Cibola Institute of Language
Northern New Mexico has always attracted distinct groups of people who have made it a hub of trade, learning and languages. New Mexico is one of the few states that have an unrivaled rich cultural heritage that is evident in the descendents of the Zuñi, Diné, Apache, Tewa, Spanish and English.
The reasons people need or want to learn Spanish are numerous. Whether for reasons of ancestry, work, study, travel, business, or pleasure, more people today than ever before are deciding that an ability to communicate in Spanish is indispensable to their lives.
The Cíbola Institute of languages (CIL) of Northern New Mexico College, Espanola and El Rito campuses is devoted to helping you develop greater fluency in the Spanish language. Cibola offers individuals and groups the possibility of pursuing intensive daylong Spanish language instruction from as brief as one week to as sustained a period as six months. Courses are offered for beginner, intermediate or advanced students in: Classical Spanish, Spanish for Native Speakers, Spanish for Medical Professionals, and Spanish for Teachers seeking bilingual endorsement.
Cibola puts at your disposal a team of highly talented and well-trained native Spanish language teachers who instruct in creative, thoroughly engaging, and highly effective ways. The student and his or her particular needs are always at the center of the instructional methods employed, and students are actively encouraged to share their interests in the new language.
High levels of student participation and the systematic construction of language skills take place through formal instruction as well as active learning approaches including play, social interaction, storytelling, music, theater—and conversation.
The Institute is located in the historic village of El Rito on the original campus of Northern New Mexico College, a hundred year-old institution. The village of El Rito is an outdoor destination surrounded by the Carson National Forest. There are miles of trails, rivers and roads, which lead to scenic and historic sites. The village is ideally situated to access a wide variety of outdoor and cultural activities available in this beautiful high mountain region of Northern New Mexico.
I invite you to come and immerse yourself in the second most widely spoken language of the Americas!
Enroll TODAY at NORTHERN NEW MEXICO COLLEGE’S Cíbola Institute of Languages (CIL). Classes fill up fast.
Alejandro López, Director
Spanish, that dialect spoken in but a small fortified area of the northeastern corner of the Iberian peninsula has become a great international language, the third largest in the world if we are to take into account its number of native speakers. It is the official language of 21 countries and enjoys broad diffusion in nearly that many other countries on various continents.
Cinco Mil Años de Palabras, Carlos Prieto
MODERN SPANISH
Formal standard Spanish is understood in all Spanish-speaking countries of the world and taught by instructors with roots in New Mexico, Mexico, and other countries of Latin America. The emphasis of this course is on the assimilation by the student of linguistic patterns common to Spanish, an increase in vocabulary, and the development of greater fluency in speaking. Students will develop their ability to read and write the language as well as experience exemplary pieces of Latin American and Spanish literature.
BEGINNER
For those with just a superficial knowledge of the language, this level will provide students with an opportunity for sustained listening of the language, a prerequisite to speaking it, together with learning the sounds of the language, the formation of words, sentences, and questions. Students will engage in basic conversation regarding themselves, their lives, work, and interests. Some reading and writing. Students will gain a panoramic view of the language and all of its components.
INTERMEDIATE
For those who have studied some Spanish but lack fluency, this level will focus on the enhancement of pronunciation, an increase in vocabulary, an extended knowledge and correct use of verb forms and an increased knowledge of the structure of the language. Students will also be given ample opportunity to listen to the language, to converse both freely and on specific topics, & to read and write. Students will also master new idiomatic expressions and develop confidence in the use of the language.
ADVANCED
For those possessing a good working knowledge of the sounds, vocabulary, patterns, and structure of Spanish and who possess some fluency but wish to develop and perfect all aspects of the language. This level will focus on developing a facility with the use of compound tenses, the delivery of formal presentations such as speeches and reports, and the cultivation of conversation around either current issues or timeless themes. Generous amounts of reading and writing with a sampling of great Spanish literature. The student will leave this class greatly enriched and wanting more.
“This was the best learning experience of my life. I have taught for over 30 years and have a Doctorate in Education.”
