School Blog

THE OFFICIAL DELE EXAMS

The language test DELE is one of the exams you need to take to be eligible for the Spanish citizenship. The Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language (Diploma De Español Como Lengua Extranjera) contains the basics of a foreign language test, including:

• Reading and writing skills.
  This section consists of the two modules reading and comprehension.
• Written expression & interaction.

Both of these modules last approximately 60 minutes. The first module contains five practical tasks, and the second module has two tasks.

• Language skills.
  This section consists of listening comprehension, oral expression and interaction. The first module is 35 minutes long and contains five practical tasks, and the second module lasts 15 minutes, with no tasks to complete.

The DELE A2 exam is the basic level needed for a successful Spanish citizenship application. 

The maximum number of points you can get in the DELE A2 language test is 100 points. To pass the test, you need to get 60 points in total – 30 points in Reading and Writing Skills, and 30 points in Speaking Skills.

The first examination date for the DELE A2 exams at our school is the 17.02.2023!

One more year the Instituto Cervantes has published the new manual to prepare for the CCSE exams.

This new manual has 25% of new questions compared to the CCSE manual of 2022. This new content and questions are those that will be included in all the CCSE tests that are already arranged throughout the next year 2023.

Check all examination dates and firther information regarding the preparation at our website!

From 03th to 04th of November 2022 the representatives of language schools in Spain and Germany met at Escuela Montalbán in Granada for their annual meeting.

The following schools from Spain and Germany joined the meeting:

Escuela Montalbán, Granada
Tandem Madrid, Escuela Internacional
Escuela Mediterráneo, Barcelona
Tandem München
Tandem Hamburg
Tandem Köln
Zentrum für deutsche Sprache und Kultur, Frankfurt

One of the characteristics that makes the Spanish-German network Tandem Language Schools unique is its ability to group very diverse schools into a democratic and collaborative partnership. Different countries (Spain, Germany, Chile), two languages and different realities are united through human and solidarity principles to promote their mutual growth, inspiring people to learn, connect, and engage with foreign languages in a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Diversity makes us more human, unity makes us stronger.

The name "TANDEM" and its history are strongly associated with language exchanges as a method of learning. This is why we consider it our sign of identity.

There were several trial studies in the 1960's and 70's. Finally in 1979, Jürguen Wolff developed the procedures for exchanges between German and Spanish students in Madrid. In 1982, Wolff joined forces with a teachers' cooperative in Madrid – it later became TANDEM Madrid.

Throughout the 80's the organization grew through the formation of a horizontal network of partner schools. Each one maintained its individuality, but all of them shared some values and teaching methods. In 1994 this network was consolidated at the TANDEM Fundazioa, based in San Sebastian, Spain. Subsequently, in 2003, TANDEM Fundazioa shifted the focus of its work to universities and NGOs, and the partner schools created TANDEM International for the joint promotion of private language schools.

Tandem Language Schools network is currently comprised of schools in 12 destinations, teaching Spanish and German in 3 countries. We are open to incorporating new schools into our association, as long as they share our values and are able to pass a strict selection process, to ensure that they meet high quality standards and are permanently committed to people in the first place. Our network aims for more than to just develop the highest quality teaching standards. Our mission of inspiring people to learn, connect, and engage with foreign languages in once in a lifetime experience means a strong commitment to responsible social values, promoting cross-cultural awareness, and fostering understanding among students, staff, and the community.

Completing the PRUEBA CCSE tests of constitutional and sociocultural knowledge of Spain is one of the essential requirements for applying for Spanish nationality. The absence of an adaptation of the nationality tests so that people who suffer from illiteracy have reasonable support in the procedure for acquiring Spanish nationality by residence entails a violation of the constitutional principles of equality and non-discrimination.

But, what happens if the person who wants to acquire Spanish nationality has difficulty carrying out these mandatory tests?

The reasons may be several, one may be due to lack of basic studies, which implies illiteracy of different types:

Total illiteracy, when the person cannot read or write in his mother tongue.
Functional illiteracy, when the person, despite not knowing how to read or write in Spanish, does understand it.

Therefore, the Instituto Cervantes can facilitate access to the PRUEBA CCSE under special conditions.

Since May 2022 our school is a recognized examination centre for illiterate candidates. The exam is carried out in an individual tutorial and only orally.

Check here all the special examination dates for 2022!

The SEMANA DIGITAL DEL ESPAÑOL is a new event developed by FEDELE SPAIN.

