Spanish Lessons in Seattle, WA

Washington Academy of Languages, Seattle:
Washington Academy of Languages (WAL) is a language school in downtown Seattle, King County in Washington State. We offer Spanish programs at eight levels - from beginners through to advanced. Each class level involves 20 hours of in-class instruction. Spanish is a Romance Language, closely related to French, Italian and Portuguese. There are many linguistic variations in the Spanish-speaking world; Spain alone has several dialects. These differences are mostly confined to pronunciation and vocabulary. Language structure and grammar are fairly standard throughout the Americas and Spain. With a little experience, all varieties are mutually intelligible.

- Spanish programs at ten levels - from beginners through to advanced.
- We also offer Spanish conversation classes for intermediate & advanced levels.

The natural sequence of acquiring a language is listening, speaking, reading, and finally, writing. At WAL, we follow this order. Spanish is spelled phonetically. Thus, spelling and writing follow quite naturally from listening, speaking, and reading. Because Spanish and English have so many similar words--cognates--and because Spanish verbs generally conjugate in a regular fashion, basic conversational and listening skills may be learned rapidly.

Teaching Methods:
Our Spanish courses focus on how Spanish is actually spoken and written. From the first day, participants begin speaking and listening at natural speeds. The most common pronunciations of Spanish from Mexico and South America are used. Participants will, in addition, be able to accommodate the pronunciation differences in Spain, as well as those from Argentina and Venezuela. Our graduates are able to communicate easily with native Spanish speakers at the level of grammar and vocabulary they have attained.

Classes are small in size which allows each student to get the individual attention they need. Some students need to work on stress and intonation while other students need to learn how to develop strategies to communicate effectively.

How long does it take to achieve fluency in the Spanish language?
The time it takes to achieve fluency in a language depends on the student. The amount of focused study completed outside of class is an important factor in becoming fluent. The student's commitment, level of motivation, previous experience studying other languages and freedom from the fear of making mistakes are also determining factors. Washington Academy of Languages provides opportunities for practice with native speakers too. Ask about our Conversation Partner program!

How is a typical language class taught at Washington Academy of Languages?
Typically, class is conducted mainly in the target language and emphasizes building fluency through conversations about topics of  interest and usefulness. In-class simulations include ordering meals at a restaurant, asking for directions and other common situations. Grammar points are discussed. Reading and writing are part of the course but are not a major focus.

Depending on the level of the  class, the amount of English spoken in class varies. A student can expect to listen and speak in the target language about 80% of the  time with less usage of English as the student progresses to more advanced-level classes. Learning a language does not mean learning  to translate from one language to another; it means thinking in that language and producing meaningful communication-grammatical corrections come with time and practice.