Former Student
SPANISH FOR NATIVE SPEAKERS
Spanish that makes use of the existing structure, vocabulary, and understandings of native Spanish speakers not only from New Mexico but also from Mexico. This course helps explain some of the peculiar usages found only in New Mexico and Mexico to increase vocabulary with both northern New Mexican terms or regional Mexican terms together with those of modern classical Spanish. This will enable native speakers to feel more comfortable and secure speaking the language to the degree that they do. Class instruction will make ample use of the region’s oral history and the literature produced by nuevomexicano and Mexicano authors in Spanish. Students’ reading and writing skills will be strengthened.
BEGINNER
For those with a slight amount of knowledge and experience of the language but who have grown up hearing it all of their lives, this course will focus on mapping out students’ knowledge and understanding of the language and on their selection of a kind of Spanish that they are most comfortable with or would like to learn to speak. Gaps in students’ knowledge will be filled with various exercises including listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Emphasis will be placed on developing spoken fluency.
INTERMEDIATE
For those who have heard Spanish all of their lives and who speak it in some form but who lack essential vocabulary, knowledge of the structure of the language, and confidence, this course will begin with taking an inventory of students’ knowledge of the language and the attitudes that have been formed around speaking it. Students will help determine the way in which they wish to build upon their linguistic foundation, and opportunities for sustained listening to the language and its varieties will be offered. The This course will offer opportunities both for developing a grammatical understanding of the language as well as for in-depth conversation, reading, and writing. An analysis of the Spanish of northern New Mexico in the context of the Spanish-speaking world will be offered.A
ADVANCED
For those who have grown up listening to and speaking Spanish but who wish to develop the language’s full potential to communicate, this course will begin with taking an inventory of students’ current knowledge of the language, the attitudes that they have formed around using it, and personal breakthroughs that they have made in reclaiming it. Students will collectively help to decide how they wish to build upon their existing Spanish language structures. Students will be given the opportunity to listen to fine examples of recordings of northern New Mexican Spanish and analyze them in terms of grammar and lexicon. Students will pursue group discussions of themes pertaining to the Spanish language and the Indo-Hispano legacy of northern New Mexico.
SPANISH FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS
Spanish taught with an emphasis on medical terminology and the simulation of situations common to that profession. Otherwise, the content will conform to learning the prevailing patterns of the language, increasing vocabulary, understanding the language’s structure and developing fluency. Some reading and writing.
BEGINNER
For those with little or no prior knowledge or experience of the language. Students will learn the fundamentals of the language (phonetic system, sentence structure, parts of speech, grammatical structure etc.) in addition to learning the vocabularies pertaining to the body, health, sickness and common medical procedures. Students will increase their comprehension skills through active listening to the language.
INTERMEDIATE
For those with some amount of formal study or exposure to the language and who use it to some degree in their personal or professional lives. Students need to have mastered the sounds of the language, be able to construct sentences, know how to ask and answer questions, and have both a general command of several verb tenses and an extensive vocabulary. Students will develop their comprehension skills through active listening and deepen their knowledge of the language’s structure through conversing, reading, and writing. They will also expand their vocabularies in terms having to do with their field. Students will simulate specific medical situations and provide the language needed to deal professionally with them.
ADVANCED
For those with a good command of the spoken language, and who possess an extensive knowledge of its’ grammar. Students will concentrate on introducing and applying the lexicon of medically-related terms in a variety of simulated situations - at the clinic, in the emergency room, etc. Although the emphasis is on conversational Spanish, students will have the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of the language’s grammatical structure and their ability to employ verbs correctly. Some reading and writing.
“I broke through my barrier to learn a second language – I will continue to further my skills – look out Mexico, Spain, etc…here I come! Mucho gusto A. Lopez.”
Former student
“Excellent instruction! Clear, explicit, inspiring, motivating. My progress exceeded my expectations.”
Former student
SPANISH FOR THE WORKPLACE
Spanish for those who supervise or otherwise interact with Spanish speakers in a variety of workplaces except for medical settings. This course will concentrate on imparting knowledge of both the spoken patterns of the language and the vocabularies employed in construction, in the hospitality industry, at the store, bank, office, school, beauty salon, barbershop etc.
