Most students report learning as much in 3 to 4 weeks at ALM as in an entire semester of college Spanish. Our intensive personalized system is complemented by the cultural activities and is orderly and dynamic, progressing step by according to the students abilities and interests. We encourage students to participate both in classes and in extracurricular activities. The vast majority of students find living with a Guatemalan family one of the great joys of their study experience. The families who speak only Spanish or Mayan languages, provide a relaxed opportunity to practice as you learn.
Students stay at no extra cost with their families over weekends before and between study weeks.
The teachers of ALM are university graduates or university students in the last years of study. All are experienced teachers who have taught Spanish or Mayan languages as a second language for years. We require on-going teacher education to assure uniform competence and methodology and to assure that our teachers advance with our students. Antigua was the capital until it was heavily damaged by an earthquake in 1773. It is a center of colonial architecture, with many buildings dating from its founding in 1543.