I took Spanish for Social Workers with Adriana at UNAM and I loved being a student there for a…read moresemester! The staff is all very friendly and accommodating. Class was always very interactive, with a diverse array of assignments and activities throughout the semester. Additionally, UNAM frequently has exhibitions and activities that students can attend for further language and cultural immersion. My class met twice a week from 5:30-7:30 pm, which sounds like quite a commitment - but I enjoyed class so much that it made it easy to attend. Homework assignments are incredibly reasonable, flexible, and relevant to your learning. I would take a course at UNAM again in a heartbeat!

I am very happy with my experience with UNAM. I am impressed with their intentionality in placing…read morestudents in classes and progression of curriculum. Those who are serious about learning spanish should choose UNAM! I took virtual classes with Monica who lives in Mexico. She is a great teacher who is very knowledgeable of language and teaching practices. It took them a few days to get back to me via email, but they are very helpful.

We came here for an event about poetry in various languages by Chicago-based poets and translators…read more We used to come years ago (pre-pandemic) to watch movies, or listen to book reviews. We speak NO German but it was always a nice space to visit. We never joined to study the language or take classes but we definitely want to visit someday. The space is about how I remember it, and the presentation (we were kind of late) was good. The seating was not ideal. I was not able to see the subtitles for the readings (there were PowerPoint slides) so I sat in the very back on a sofa. I really blame myself for being too late to sit up front, not the institution. There was a wine reception following, with treats from local bakers as well as the Italian Cultural Institute. We chatted with a few people too. The view of Michigan Avenue from there is so great, even at night. I'd go back for another event, I do miss this place.

Once upon a time, I took German in High School. Over a decade later, I decided to rekindle my…read morerelationship with the language. There's a good chance that I may be going to Germany to teach English next year, so now is a good a time as any to take the class! I thought I would know a lot coming into the class (I barely tested into A1.2) but then I realized that there were already many things I didn't know or forgot. But the great thing about these classes is that you are thrown in and fully immersed in a certain theme of German speaking. ie, asking for directions, making a doctors appointment, telling time, etc. Unlike my HS German class, you don't necessarily learn "from the start" but take steps towards learning the language in a way that may be helpful in speaking and understanding. My last class is next week, but I've already signed up for the next level. The instructors seem to rotate and vary depending on skill level, but our teacher is simply the best! She's always high energy, positive, and makes the class engaging. I certainly hope she's the instructor for the next level! A great course at a great price. High recommendation.

I spent this summer in a 1:1 Zoom class with José Tuesta and am so glad I did! Though I was…read moretentative about the progress in an online class, this class was amazing. Unlike many language teaching styles, this curriculum helps you to get comfortable truly talking in Spanish. With Spanish LC, I was able to save much more money than taking summer classes with my university and I learned so much more.I really recommend choosing Spanish LC to anyone considering it!

There are a few boo-boos, but overall it's been pleasant…read more I can't complain about the service - one of their group courses was full, so they cut me a deal and gave me individual lessons at a group rate (yes!) My maestra, Gladys, is so nice and very informative. Even when I found some things to be too easy, she moved me right along to the next course materials (yes!) The materials need to be spell-checked and there were a few things in the exercises (tarea) that made me wonder "Why is that even in here?" I found it could be more challenging (no!) What they offer here is not what they will teach you at a university; having taken college-level Spanish (years ago; I didn't want to pay the hefty fee), I found this to be much less comprehensive - less homework, less reading, and less writing (no!). But, no one is forcing you to take exams/do the homework and so you learn at your own discretion (yes!). So with all this said, know what you want to get out of this; it's sort of what you make of it. Their services are more so for the person who wants to speak, rather than read and write. It's useful if you want to learn very quickly and have other Spanish-speakers around you to practice with (please let me emphasize that - I wouldn't have been as sharp without my bilingual friends!).

A friend invited me to a free screening of an Italian film during the week and I have been working…read moreon being more Italian. Definitely get on their mailing list and check out their cultural events. For all those Italians (or those who wish they were) looking to do more interesting things with their lives, check out Instituto! After the screening, my friend bumped into her instructor and had a chat about her travels to the motherland. Being the bad Italian I am, I wasn't able to pick out any of the 5 words I know, but love that the instructors also support events outside of the classroom.

"Instituto Italiano di Cultura di Chicago" is how you would be calling this facility if you were…read morelearning to speak Italian here. But it is also their offices and a comfortably large gallery for art and media exhibitions. I was attending the gallery space for the opening reception of their extensive exhibition of contemporary artist, illustrator, cartoonist, and animator, Lorenzo Mattotti (Brescia, 1954). The organizers had worked out a logical traffic pattern from the elevators to the reception area where wine and beverages were served, then an option to go directly into the gallery space or off to a small library room, where the hors d'oeuvres table had been laid out. A well-dressed crowd of about 30 to 40 mingled throughout and were attentive when a screening of a short film about the artist was convened. So go to visit their gallery, attend a class in Italian (this is handled through another entity, which has extensive options for private or semi-private instruction at all levels and fees - http://www.italidea.org/), or check their site for lectures and other events happening there. You can see the Mattotti exhibit through July 30, 2010, Monday - Friday, 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 to 5 PM. Admission to the exhibit is free.