BEGINNER
For those with little or no knowledge of the language or experience speaking it, the course will concentrate on providing students with an opportunity to listen intently to the language and to the kinds of communication that occurs in their working environments. Students will gain an understanding of the sound system, word order, and structure of the language in addition to learning how to converse simply, how to ask and answer questions. Students will develop an extensive vocabulary related to their profession or work place, and engage in fun-filled simulations of work place conversation.
INTERMEDIATE
For those with some formal training of the language or experience speaking it, the course will concentrate on building up all of students’ existing skills (listening, comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing) in addition to introducing and utilizing the vocabularies employed in their work place. Students will participate in fun-filled simulations of work place conversation.
ADVANCED
For those with an extensive knowledge of the structure of the language and advanced fluency but with a need to develop certain strengths especially lexicon, the course will concentrate on strengthening all of students’ prior skills and integrating the vocabularies of the workplace into conversation and writing. Fun-filled simulations of work place conversations will occur.
“Alejandro López is energetic, passionate, and has good sense of humor. The best teacher, ever. He created a family of learning. Learned more than I thought possible.
Former Student
Alejandro is the best instructor I’ve ever worked with. He makes the subject material come alive and requires students to invest personally in learning. I think he gave our class much much more than we could have afforded to pay for…a perfect mixture of grammatical, conversational, historical and personal learning. What a tremendous asset he is to this college and community!
Former Student
BUSINESS SPANISH
Spanish for those working in: office settings, financial institutions, or international commerce.
BEGINNER
For anyone with little or no exposure to the language, the course provides students with an opportunity to listen intently to the language, increase comprehension skills, and study the sounds of the language. Students will learn language patterns, tenses, and vocabulary, especially those having to do with office and financial procedures.
INTERMEDIATE
For those who have studied Spanish for one or two years in high school or college—or who speak the language to some degree. The course will provide students with an opportunity to strengthen their listening, comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The course will highlight students’ understanding of the language structure while incorporating the language of workplace procedures and financial transactions.
ADVANCED
For those who have studied Spanish for more than two years (or who are fairly fluent in the language), the course will provide the students with an opportunity to master the fine points of grammar and especially tenses while incorporating the language of workplace procedures and financial transactions.
Language can be characterized as the ultimate manifestation of human culture. It represents the foundation, in practical terms, of all other cultural elements, since it is the instrument through which is conveyed the entire body of knowledge that constitutes our customs, laws, and concepts of human life.
David A. Pharies, A Brief History of the Spanish Language
STANDARD AMERICAN ENGLISH
For those wishing to study the English spoken in the United States, and to familiarize themselves with U.S. literature and culture.
BEGINNER
For those who have had little or no exposure to standard American English, this course will emphasize listening to the language, learning to reproduce its sounds and to form words and sentences. It will also focus on student assimilation of language patterns and understanding the structure of the language. The course will also incorporate conversational speech centered on the lives and interests of the students.
INTERMEDIATE
For those who have studied English for one or two years or who speak it in some form, this course will emphasize the development of greater comprehension of the language, an increased knowledge of its structure, and assimilation of new patterns, vocabulary, and idioms. Students will have an opportunity to listen, speak, read, and write about subjects that interest them.
ADVANCED
For those who have studied English for several years and who can speak, read, and write it quite well, the course will assist students in mastering pronunciation, increasing their knowledge of the structure of the language, increasing their vocabularies, and developing greater confidence in speaking, reading, and writing. Most exercises will center on students’ lives and interests.
“English is used by at least 750 million people, and barely half of those speak it as a mother tongue. Some estimates have put that figure closer to one billion. Whatever the total, English at the dawn of the 21st century is more widely scattered, more widely spoken and written, than any other language has been. It has become the language of the planet, the first truly global language.”
The Story of English, McCrum, Cran and MacNeil
AMERICAN ENGLISH FOR TEACHERS FROM ABROAD
English for those working within the educational institutions of this country who seek to master the language.
