If your family is spending some weeks in Santa Teresa, or your teenager is learning Spanish at home, private classes can turn the Spanish they hear around them into Spanish they can actually use.

I'm José Cardoza, a native Spanish-speaking teacher who lives in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica. I teach teenagers from 12 to 18 years old, in person in Santa Teresa or online on Zoom, from complete beginner to advanced.

Why from 12 years old

From 12 on, a teenager can stay focused for a whole class and take part in a real conversation. That is why I don't teach children under 12.

How classes with teenagers are different

  • More visual and more listening. Images, songs, videos and short conversations, instead of tables on a page.
  • Very little grammar. Almost none. They learn the language by using it.
  • Topics they care about. Music, surf, social media and the Costa Rican slang they hear from other young people here.

These classes are Spanish for communicating: speaking, understanding and getting by. I don't prepare school exams or help with school homework.

For parents

  • You arrange everything with me. Days, times and payment are agreed with the mother or the father, not with the teenager.
  • An adult nearby. For classes in person, I prefer a parent or another adult of the family to be nearby during the class.
  • Where. In person, I come to where you are staying in Santa Teresa, Mal País, Las Delicias, San Isidro or Cóbano. Online, on Zoom from anywhere.
  • Several days in a row. If you are here for one to four weeks, we can plan classes on consecutive days, depending on my schedule. Write to me early.

Prices

Online trial class (20–30 minutes): $12
Private class (60–70 minutes): $25
Monthly pack of 4 classes: $80
Two siblings together: $40

The trial class is online, on Zoom, and it is the best way to start: your teenager meets me, I see their level, and you decide calmly.

Spanish school or private teacher in Santa Teresa? →
How the online classes work →
20 Costa Rican phrases you'll hear in Santa Teresa →

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