The Spanish Institute

TESTIMONIALS FROM STUDENTS

As always your reviews are welcomed, encouraged and appreciated!!!
Lets all become Bilingual!!!

• My husband and I are moving to Costa Rica in December and took a series of classes from Monica to make our transition a little easier.  It was a wonderful experience!  She really spends time concentrating on each student's individual needs.  Monica has been very patient with us (it has been 30 years since I had taken Spanish in college and my husband has never studied a foreign language.)  I am truly amazed at our comprehension level after 13 weeks of her superb instruction!  Granted, we're certainly not fluent, but we will be able to at least communicate our basic needs once we move.  She has given us the confidence to go forth and conduct our daily business in Spanish and the desire to make this a life-long learning adventure.  Monica, you are truly a gem!  Linda C. and Joe W., Carlsbad

• I would like to say how impressed we were with Diane who tutored our daughter with her Spanish. Although Diane only worked with Alison for 12 weeks, her marks improved a lot and we feel that she genuinely cared about Alison reaching her goals. Thank you. Deb M. Parent.

• Monica is a highly skilled and disciplined teacher. She knows how to motivate her students. She's not a "clock watcher". She's generous with both her time and her concern for each individual in her class. I've recommended her to friends and will continue to do so. Arlen T. San Marcos.

• Please let Maria know how much I appreciated her help! She will be happy to hear Tim got an "A" in Spanish last semester. Marianne H. Parent.

• Thank you for all your help with our Spanish translation project. It's so nice to work with a professional and competent organization. We appreciate your friendliness as well, and that any concerns we had were addressed promptly and completely. We look forward to future collaboration with you. James B. Production Manager.

• My daughter's tutor was absolutely excellent. She recognized the issues and addressed each one. My daughter's confidence and interest in Spanish has improved significantly. She really enjoyed and looked forward to her tutoring sessions. Thank you, thank you! Susan D. Parent.

•  I have been in Monica's conversation class for 5 months. Prior to that I had not practiced any Spanish for over 2 years and was nervous about the prospect of speaking in front of others. These classes have been quite a boom for my self confidence as Monica makes the experience not only instructional but very relaxing and supportive. It is also wonderful to converse with other students. She is an excellent teacher and human being! Nancy Hoover, Rancho Bernardo

• I would like to let you know how delighted we are with one of your tutors. She has restored my daughter's confidence. Thank you. Vicky A., Parent.

• We would like to thank you for providing such a wonderful tutor to help our son with his Spanish. We have now achieved the levels required by our son through her skilled coaching, we therefore would like to let you know that we will not longer require her services. Thank you once again for finding such a pleasant and helpful person for us. Mr. & Mrs. King. Parents.

• Ana is an excellent tutor, very knowledgeable and patient with my son Tom. I wouldn't have any hesitation in recommending Ana. Everyone I have dealt with has been extremely helpful. Jenna T. Parent.

• Excellent Spanish classes and I will recommend it to friends. It helped me in speaking, writing and understanding Spanish. The teacher is great, responsive, patient and very flexible. I have learned so much Spanish since I started. The lessons were diverse and interesting and she explained grammar in a way that made it very easy for us to understand. Kelly C., Doctor, Encinitas

• I have tried Rossetta Stone, tapes, online programs but nothing compares with The Spanish Institute. If you want to learn Spanish fast and with confidence this is the place!  Thank you Monica for all your wise words! Andrew Stevenson, Professor and Counselor, RSF.

• The educational experience exceeded my expectations; my classes were small and the teacher outstanding. Thanks Monica for arranging this wonderful experience for us. I will be coming back and you will certainly hear from me again. Lisa A. Director of Marketing. La Jolla

• Yes, I passed the exam! Mario is an excellent (very patient) tutor. He is very enthusiastic and punctual. His tutoring helped me immensely. Steven R. Student.

• Overall I would rate my experience as Superior. The instructor was the nicest teacher I ever had. She was very caring and attentive to meet each of the student's needs.  This has been an incredible experience as I am now able to communicate with my patients and it is a great feeling to be able to help others, language used to be a barrier now is a tool. This is the best decision I have ever made in a very long time. The Spanish Institute is the best!!!! Richard Jones, Doctor, La Jolla

• My daughter's tutor is excellent, she is very patient, helpful, and encouraging. My daughter's grades are now "A"s. This has been the greatest decision, she is now so confident and happy and I am very happy with her progress. Lisa.

• I absolutely loved this place and overall language experience. The classes were lively, and my teacher was amazing. Always willing to help at whatever cost! It was the first time I actually enjoyed learning Spanish. I encourage everyone thinking about learning Spanish. I would do this again in a second. I am now traveling to Puerto Rico and I am feeling very confident and able to communicate in Spanish. Thank you Spanish Institute, you have changed my life, now I am looking forward this experience and I am not longer afraid of traveling abroad! Veronica R. Vista.