INTERMEDIATE
For those with a limited understanding of the structure of English, who require assistance with pronunciation, word order, sentence structure, and confidence with speaking. The course will emphasize listening, comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing. Coursework will focus on providing instructors with the vocabulary necessary to more effectively pursue their professional work.
ADVANCED
For those wishing to perfect their pronunciation, knowledge of the structure of English and wishing to build their confidence in speaking, reading, and writing. The course will emphasize greater mastery of English pronunciation, comprehension, language structure, vocabulary, and fluency in speech. Course will give students the opportunity to listen, speak, read, and write. Course work will revolve around the language and vocabulary used in educational settings.
Cibola Institute of Language Faculty
Alejandro Lopez
For years, Alejandro López was the lead instructor of Northern New Mexico College’s highly popular and very successful Spanish language immersion program at the El Rito Campus. That program attracted large numbers of adult students from New Mexico and throughout the United States seeking to make major breakthroughs in their levels of fluency during two and three week periods of sustained language use.
Alejandro graduated from Espanola High in 1969, studied the Great Books Program at St. John’s College in Santa Fe, earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C., and a Master’s Degree in Arts Education from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. A native speaker of Spanish, he also studied Spanish and Latin American Civilization at the University of the Arts in Cholula, Mexico.
He is the translator into English of the Biography of Spanish Painter, Joaquin Sorolla, by Spanish writer, Trinidad Simó. He has served as personal interpreter for visiting Nobel Peace Prize Laureates, Rigoberta Menchu Tum of Guatemala and Adolfo Pérez Esquivel of Argentina on their speaking tours of New Mexico and has carried out cultural missions in Mexico, Spain, Puerto Rico, and most recently, Chile.
He has taught Chicano Art and English as a Second Language courses at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, at Highlands University and at the College of Santa Fe. As Curator of Multicultural Education at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, he authored the landmark bilingual curriculum, Hispanic Folk Arts and the Environment of the Rio Grande, the subject of a Masters thesis in Education by Alexis Audette at the University of Texas. Together with colleague, Alma Garza Mally, López gave birth to the still extant Spanish language page of the Santa Fe New Mexican in the mid-1990’s.
SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
During each of the dates below, we can offer a beginner, intermediate and advanced course in:
- Classical Spanish
- Spanish for Native Speakers
- Spanish for Medical Professionals
- Spanish for the Workplace
- Business Spanish
- American English
- American English for Teachers from other Lands
- June 7 - 11
- June 14 - 25 (2 week class)
- July 12 - 16
- July 19 - 30
- Aug. 9 - 20 (2 week class)
- Aug. 23 - 27
A minimum of 8 students is required to schedule a class.
Cibola Institute of Language's Course Schedule, Fall/Winter, 2010
Sept. 20 - 24
Spanish for medical professionals
Advanced conversational Spanish
The old Spanish of Northern New Mexico
Sept 27 - Oct. 1
Basic conversational Spanish
Intermediate conversational Spanish
Spanish for the work place
Business Spanish
Spanish Folklore of New Mexico
Oct. 11 - 15
Advanced conversational Spanish
Spanish Folklore of New Mexico
Spanish for medical professionals
Business Spanish
Oct 18 - 22
Basic conversational Spanish
Intermediate conversational Sanish
Advanced conversational Spanish
Spanish for Native Speakers
Spanish for the work place
The spanish folklore of New Mexico
Nov. 1 - 5
Spanish for medical professionals
The old Spanish of Northern New Mexico
Business Spanish
Nov. 8 - 12
Basic conversational Spanish
Intermediate conversational Spanish
Advanced conversational Spanish
Spanish for the workplace
Nov. 15 - 19
Basic conversational Spanish
Advanced Conversational Spanish
Business Spanish
Did you know?
Spanish is the official language of over 20 countries and the native language of over 375 million people. It is the second most important language of the Americas, and, in New Mexico, enjoys the status of a second official language.
TUITION
$500.00 per week, plus meals
$300.00 weekend intensives, plus meals
DORMITORY RATES
Single $100.00 per night
Double $125.00 per night
Meals are extra
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Please call Alejandro López at: 011-1-575-581-4115 or 011-1-505-410-0959 for current rates.
