***** The Spanish Centre on Hayden is now closed permanently. I just wasted my time coming to the location only to be told by a construction worker standing out front that "there is a new owner".(?)
I am a Spanish speaker but always seek ways to practice and improve my Spanish because my social network has very few Spanish speakers. I joined a series or Almodovar film screenings offered by the centre and had an amazing experience. I was given an opportunity to listen to more advanced Spanish speakers and learn about the films and history involved. I was also able to partake in exercises to reflect on various themes and David was incredibly thorough, organized and full of insight to help direct the group discussions after each screening. He also made each session accessible to new participants and those well versed with the selection of films. I would 100% attend a future film screening series and highly recommend it for anyone who would like to engage in cultural events that will also assist in expanding your knowledge and Spanish vocabulary.
I thoroughly enjoyed this experience of watching this Almodóvar movie in a Spanish-speaking setting and also enjoyed listening discussion which followed. A very welcoming and comfortable experience. Much as gracias. ?
It's an excellent resource to improve the level of Spanish of my son who is a native Canadian and usually comunicates with me in English. I enjoy his progress experienced in my mother tongue Spanish. I highly recommend Spanish Centre!!
Convenient location, beautiful building and small pleasant classrooms could truly make this Centre the IT place for learning Spanish in Toronto.However, there is a sense of malaise on the main floor, where the reception area is locked and dark within the supposed hours of operation. Same sense of malaise is also represented by the second floor bathroom, recently not operational for two weeks and then not repaired sufficiently.While I had two outstanding teachers in the two classes, not all the teachers hired by the Centre have a teaching background and can be hired solely because they are native speakers but in fact they have no idea how to teach.I wasted my time in one class with such a clueless teacher. The Centre provides a beautifully printed booklet for each course. The booklet contains 5 chapters, supposedly corresponding with 5 sessions of each course (recently the Saturday morning course , up to now consisting of 5 two hours sessions was compressed into 4 sessions , each being two and half hours long.Although the number of hours stays the same, the decision could not have been made by a person with a teaching experience. Much less can be taught/learned in this shortened course). Moreover,these booklets are containing too much information for the length of the course and thus each course ends at the beginning of the 4th chapter.The teachers usually inform the students at the beginning of each course that it will not be possible to finish the 5 chapters. Therefore, a student goes into the next level, which is build on the students' knowledge of the previous 5 chapters.This discrepancy between the materials and the time to process them is a build-in frustration for teachers and students alike. Last year , about this time, excellent one - time workshops for an overview of materials were offered to students for a minimal payment, this year the offer is not repeated. Furthermore,the teachers and students are informed only very shortly before the beginning of the course, who will teach it. I was told at the reception desk that the teachers' names will be posted on the web closer to the start of the course but the names are never posted there. To conclude, while the building itself is conducive to welcoming the students, this Centre needs to be transformed from the money-making machine into a true educational environment, led by experienced educators.A high turnover of staff suggests that all is not well also regarding the work conditions there. The transformation is needed so the place and its students could thrive.
I had two different class cycles here. Already arriving with an advanced level in Spanish and only looking to maintain/practice, I registered in the highest level offered. The classes were still too much of a beginner level for me and I found the teacher had to keep switching into English to be understood. The classes themselves had mixed level students but I would totally recommend the school for beginners or those looking to learn Spanish.
You will learn the bare basics for what you pay. They make you rush through a five chapter booklet in five weeks (2 hours a week for 5 weeks). They rush through it and you don't even finish. I've been there for a year and have yet to finish a book in one 5 week period class. I had to repeat a couple of classes. In order to understand the course properly you have to repeat it. They should have the classes running for three hours and spend the entire 10 weeks going over the 5 chapter book. This will give time to learn the material fresh and then review it on the next week. The whole program is rush rush rush.
Spanish Centre is a Canadian Language school based in North York, Ontario. Spanish Centre is located at 4968 Yonge St, North York, ON M2N 7G9, Canada.
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