My Experience at the Toucan Spanish School

Having very little background in Spanish and knowing that I would be spending four months in South America, I wanted to gather a basic fundamental knowledge of the language. After doing some research of the different Spanish lessons available, I chose to enroll in the Toucan Spanish School for one week of lessons. Before enrolling, I spent a few months using the Duolingo app to gain a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish.

Basic Information

The Toucan Spanish school is located in the El Poblado neighbourhood in Medellín (there are also locations in Cartagena and Bogota). One week (20 hours) of group lessons costs COP$575,000 (approx. $250 CAD) in classes no greater than 7 students. Classes are discounted if you sign up for multiple weeks. Also, there are options to take private lessons, small group lessons with people you know or lessons via Skype. Obviously, the price varies based on what option you choose. My classes ran from 9am-1pm daily from Monday to Friday.

Curriculum and Class Experience

The school runs a set curriculum based on the level of Spanish participants have. On any given week, there are upwards of 14 different classes operating all at different levels. I signed up for the most basic level available. My class was comprised of 6 students (from Europe, the United States, and myself). Each student was given a hardcover notebook, pen and a stapled package with activities. The instructor spoke primarily in Spanish, but clarified expectations in English. 

On the first day, it was evident that my experience with Duolingo (and background in French) proved necessary to succeed in the group lessons. Without any background, I feel that I would have struggled immensely. Throughout the week, we learned fundamental grammar and vocabulary, practiced composing sentences and paragraphs and had plenty of opportunities to practice speaking.

Each day was organized and structured, while following the Toucan curriculum.As the week progressed, I found myself becoming more comfortable understanding my classmates and teacher speaking, though I still have a long way to go. For someone interested in learning Spanish, I would recommend taking multiple weeks of lessons, as one week only helps get your feet wet in the fundamentals.

Extra Activities 

The Toucan school also offers daily free and paid activities and excursions for students to take part in, I chose to participate in some free activities, such as a welcome lunch on the first day, a salsa lesson, candy tasting and a cooking class. The events change from week to week, offering new experiences for students. There is also a free language exchange for students on Tuesday-Thursday evenings where Spanish and English students can converse and practice their skills. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I recommend the Toucan school for beginners to get started in their language learning journey in a structured environment. As mentioned earlier, I would suggest using an app like Duolingo first before attending a class. Or alternatively, you can take private lessons to get started. It was a great place to learn and to meet like-minded individuals while travelling.

Visit https://www.toucanspanish.com/ for more information and to enroll.