• I've learned more in the past 2 months than in 2 years of college Spanish. The teacher is excellent, very patient, great energy, and adjusting well to the different abilities of the students. Paul B. student, Del Mar

• Since I started I learned tremendous amount and had a lot of fun. Overall I think this program is superior by far than others. I can't wait for my next Spanish class! Mark G. Business owner, Carlsbad

• Monica is an excellent Spanish teacher. She is fluent in English, and has a comprehensive knowledge of both the grammatical structure and day-to-day details of the language. She has obviously had a lot of experience at teaching people Spanish and obviously enjoys it herself. Alice R. Business owner, Carlsbad

• My teacher is very flexible in structuring the lessons to my requirements, providing relevant homework in order that the 2 hours spent with her is as productive as possible. She is a very patient, helpful, she makes the lessons fun and tailors them to my learning needs. I know I have improved a lot through the exercises she assigns and through Spanish articles we have read and discussed together. She is keen on correct pronunciation and doesn't let me get sloppy or develop bad habits. Thank you very much. Nora H., Oceanside

• I really feel like I learned an incredible amount in the last month. The teacher is very friendly and makes me feel very comfortable in the class. The other two students are very friendly and I feel very happy and enjoying every minute. I'd recommend it to anyone who takes Spanish language acquisition seriously and wants to learn in a comfortable atmosphere. Emily B. Teacher, San Diego

• This is a terrific learning experience, the teacher is native and real nice. Before I started I was self conscious about saying anything in Spanish and my vocabulary was limited. The conversation class pushed me to speak and the teacher correct my grammar when I need it, I am learning a lot and very quickly. Kathleen R. Nurse, Oceanside

• The teacher is very smart and competent. I really enjoy my class and feel I've come a long way. My conversation went from 0 to being able to express myself. I've acquired great confidence. Thank you. Mary S. Architect, Poway

• Wow!  There is not much room for improvement when speaking specifically about the class with Diane.  I think it was stellar.  If you offered the same class, 3 days a week like Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I would be there.  Please consider that. I think The Spanish Institute is the best Spanish Language Institute in San Diego.
   My class with Diane and my experience when calling the school was nothing less than stellar.  Please contact me if you opt to offer a 3 days/week format.  I can't do the 4 nights/ week, it is just too much. Tom F.

• Wonderful tutor.  He is helping me target exactly what needs improvement in my Spanish skills (criminal law vocabulary and prepositions).  I have already been able to use the criminal law vocabulary at my work many times, and being able to communicate with our clients in their native language is helping me gain their trust and rapport. He has also assigned me reading from Marquez and others, and reading that beautiful Spanish is helping to extend my vocabulary beyond the legal terms I am focusing on. He helps me practice translating police reports, and has a good ear for how to make certain legal concepts most comprehensible to Spanish speakers. Sincerely, Tom White
  

• Spanish classes with my teacher not only help me improve my Spanish skills tremendously, but are also fun and enjoyable.  She is vivacious, enthusiastic, and she genuinely cares about her students' progress. In addition to reinforcing areas of strength, she helps pinpoint problems and weaknesses, and then works with you to correct and strengthen those weaker areas, which allows for rapid and efficient  progress.  She is a native Spanish speaker who teaches excellent spoken Spanish in a 'real world' conversational context, but she also has extensive knowledge of professional terminology to help prepare students for special professional contexts, such as medical, business, and legal settings.  To anyone seeking to improve their Spanish skills, I would recommend her classes without hesitation.  Regards, Julie

• Thank you for your email. I really liked the class. The book is clear and useful, and not too expensive. Diane was able to tailor to our study style and our needs. Class time was more focused and more intensive, and I loved to come home thinking about all the new words and rules we had covered. I always felt free and happy to ask questions; I found Diane to be approachable, enthusiastic about Spanish teaching, and inspiring on top of being very nice. Benedicte K.

• I had a wonderful experience with my Spanish immersion class and with the teacher Diane. 
I intend on signing up for more lessons in a few weeks. Maybe this time, I will try a few privates in addition to a group. Uta P.



• Administration, The Spanish Institute: I recently completed 10 beginner Spanish lessons with Diane Kemp through the Spanish Institute.  Over-all, I had a wonderful learning experience. The classes were small, well-structured and Diane made the process of learning feel very natural.  She constantly challenged me to improve my pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary and provided guidance every step of the way with her warm, enthusiastic style.

• I hope to take additional Spanish lessons in September or October through the Spanish Institute. While I am sad that Diane will be leaving to work in Madrid, I wish her the best and know that she will be an asset to her new program.  Sincerely, Dr. John Impellizeri, Internal Medicine, Kaiser Permanente.

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