Our daughter had Pauline Pilon as her teacher. The year before, with Béatrice Neveu, she was…read morethriving and rated "mastered" on nearly everything. She is a genuinely outgoing kid who loves school. Then with Pauline, things changed fast. She would walk into class, grab a book, and go sit by herself in a corner. When picking her up she was quiet and removed. We asked Pauline about it. She said almost nothing, just that our daughter probably needed more sleep. Not a word about what was actually happening in her classroom. So being proactive, we had her moved to Béatrice's class for an hour each day just for naptime. It didn't help and we were still confused. We kept asking, remained persistent. This led to a meeting with the Head of School, who was very nice but who also told us what was going on in her class. There was another child who needed help because they were yelling, acting out, and overall disruptive in class. They had to be physically restrained at times. The school was actively working with the family, but nobody had told us any of this. We'd been in a room with Pauline asking why our daughter had become withdrawn, and she said nothing. Looking back at her report card from that semester, her grades had dropped without any explanation. Things like speaking in front of the class went from a "1," mastered, to a "3," developing. No one flagged any of it. We pulled her out of the school because we did not trust Pauline, and semester 2 never happened. She went back to her usual self and thrived the next year somewhere else. We are giving three stars because her Pre-K teacher, Béatrice, was awesome! She was warm and attentive, the kind of teacher our daughter still remembers fondly. Yet, Pauline never told us what was actually going on in her own classroom, even when we sat across from her and asked directly. Instead we were left in the dark and had to search for what was going on in her classroom with our 5 year-old.

I enjoy their annual French market sale in November. I have gone both as a customer and working…read morethat weekend for a vendor which was a smooth experience. The food they sell during that is always good. I'm assuming proceeds go to benefit the school. This school is for children mainly but they also have classes for adults.

I started learning Italian while living in Italy more than a decade ago. While there I took group…read morelessons and private lessons. After returning to Chicago I took more group lessons, some private lessons, and back to group lessons. Approximately 7 years ago, I settled on Sentieri Italiani. Why? Because it was the best school I'd found and... because it's fun. There's a variety of things other than the standard classes to enjoy... movies, dinners, travel, game nights, etc. Currently I'm enjoying the Italian "book club" where we are reading not a text book, or a book written as supplemental material for a language class, but a book selected from the shelves of a bookstore in Italy where "real" Italians shop.

A friend and I snagged a Groupon deal for the Italian Language and Culture class at Sentieri this…read moresummer. Despite my love of classes, I approached this one with some hesitation - my lowest grades in school were always for Spanish class (well...and gym), I'm not naturally gifted at foreign language, I have no time/desire to study, and I'm not Italian. But my friend assured me there would be alcohol at every class and I would love to travel to Italy some day, so I bought the Groupon and enrolled. I'm so glad I did - it was a great experience! The school itself is fairly small - just a sitting room with couches and a large table and one classroom. I was greeted when I arrived for our first class by our adorable, enthusiastic instructor Enrico. Classes seem to be kept pretty small - we had about 10 students in ours. The Language and Culture course is split into two halves - the first half of the two hour class is a language lesson, which was taught by Enrico. Obviously there isn't a ton of language you're going to learn in three one hours sessions, but we were able to cover basic pronunciation and some key concepts for travel (time, how to book hotels, etc.) The second half of the class is about Italy's history and culture and is taught by the school's founder, Daniela. Daniela's theory, which I really appreciated, is that learning a language divorced of learning the culture is pointless - you'll never be able to make your way in the country. The culture lessons were fascinating and, yes, involve food and alcohol. Each session was incredibly enjoyable - I couldn't believe how quickly the time went. The school also really tries to foster a sense of community. After the last class we were invited to hang around and let our "liquore" wear off while enjoying cappuccino in the lounge area. The school also hosts book clubs, movie screenings, dinners and trips (they organize tours of Italy every year). Unfortunately my schedule doesn't currently allow me to take regular language lessons here, but this is a great resource in the city and I highly encourage everyone to check it out. Even foreign language study-phobes like me.

I have taken many classes at The Feltre School and I keep returning because The Feltre School is a…read morewarm, friendly place where people receive a wonderful education.There are not many schools that teach grammar any more. After taking Feltre's course your writing will improve because you will understand the principles of grammar; you have to lay the foundation before you can write well. If you want a more in depth study, there is Latin, philosophy, logic, ethics, and classical literature. I can tell you from first hand experience that it is thrilling to be able to read Latin and know what it means! The Feltre School is a place where people go who like to "think."

The Feltre School is an oasis of peacefulnes and learning right in the heart of the bustling River…read moreNorth neighborhood. The school, housed in a delightful old brownstone building, is a warm, gracious place. The instructors are friendly and polite. The classes are held in cozy classrooms filled with books and artwork; during break, the students cluster in the study downstairs to sip tea, eat cookies, and chat. The noncredit classes at the school encompass several fields of the classical liberal arts: grammar, rhetoric, logic, philosophy, Greek, Latin, and the humanities. Some students attend Feltre to brush up on their grammar and writing skills, but other students attend for the pure joy of learning. In addition to its classes, Feltre presents plays in the charming Library Theater, and also hosts a series of book discussions. In summary, Feltre is a one of a kind, welcoming place for anyone interested in studying the liberal arts.

This is hands down the best French school in Chicago. Don't waste your time at that other school…read moredowntown full of out of touch elitists who can't retain repeat students. Vive la Révolution!This school is well located in Lakeview, has experienced and friendly teachers . Erwin and Daphne are very good teachers. Your dollars will stretch further here so you can convert your left over to euros and take that annual trip to France or two. They also have cultural events in December I think these are for students only ;) so make sure you sign up this fall at L'école Française

Good teaching at this school, but if you have any problem, the head of the school, Erwan Sorel is…read morevery unpleasant and unhelpful.