trips. Later, during the parties, students can show what they have learned.
• Sports Activities In order for our students to get to know the young people of  Vejer, we organise a series of sports activities with the local youth club at the Sports Center: football, basketball and volleyball.
• Juggling Workshop Students first learn to make their own juggling balls, clubs and cariocas with the course leader and then to juggle.
• Gymkhana An ideal game for getting to know the old town center and more of the history of Vejer and to practice Spanish with people in the street. And also to have a good time. Young people love to play this game in Vejer's narrow streets.
• Cultural Talks These talks are adapted to the level of Spanish and the knowledge of Spanish culture of our students. There are talks about history and art, and also about current affairs and subjects which are of interest to young people
• Story-telling and Theatre Activities to join in with to practice the language and to have a good time with professional performers who tell funny and exciting stories or put on plays in the school garden.
• Spanish Cinema We select and show some of the best Spanish and Hispanic films and later discuss them with the students
• Mosaic Workshop An experienced teacher gives this workshop in the school garden. Students are able to learn the basic techniques of mosaics and at the end they have something to take home.

Accommodations - Homestay with a Costa Rican Family

Teens attending the Summer program will be boarded with specially selected host families. This give the student a unique opportunity to experience the Spanish culture. The host family will provide you with your own room, and meals will be served to you home with your host family (3 meals a day are included). The living room and the bathroom will be shared with the other members of the family. The kitchen is generally reserved for the host mother who prepares food for everyone. You will also have access to the terrace, patio, balcony or azotea (the roof), if the house has one. Laundry service is provided once a week.

There are different types of families: smoking and non-smoking, with children or teenagers at home, quieter families, vegetarian, with pets and without. We also have some wonderful host families who live in the country not far from Vejer. For these families, transport is essential. Be sure to include your preferences when you register.

Included in the Program

2009 Start Dates

• This program starts on June 1, July 6 and August 3, 2009
• Students who are not able to start on these dates—and who are not beginners—may join the Institute only the second or third Monday after the indicated starting dates. Classes are set up on a weekly basis, Monday to Friday. Students starting later than Monday will be missing classes that cannot be made up. No Classes Will Be Held On July 22; August 12

2009 Program Fees

• 2 weeks: $ 1,695
• 3 weeks: $ 2,295
• 4 weeks: $ 2,895

Vejer de la Frontera, Spain - City Info
Vejer de la Frontera is a small town near the sea (the nearest beach is eight kilometres away) that has preserved all the feeling and style of an Andalusian town. Vejer still maintains a balance between the cultural and leisure activities and the safety and peacefulness of its streets. Making the most of Vejer's geographical situation, with our teachers and group leaders we organise all sorts of sports activities, on the beach (canoes, kitesurf, windsurf), in the surrounding countryside (walks, bicycle rides and horse-riding) and in Vejer itself (sports activities with young people from Vejer).