No matter the age I strongly recommend a language course at BLH…read more the school offers a variety of language courses and teachers who offer their expertise. I'm currently a Beginner's French student and I have had a very positive and rewarding experience with both my teacher and administration.

I highly recommend Boston Language Hub for starting a new language or honing your skills in a…read morelanguage you are already learning. The classes are small and well supported with documents and books to learn quickly. The staff is very kind and welcoming. I have taken several French classes and Robert is great. I know that they have tons of other classes too! The best way to learn is to practice with others so sign up now!

My daughter and I did the Spanish language paint night and I had a great time! This is my first…read moretime doing a paint night so I was a little nervous about how my painting was going to come out. But I love my Picasso-esque painting. Ed did a great job teaching us and guiding us through the process. It was also great to have some Spanish language lessons incorporated into the night. And I would be remiss if I didn't mention his delicious tortilla Espanola and the live music!

Rola Languages is a great language school nestled between Porter and Harvard Squares in Cambridge,…read moreMA. Students have the opportunity to learn multiple romance languages that will help them achieve their personal and professional goals in a flexible and comfortable setting. Ed Rocha, in particular, uses evidence-based strategies to motivate his students towards success. 10/10 recommend him and Rola as a hub for language learning, community, and connection.

Do yourself a favor and take their Bootcamp. It's a super fast-paced and engaging 3-hours that you…read morewon't regret (and will go by so fast)! I've taken two (Spanish & Mandarin) of the three bootcamps that are offered currently, and each one you will leave with what you've learned seriously stuck in your head. They teach practical stuff that you can remember and use right away. The classes are small and the people are friendly; I can't imagine learning a language any other way now. Italian is next for me!

I love this organization! It is the only organization I've found in the Boston area that offers…read morelanguage classes and engages the public in multicultural events, something that I think is really important. They also offer immersion programs in other countries which is awesome! The teachers are very passionate and knowledgeable and the location is super convenient. They also organize conversation groups in bars and cafes in the languages they teach, which, if you're like me and enjoy learning in a casual environment, it's perfect. I really recommend AES!

In my profession, and particularly as a graduate student, I work closely with a lot of native…read moreChinese speakers. Even my advisor is Chinese. At the place I work here in Boston, the majority of my group is native Chinese or Chinese American, including one of my bosses. Thus, I decided that it was about time that I learn how to speak Mandarin, so that I could understand better the language and culture of my fellow students and co-workers, and so that I could help those who have difficulty or are reluctant to speak in English. I looked at the Boston Language Institute, but their high prices suggested I look elsewhere. Thanks to Lauren S.'s review, I found this place, the Chinese Institute of Language and Arts. Their prices are more than reasonable - I paid $220 for 20 hours of class in beginning Mandarin, as well as the workbook and CDs. The owner/manager, Peter, is very friendly and welcoming. Classes are amazingly small - I think the most I saw from any one class was 5, and my average was about 3. This means that you get plenty of individual attention and practice with the language, including drills on character recognition, help with pronunciation of words and tones, and conversation practice. The teachers are typically native Chinese or Chinese American college students or recent graduates, which is more than enough to teach beginning Chinese. They might not have tons of experience teaching, but they all seem to follow a general lesson plan, and they're quite willing to help with problems or questions you have. All in all, I think that going to CILA was a good move on my part, as it helped introduce me to the Chinese language and gave me some tools that I can use in everyday conversations with my fellow classmates and co-workers. While I need more practice (and indeed, practice outside of class helps a lot), I feel I'm sufficiently prepared to take on more studying of the language in attempts to become semi-fluent. I would definitely recommend classes here to anyone interested in learning Chinese.

Since traveling to China three years ago, I've become obsessed with all things China; I will read…read moreany related book or magazine article I can get my hands on. After a lovely breakup and many months spent shunning all my interests, I decided to finally get off my ass in late '08 and pursue two of my longer-lasting loves: learning and languages. I scoured the internet for a class offering Mandarin Chinese and found a couple of schools located in Chinatown that had decent prices compared to the go-to linguistic center in town, the Boston Language Institute, whose prices were more than double these other two places. The Chinese Language Institute offered a course breakdown with joining dates for new classes (limited to 6 people!) along with a prominent guarantee of satisfaction. A 10-week course, two hours a week, cost only $180, compared to the $450+ offered by BLI, so I warily but cheerfully submitted my interest online, promising to show up on the date of the first class, scheduled for 1/12/09. I dutifully showed up at 6pm that night but was informed that class began the next week (even though the website had not updated the schedule). I didn't consider this a big deal, so I came back the next week and enrolled with four other people in Beginning Mandarin. I forgot my checkbook that night, but they were really cool about it, saying I could pay them next week and letting me take the textbook and CDs for the class (these were not included in the online price; it added $30 to the total class fee). A little bit about the space-- it's a small area of a couple classrooms that are in, uh, dilapidated condition. This, I imagine, is probably quite unlike the BLI, which probably has gleaming whiteboards and spanking new desks. However, I cannot praise CIL enough. This is the kind of place where you get as much as you want out of the class-- you're not there to pay to have a teacher clap their hands and hand you a fancy certificate at the end of the class. You're there because you want to be there, and the teachers will give you two hours of their best work each week. The first night I had a different teacher than the one I have now-- she was very good, but the teacher I've had since the second night is amazing. She is firmer than the first girl and throws in so many different teaching activities in two hours that I'm really impressed (I work in textbook publishing so I know a little bit about teaching styles). We sometimes sing songs, work off picture charts, practice conversation with each other... in terms of the environment, it's bare bones essentials, but Wen Laoshi (Teacher Wen) has taught me a hell of a lot in only a few weeks. She sends us emails in Chinese and English with song attachments and is always fetching us tea on breaks. She's smart and makes the class challenging and enjoyable at the same time. In short, I love CIL and I am very glad I signed up for a class. If you want a language class that has an official syllabus and nice classrooms, then this isn't the place for you. But if you want to learn Mandarin or Cantonese in a supportive, engaging environment, then CIL is your best bet. Cheap classes, fantastic instruction-- one of the best things I've found in Boston. Wo hen mang. Zaijian!

As a parent, I couldn't be happier with our experience at SELA. Administrators, teachers, and…read moresupport staff are professional, warm, empathetic, and caring. The Admissions Director runs the school incredibly well and has set the tone for creating a culture of inclusivity, compassion, generosity, and excellence. The bilingual education is outstanding, and our five-year-old has progressed in Spanish due to his wonderful teachers and thoughtful curriculum. The sense of community is amazing, and we've made lasting friendships with other families at the school. SELA offers diverse and engaging extracurricular activities for students, special events, and parent meet-ups. Sending our son to SELA was one of the best parenting decisions we've made, and he's fortunate to have the opportunity to grow and thrive in such a welcoming environment.

My son and daughter both attend this school. They get the advantage of learning Spanish and are…read moretaught by really amazing and caring teachers. I would recommend this to anyone!