Spanish (Elementary 1)

What is El Patio?

El Patio is a learning community. Our classes are serious and fun – one of the reasons that El Patio is Melbourne's most popular Spanish language school. The name 'El Patio' comes from the leafy and light-filled central courtyard in a traditional Spanish home.

This inner courtyard is a place to get together; it's a focal point and a place of conversation and connection. El Patio is the home of the Spanish language in Melbourne. It's somewhere where you can take your first steps in learning the language and a place you can always come back to after any adventure. 

If you've been learning for a while, El Patio is a place to continue to grow and to keep your Spanish language skills alive. Welcome! We hope you enjoy your studies and that you make your class your own.

Why Choose Us?

• Because we care! We love personal contact and care to find solutions to your requirements. We are the only school in Melbourne with study support, especially in the beginner levels (more below about this)
• Spanish is the only language we teach, so we concentrate fully on it!
• Great course programmes which follow sturdy learning sequences. Courses use textbooks and address both European and American Spanish. No matter who is your teacher, the content and sequence are consistent.
• Amazing study support. As a student you may log in to access Wordlists, Weblinks, downloads for print and mobile devices—that are specific to your course. We email you details of missed classes, and provide some flexibility to change classes during a Term.
• We have a professional and fun teaching team—all university qualified in Spanish language, linguistics or philology. Some of our teachers also teach at universities (Melbourne, La Trobe and RMIT), as well as TAFE.
• Many levels - there will be one to suit you!
• Dedicated premises with an artistic, relaxed and colourful ambience.
• We provide updates on news and events in the Spanish speaking community. Excursions, activities to practise your Spanish in a social context.
• We are recommended by the Spanish Consulate, Melbourne.
• Our courses are aligned with the levels of the DELE exams, if you wish to sit for a qualification of proficiency in the Spanish language (that never expires, lol!). These exams are held in Melbourne each May and November.

Level

For Beginners

What are my options?

As a beginner, there are two broad choices:

•  a short crash course to help you get around your phrasebook before a trip overseas (Spanish for Travel)
• something deeper / more comprehensive that would lead to higher levels if you chose to continue (Elementary 1 level courses).

Should I choose Elementary 1 or El Cheapo Introductory?

Elementary 1 and El Cheapo Introductory are essentially the same course. The difference is the duration of study and the price. Elementary 1 is 15 hours of class time spread over either 10 weeks (Popular courses) or 5 weeks (Rápido Elementary 1) or as part of the Express 1&2 package (Rápido Elementary 1 + Rápido Elementary 2).

El Cheapo is 12 hours of class time over 8 weeks. You cover the same content as Elementary 1 but there is a little less time for practice. Both Elementary 1 and El Cheapo Introductory prepare you perfectly for the next level, Elementary 2. With Elementary 1 you need to purchase the Aula Internacional Plus 1/A1 English Ed. 2020 text. 

This text forms the basis for the first 4 levels, so if you intend to continue your studies it's definitely a worthwhile investment. El Cheapo Introductory is cheaper because it includes fewer hours of class. The course fee also includes photocopies or PDF pages of all the materials you need for the course, so it's a great option if you just want get a taste of what learning Spanish is like before committing more fully.

Should I choose Elementary 1 or Spanish for Travel?

It depends on what your goals are. If you're about to head away on a trip overseas, Spanish for Travel is excellent. It's 1.5 hours a week for 5 weeks (total 7.5 hours). The course helps you learn all the key phrases you need to get by in a Spanish-speaking country – it doesn't have time to go into a lot of depth. 

If you're intention is to learn the language, Elementary 1 is the way to go. In this course you build a solid foundation for future study and for learning the language well. For example, in Elementary 1 you learn how to use the present tense and are given the tools you need to start making sentences of your own.

The approach is communicative, with an emphasis on speaking, but you also learn how to read and write and there's lots of listening activities too. Elementary 1 is 15 hours and is available in a range of different formats depending on your availability and how quickly you aim to progress.

What do I learn in Elementary 1?

You learn how to greet people and introduce yourself, talk about where you’re from, what you do and where you live. You also learn the alphabet, pronunciation, the numbers and get a basic understanding of the present tense. It’s a good one to do if you haven’t studied before or if you know a few words.

What happens after Elementary 1?

After Elementary 1 (or El Cheapo Introductory) you're in the perfect position to enrol in Elementary 2. This is the next step that will take you through the Elementary levels (Elementary 1 to 4) and then into the Lower Intermediate levels and beyond.

For Non-Beginners

How do I work out my level?

There are a few ways to work out your level. We have an online level test which is a great place to start. We can also look at what grammar topics and tenses you've seen, or the number of hours you've previously studied. We can also assess your oral level by appointment over the phone or in person. Telling us a bit about your Spanish learning experience would also help.

Should I start from the very start if I already have some knowledge of Spanish?

Are you comfortable with the present tense verb conjugations? If not, it could be good to revise these in Elementary 1 as it's good to build a solid foundation from the beginning. However, you could brush up on this outside of class and have a look at the Get Set for Elementary 2 page on our website. This should tell you exactly what you need to know to be able to jump straight up to Elementary 2.

If I've travelled and I haven't studied before, where should I start?

We suggest that you start at the beginning. You might have a lot of vocab and have more spoken confidence that others in the class, but you'll probably find there there are gaps in your knowledge of grammar and other essentials. Missing out on these things will limit hor far you can progress in future, so it's really worthwhile getting a solid foundation before moving on.

The exception would be if you've lived in a Spanish-speaking country. If your oral level is high, you could join a higher level and possibly take some private classes / workshops in our intensives to cover any major gaps.

Can I move classes if the level isn't suitable?

You certainly can, as long it's within the same Term. For this reason we advise not to purchase textbooks until you've found the right level.

How do I get certified as a Spanish speaker?

The DELE exams are an excellent way to certify your level of Spanish.

All of our levels align with the European CEFR scheme, which has the following levels:

• A1 (Elementary 1–4)
• A2 (Lower Intermediate 1–5)
• B1 (Upper Intermediate 1–6)
• B2 (Advanced 1–6)
• C1 (Superior 1–6)
• C2 (Proficiency)

We support students sitting these exams in a few different ways.

I'm in a higher level and want to do 3 hours of class a week. Can I take two classes at once?

Of course! At the higher levels the sequence of what is learnt is less important than it is when you’re starting out. So it's completely fine to do two levels at the same time. You would end up coming to two classes per week (e.g. Monday 6pm and Thursday 6pm). There's no such thing as too much Spanish!