I have been attending the Wednesday night Advanced Spanish Meetup groups for several years now. I was fortunate to hear of them just as my other Advanced Spanish opportunities waned. What I found was a treasure...small group sessions of an hour or una hora y media for an incredibly low price. At the Advanced level, all conversation is expected to be in Spanish. Occasionally, a splash of English might be necessary to clarify a definition.
A typical night begins in the anteroom with arriving participants discussing their week or solving the problems of humanity. When we move to the classroom (holding up to 12 people), we might start by reading a recent newspaper article (such as El Pais). Later on, we might look into unusual phrases or regional differences in verbiage or pronunciation. Exercises often take the form of changing pronouns/tenses of phrases to accommodate different meanings or points of view. Other times, we might watch a short film. William and Maria change the content for every session and because they know each attendee so well, they can maintain high interest levels.
COVID took its toll on this Meetup Group. We did remote sessions for a few months and then resumed in person meetings when they were permitted. Even with fewer students, William and Maria kept this service running the entire time. On a few occasions, I was the only student, which certainly benefited me, but did little to help the business. The fact that William and Maria persisted through the COVID years and provided top notch instruction to those who attended serves as a testament to their devotion to their students. Really, who could ask for more? read more