WAYRA Spanish Institute
East Road, 50309 Playa Tamarindo, Guanacaste 50309, Costa Rica
WAYRA Spanish Institute
If you need a more personalized instruction we recommend to take individual classes, WAYRA gives you the opportunaty to sign up for 4 hours of private classes per day. You will work on grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary and will also focus on reading, writing, speaking and listening. Textbooks and a variety of other materials are used in instruction, including role-playing, newspapers, magazines and other materials.
Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities
WAYRA does not hold classes on the holiday dates above. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.
Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.
Average | 1 student |
Maximum | 1 student |
Age range | 16 years old and older |
Average | 25 years old (24 in the summer) |
WAYRA is centrally located in Playa Tamarindo and just 150 meters from the beach.
The school is situated in a beautiful tropical garden. On the premises, the students can find three buildings and two small ranchos (open air dry palm huts).
All the classrooms are distributed among the buildings. The classrooms are spacious and comfortable, with large open windows to create a comfortable and appropriate atmosphere to study.
The main rancho houses two classrooms on the second floor and the cafeteria with a snack bar on the ground floor. In the cafeteria, students relax and enjoy conversations with other students while having some snacks and refreshments. It is also a good place to do homework during school hours or to take part in one of the dance lessons that are practiced after school on the main floor.
We will maximize the students learning experience with a thoughtful balance of personal, cultural and academic challenges within a secure and supportive environment. The instructors are skilled in blending conversation with grammar to meet the individual needs of the group members.
In the classroom, we make learning an enjoyable natural process. Teachers encourage debate, conversation, and exchange of ideas to promote critical thinking and verbal skills. Games, videos and music are frequently used in the classrooms.
Outdoor activities, such as walks in the nature reserves, visits to the different business in town to gather information, conversations with people from the community, interviews or excursions to neighboring towns, are used to practice and learn more about the ecology, economy, and culture of Costa Rica. Your language ability will grow as your outlook broadens. Every day the students are required to do about one hour of homework.
The nationality and age mix at WAYRA Spanish Institute varies over different time periods, courses and levels. Throughout the year, the average age is 25. In the summer, the average age is 24.
WAYRA teaches students from all over the world, including:
WAYRA does not hold classes on the holiday dates below. The school does not compensate for these holidays, so make sure to choose your start date accordingly.
WAYRA is located at the beautiful Tamarindo Beach, on the west coast of Costa Rica, and offers since 1996 a full Spanish immersion program. Recognized as a DELE examination center and associated with the Instituto Cervantes, we are the perfect choice for students that want to learn Spanish in a serious environment but at the same time would like to enjoy the beaches and the many outdoor activities such as surfing, snorkeling, canopy, kayaking, fishing, etc.
Spanish classes are held in beautiful classrooms with a lot of space and a perfect view of our amazing tropical garden where animals like Iguanas and Monkeys can be seen often. The school is located just one block from the beach. We offer different lodging options such as 3 student houses in Tamarindo that are all in walking distance to the school and the beach. In addition, our students have the possibility to experience the real Costa Rican live staying with one of our carefully selected host families in the nearby towns of Villareal and Santa Rosa.
My teacher was attentive, flexible and a nice and fun person. He taught me about the culture and of course and did not try to talk English with me, even with my very little Spanish, he continued talking in Spanish. This way I learned many new words.
The school has not a real physical office and the lessons happen on the grounds of a nearby Hostel for very young people.
I do not recommend the school for people at my age.
And I find the way the manager communicates in English confusing. This gave me some problems with transport they organized for me.
Dear Farideh, thank you very much for taking the time for this review. We are glad to hear that you were satisfied with the classes, but we are surprised that you are writing that we do not have a real physical office... On our campus we do have 3 different buildings and on the main building we have the reception of the school and there are 3 more offices (one for the academic coordinator, one for the academic director and another one for the administrative director). And we always give the classes on Wayra's campus since we started more than 25 years ago. We have no idea why you are writing that the classes where hold on a nearby hostal ...
I really enjoyed the activities and interactive communication practice. However, I felt that having taken Spanish in school, I knew much of the grammar and simply needed some verbal and auditory practice. I feel that I would've gained more abilities in Spanish had I simply taken a speaking and listening class (if such an option was made available). Also, I think it would have been interesting to read some more realistic texts (newspapers, short stories, etc), rather than simply following the booklet.
Show details » Read more...I liked the location of the school, the level of Spanish I was placed in, the teacher, the daily program and activities, and the excellence of everyone involved in the school. There was nothing that I didn't like. Great job, WAYRA!
Show details » Read more...In 2005, I took a Spanish course with WAYRA and was very impressed with how fast I learned the language. I decided to come back to brush up my language skills and I must say that the school still offers the same quality program. This time, I stayed in a student house directly in Tamarindo which was very convenient. I met a lot of new friends and had an unforgettable time. Hopefully I can come back in the near future!
Show details » Read more...Homestays are carefully selected and offer students the opportunity to learn more about the local culture in a comfortable setting while studying Spanish in Playa Tamarindo. These homes are often between 10 - 20 minutes away from the school by public transport. Families usually offer affordable meal plans that allow you to sample the local cuisine. If you have special requests or diet restrictions (because of religion or health reasons), please let us know in advance. Your housing starts on the Sunday before your first day of class and ends on the Saturday after your last day of class, unless otherwise noted. Learn more about homestay housing
Student residences are more suitable for an independent student, who is looking for clean, basic accommodation at an economic price. All students must be 16 - 85. Your housing starts on the Sunday before your first day of class and ends on the Saturday after your last day of class, unless otherwise noted. Student residences often do not include any meal plan. Learn more about student residence accommodation
We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. The school is also not authorized to issue documents to support your visa application. If you need a visa, you have to apply for a visitor or tourist visa on your own.
Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Playa Tamarindo based on your budget, schedule and preferences.
Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.
Have questions? Get answers from WAYRA Spanish Institute staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.
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