Study Portuguese

You will be enrolled to study Portuguese (Brazilian) within an established Language School in the town of Foz do Iguaçu. The language centre has an excellent reputation and was established 15 years ago. Not only does it specialise in teaching languages such as English, Spanish, and Portuguese but it also teaches the methodology of teaching languages. The committed and enthusiastic teachers are well experienced in teaching languages and have undertaken specific courses to do so. You will benefit from receiving lots of help both in and out of the lessons from the very friendly and helpful staff. Portuguese classes are normally held within walking distance of your accommodation.

Most of the time your lessons will be during the day on Monday to Friday, but it is possible that occasionally your lesson times will vary slightly. Teaching revolves around an intensive language program that utilizes innovative techniques on a one-teacher to one-student basis. You will receive individual tuition and lessons prepared especially for you.

Intensive Courses:

This course is aimed at people where the focus is purely on learning Portuguese and in the quickest time possible. It is perfect for those wanting to get an understanding of the language as quickly as possible, before moving onto other projects. It consists of 20 hours of lessons per week, but is not advisable for those of you who want to combine one or more placements.

Semi-Intensive Courses:

The semi-intensive course gives a good middle ground and offers the participant both the opportunity to have time in and out of the class room. It consists of 10 hours of lessons per week, providing a good spring board to learning whilst allowing you to remain free to take part in other interests.

Supplemental Courses:

The supplemental course is perfect for those of you where learning a language isn’t your first love but you would still like a few lessons to get you started and give you more confidence in your new surroundings. The supplemental course can be taken with any combination of projects and consists of five hours of lessons per week.

Portuguese lessons are strongly recommended if you are a complete beginner or if you are undergoing a teaching placement and want to improve your Portuguese at the same time

About The Portuguese Courses In Rio De Janeiro

You'll be enrolled on a course with a local language school located in the Catete district of central Rio, just a 10 minute walk from your accommodation. The experienced and dedicated teachers at this school are incredibly friendly and will go out of their way to ensure that you have an enjoyable experience learning Portuguese in Brazil!

Studying in Rio will also be a fun cultural experience, as you absorb the Brazilian way of life from your interactions with Carioca's! Depending on your preferences, you can take a course in a small group (no more than 8 students), or on a one-to-one basis. If you are taking private lessons then you'll have the opportunity for the course to be tailored exactly to your needs. Lessons last one and half hours each and are taught through various methods, including: talking, multimedia (video, CD's, internet), practical activities, excursions and cultural trips!

Portuguese courses are available to all levels, from beginner to advanced, and can be taken for a variety of durations each week, from 5 to 20 hours. We recommend a minimum of 30 hours of tuition (spread across several weeks) for concrete learning to take place. Please speak to us for more details and prices of these courses.

Teachers try, where possible, to hold classes predominantly in Portuguese, but most teachers are fluent English speakers and will assist you in English if or when you get stuck. Having the classes in held in Portuguese helps to immerse you in the Brazilian language and encourages you to converse and gain confidence in speaking Portuguese.

If you are doing another placement in Brazil you may want to consider taking some Portuguese Lessons as a supplement - even some basic knowledge will be beneficial to you during your teaching assignment. For combination programmes, we will ensure that your timetable is arranged to give you plenty of time in between your different placements.

Certification:

At the end of the course, you’ll receive a certificate issued by the School, stating that you have attended the course, to which level, and the duration in hours of the course you have completed.

Why not combine another Tarvellers project (or two!) whilst studying Portuguese in Rio or Foz? Travellers can arrange the following for your free time, at your request:

• Learn, practice and play the beautiful fight/dance/art of Capoeira
• Music courses (a variety of local percussion/styles for you to choose from)
• Study Portuguese - immerse yourself in the language, be amazed at the effects it brings!
• Photography courses
• Care and crèche work
• Dance and sports coaching
• Teaching (a variety of subjects and age groups available)

Accommodation:

This is arranged in comfortable sociable settings with other students/volunteers.

Our users say...

"My Portuguese lessons were so useful, because they made me feel more at ease and comfortable with being in Brazil, as well as being able to communicate with people in clubs and shops, people at the hostel…Learning even a little made everything so much easier! Even though everyone was very accepting and patient with me when I didn‘t speak much, the more Portuguese I learnt, the more I felt like I belonged.

At the end of the month I realized that I knew a lot more Portuguese than I thought. I had a sort of exam, where I had to answer a few questions about colours, months, personal pronouns, and conjugations, then a spoken part where I introduced myself and talked about where I was staying in Foz, my town in England, my family. I found that I could sustain a conversation! After some new people moved into the house, I could see how much I had progressed from when I first came to Brazil.

I think my lessons provided a really good grounding of the language, and it’s made me want to learn more about the language too, I’m going to be fluent next time I visit!" Christina Homer.

Live and work abroad helping children, adults, animals and entire communities in less advantaged countries. Learn about their culture from the inside! Stay from as little as two weeks to as long as one year - you choose your dates and duration!