It is a hybrid physical-digital event that will take place on 17th and 18th October in digital format and from 19th to 22nd October 2022 in Madrid with the aim of bringing together language and tourism agencies, federated centres, students, teachers and management teams.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT FORMS OF PARTICIPATION
This event will have two main themes: training sessions and commercial activities to close deals between participating schools, agencies and institutions. It is an event with different agendas and forms of participation, depending on the profile of the participant, and open to all professionals worldwide. Management teams will be able to participate in all activities, including the private session on Wednesday 19th October. Federated centres will have preference in activities and agendas.

• Digital-only assistants
  Under this modality, users will be able to follow all the digital activities planned from 1st July to 22nd October, including all training activities.
  
  
• Non-federated centres
  The event is open to the participation of non-federated centres. They will be able to take part in dozens of activities.
  
  
• Spanish teachersTeachers can access to training pills and sessions and develop their abilities and knowledges.
  
  
• Agencies and schools
  During business meetings international professionals can expand their commercialisation channels.
  
  
• Students
• For the first time, we will have an event for students of Spanish as a foreign language in our country with a big party in Madrid.
  
  

Click here to see the whole programme:
https://fedele.org/en/semana-del-espanol-2022/

During the course week from 25 to 29 de april 2022 a group of young portuguese students from the Escola Secundária Luis de Freitas Branco in Paço de Arcos, participated in a Spanish language programme at our school.

They combined 4 Spanish lessons of 45 minutes per day at our school with cultural activities organized by their tutors.

Daily programme from Monday to Friday:
08.00 h
Breakfast
09.00-12.15 h
Spanish course
12.30-19.00 h
Cultural activites
20.00 h
Dinner

Our school hosted the students with local host families who live in our neighbourhood and in walking distance to the school.

SPANISH COURSE IN GRANADA & CULTURAL PROGRAM

Monday, 21.03.2022
Arrival at Malaga airport at 10.15 h; transfer to Granada and reception
by the host families in the Neptuno Shopping Center.
14.00 h: Lunch
20.00 h: Dinner

Tuesday, 22.03.2022
08.00 h: Breakfast
09.00-10.30 h: Spanish course
10.30-10.45 h: Break
10.45-12.15 h: Spanish course
12.15-12.30 h: Break
12.30-13.15 h: Spanish course
14.00 h: Lunch
18.30-20.00 h: Guided visit to the Albaicín and Flamenco at the
Sacromonte (Picnic)

Wednesday, 23.03.2022
08.00 h: Breakfast
09.00-10.30 h: Spanish course
10.30-10.45 h: Break
10.45-12.15 h: Spanish course
12.15-12.30 h: Break
12.30-13.15 h: Spanish course
14.00 h: Lunch
20.00 h: Dinner

Thursday, 24.03.2022
08.00 h: Breakfast
09.00-10.30 h: Spanish course
10.30-10.45 h: Break
10.45-12.15 h: Spanish course
12.15-12.30 h: Break
12.30-13.15 h: Spanish course
13.30 h: Guided visit to the Alhambra (Picnic)
20.00 h: Dinner

Friday, 25.03.2022
08.00 h: Breakfast
09.00-10.30 h: Spanish course
10.30-10.45 h: Break
10.45-12.15 h: Spanish course
12.15-12.30 h: Break
12.30-13.15 h: Spanish course
14.00 h: Lunch
20.00 h: Dinner

Saturday, 26.03.2022
07.30 h: Breakfast
08.00-19.00 h: Day trip to Córdoba (Picnic)
20.00 h: Dinner

Sunday, 27.03.2022
Breakfast
08.00 h: Transfer from the Neptuno Shopping Center in Granada
to Malaga airport; families bring students to the meeting point.

At the end of last February, Russia undertook military maneuvers against Ukraine and its civilian population, unleashing a war that we never thought could be repeated in Europe. Many Ukrainians are being forced to leave their home and land to countries that host them as refugees which has become a nightmare for them.

At Escuela Montalbán and in collaboration with FEDELE, our national association of Spanish language schools, we want to show our support for the Ukrainian people and, therefore, we will continue to carry out our main task: teaching Spanish as a foreign language.

For this reason, we offer free Spanish coursesto Ukrainians who are in Granada as refugees during the year 2022. The number and the length of these free courses will depend on our availibility. Refugees on a beginner level will have preferences! These courses are only suitable for adults!

In Spain, Granada preserves treasures from the past. But trendy hotspots and a new ecopark have this city looking to the future.

Returning to the Alhambra is like rereading a book. The hilltop citadel built by the Nasrid sultans above Granada, in Spain's autonomous Andalusia region, was a masterpiece of medieval engineering, but also of literature—poetry and philosophy expressed in dream-like architecture. Verses, blessings, and ruminations were etched into its facades so the structure would seem to speak.

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