Description

This program includes tailor-made courses for students over 50 years. They can last one or two weeks and can be carried out throughout the year. They usually include 20 hours of language and culture classes in the morning, and cultural, nature and leisure activities in the afternoon.

They are personalized programs of active learning. Soria is well-known for its surprising landscapes and its gastronomy (mushrooms, truffles, meat, Ribera del Duero wines, tapas). Therefore, our language and culture courses can be combined with wonderful gastronomic activities and trips, including hikes along the Camino de Santiago among vineyards in La Rioja, going for tapas with experts, looking for mushrooms in our wonderful forests, observing birds in their natural environment, and having literary walks, among many others.

Professors from universities or groups of students can design their own program, with our help and suggestions, in order to study Spanish, improve their knowledge and learn about the rich cultural heritage of our region and our country at the same time.

Recipients

People over 50 years who want to live an intense learning experience with their colleagues and reference group, at the time they learn about nature and culture in Spanish. We offer a whole life experience in Soria, a true cultural journey in one of the oldest and most unique cities in Spain.

Main elements of the program

It includes:

Regarding education and training:

• Initial interview and questionnaire to analyze the learning needs and thus organize the groups and customize the program before the beginning of classes.
• 20 classes of 55 minutes per week.
• Cultural, leisure and nature activities.
• Cultural trips.

Regarding the stay:

• Accommodation service at the “Duques de Soria” student dormitory (from mid-June to the end of August), at a hotel in Soria, or with host families on a full board basis.

Objectives

The general and specific objectives of the course are specified once the group is formed, based on the needs analysis and the programs that CIAM has designed for the different general Spanish courses and the different levels (A1-C1) that make up its curriculum.

You can find a number of general objectives for each level below.

A1

• To interact in a simple way with a very limited repertoire of language resources.
• To understand very short and simple written texts with a clear structure.
• To be able to meet immediate needs related to specific and predictable everyday communicative situations.

A2

• To express oneself in an understandable and clear way in simple contexts.
• To interact in basic everyday communicative situations.
• To be able to properly use basic social conventions in order to communicate in an understandable way in everyday situations.
• To understand short and simple texts and also some basic journalistic texts.

B1

• To communicate with reasonable correction and flexibility in situations related to everyday issues that involve a certain degree of complexity.
• To use a varied but simple vocabulary and structures with relative fluency and correction.
• To describe experiences, wishes, complaints and to talk about plans.
• To understand and produce relatively complex texts on everyday topics and short official documents.

B2

• To communicate with sufficient fluency and accuracy, and adapt to the register and level of formality required, in order to express arguments and nuances appropriate to the situation.
• To get along in social situations fluently, accurately and naturally.
• To understand and produce texts on specific and abstract topics.

C1

• To get along in all kinds of communicative situations, even when they are about abstract, complex and specialized issues.
• To communicate fluently and spontaneously even in complicated communication situations using an extensive and precise lexicon and a wide and varied repertoire of linguistic resources.
• To produce clear, well-structured and detailed texts on topics of a certain complexity.

Methodology

The program is mainly practical. The sessions are organized following dynamics and activities that involve the participants experientially, both inside and outside the classroom. One session every day takes place outdoors, in the yard of Convento de la Merced or other areas in the city, since our community and environment are the “authentic lab” where Spanish is used.

Reflection and inquiry about the work done are the essential tools used to build knowledge and guide learning experiences.

The teachers

The teachers of our language and culture courses are in charge of planning and developing the classes of our programs. You can check their professional profiles here.

Certificate

At the end of the program, students will receive a certificate that will state the number of hours of training and participation in the activities, as well as the objectives and contents of the courses taken.

Important info

The program includes:

• Enrollment in our courses;
• A linguistic, cultural and natural stay in Soria;
• Accommodation in the student dormitory, at a hotel or with a host family, in a full board basis (3 meals a day);
• General orientation upon arrival and orientation prior to trips and other complementary activities;
• Handbook of the cultural programs of the city and the area;
• Certificate of attendance;
• Accident and health insurance;
• Availability of self-printing service for teachers and students;
• Wi-Fi in the facilities of the center;
• Free access to the center’s video library, the dormitory and the public library.
• Free access to the computer room;
• Free access to the gym of the dormitory;
• Use of the administrative resources and program management of the center;
• Emergency telephone number 24 hours a day;
• Pick-up service to Madrid or Zaragoza airport;

The program does not include:

• Plane tickets;
• Textbooks for class.

Students can stay in our dormitory (since mid-June to the end of August), at a hotel in Soria or with a host family. The dormitory offers meals in a full board basis, Wi-Fi, a TV room, a gym and a laundry.