About Us

ABOUT US

Costa Rican Language Academy (CRLA) is a private school specializing in Spanish language instruction.

Since 1989, more than 15,000 students from all over the world have come to Costa Rica to study Spanish at CRLA. At our school believe that to effectively learn and speak a foreign language, it is important to have an understanding of the culture where the language is spoken.

Our language school goes beyond the textbook by including cultural activities and educational field trips to create a more well-rounded, and hands-on approach to understanding the Costa Rican culture and in turn the Spanish language. CRLA is one of the few schools in Costa Rica completely staffed by Costa Ricans, thus ensuring a genuine cultural experience.

Our immersion programs provide students with the opportunity to experience the language, culture and country of Costa Rica first-hand.

Our Six Fold Mission

Education
To offer high quality and effective Spanish language instruction through dynamic teaching methods developed by our professional team.

Culture
To provide Spanish students with a total immersion program so that they are exposed to an authentic Costa Rican cultural experience.

Personal Attention
To center our Spanish courses around students and their individual language goals and needs providing an intimate class size and a variety of programs and schedules.

Individual Assistance
To have staff that is knowledgeable and dedicated exclusively to the well-being of each student while they are living and traveling in Costa Rica.

Warm Environment
To create an environment where students will constantly feel encouraged to practice their Spanish language skills. In our school’s home-like atmosphere, students will also have the opportunity to make long lasting friendships with Costa Ricans as well as with students from many other countries.

Community Support
To lend a hand to the local community by providing a livelihood to Costa Rican families as well as by coordinating volunteer work in social and ecological projects that have a positive impact.

CRLA also makes regular donations to various local community organizations.

Our Instructors

The school has a permanent teaching staff of 15 native Spanish-speaking instructors. During the high season our school staff increases to 35 teachers in order to ensure small groups and personalized attention.

Our teaching staff is accredited with the Costa Rican Ministry of Education. All our instructors hold university degrees in Spanish, Education, Linguistics or Philology, from either the University of Costa Rica or the Universidad Nacional (the two most prestigious universities in Costa Rica).

“My teacher was patient and extremely sensitive to my needs and those of other students. She paid attention to my strengths and weaknesses and developed her lesson plans responsively. I was amazed at how she could integrate remedial instruction with material that is part of a first level advanced Spanish class. I say this from my experience as a university professor for 36 years. And she taught creatively, intermixing short lectures, conversation, exercises, music listening, and games in a way that enhanced the classroom experience and kept us all involved and alert…

In short, I would recommend CRLA to anyone considering the study of Spanish in Costa Rica.
I will be back for another course”.
Dr. Grady D. Bruce
CALIFORNIA, USA

Admin Staff & Support Staff

Cristina Soto and Laura Cordero, Directors of CRLA, along with their professional team, are fully committed to meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of our students.

Each member of our school staff is devoted to the success of your trip, making sure you:

Learn Spanish
Enjoy our culture and country
Return home safely

From the moment you first contact CRLA we will take care of everything.

It is our sincere goal to give our students in every moment the highest level of service, personal attention and professionalism. We are committed to make your time at CRLA a memorable learning experience. A professional Costa Rican administrative staff, knowledgeable instructors, well designed Spanish programs, carefully selected host families, the excellent location of our school, stimulating extracurricular activities – all contribute to the best environment to learn the Spanish language and enjoy Costa Rica.

spanish program directors