Description
November 8-9, 2025
Planning a trip to a Spanish-speaking country? This crash course for travelers (or those dreaming of travel) will get you ready for your trip in the fastest way possible. Eating in restaurants, shopping in markets, asking directions, navigating public transportation, as well as connecting with people on your journey.. are all part of the travel experience. Understanding and speaking basic Spanish will take you a long way on your adventure.
This conversational Spanish class will get you understanding and speaking Spanish with ease. With our Comprehensible-Input based approach to language teaching, you will feel like you are “absorbing” the language like a young child and soon will find that you are speaking Spanish effortlessly. The class focusses on the most frequently used words in the Spanish language and draws upon 100s of words that are similar or the same in both languages. Recommended for beginner/beginner plus students, or anyone who would like to feel more comfortable speaking the language.
We hope you can join us!
Schedule:
Saturday, November 8th: 10am-3pm
Sunday, November 9th: 10am-3pm
(Lunch break around 12:30-1:30. BYO or go out to local restaurant.)
Level:
This course is appropriate for you if you are either new to Spanish or need a brush-up. If you can already comfortably carry on conversations in Spanish you might consider a more advanced course. It is normal for our students to enroll in “beginner” classes several times because they are different every time, and it is through lots of exposure to comprehensible language that we begin to speak with ease.
Price:
Saturday and Sunday: $245
One-day only: $135 (We highly recommend doing at least two days… but sometimes schedules do not allow this.)
Register by October 24th and save $20!
Course includes:
All course materials (no hidden fees)
Follow-up readings and audio recordings
Coffee, tea, light snacks
Location:
12 Flat Street, Brattleboro, Vermont.
Instructor:
Elissa McLean
Coming from out of town?
We are right next to the Latchis Hotel. Express Fluency weekend course participants receive a special rate. Contact the Latchis directly- 802-254-6300. We are also a block away from the train station, so it is possible to come by train and not need a car.
Watch our 3-minute video about this different kind of language class
What past students have to say:
I have observed hundreds of Spanish language classes in the U.S. and abroad. I believe Elissa at Express Fluency to be among the best language instructors I’ve ever seen–she is able to teach high quality Spanish language in a way that is joyful and with immediate and powerful results. Her methods reflect the best language teaching practices and is a great investment for any serious Spanish language learner (beginner – intermediate) to make! Bravo–I have never seen students so engaged and making such speedy and expansive progress as the five day workshop I observed!
–Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor, Ph.D. professor of language and literacy education, University of Georgia
Elissa’s class was a wonderful experience. For someone like me who usually feels a need to take notes and read books, it was easy to participate in another way, and take in much more than I thought would have been possible, just by being present and listening. Elissa has great spirit and that’s part of what makes the experience an enthusiastic and positive one. — David L
I had a 500-day streak going on Duolingo, which was GREAT, but when it came time to open my mouth and actually SPEAK Spanish, my body would seize up and no words would come out. Enter Elissa, and her non-traditional way of teaching, and I had actual words coming out of my mouth after just two days of her class!! We’re not memorizing words and conjugating verbs on a white board. We’re learning HOW TO SPEAK through repetition, play, movement, and laughter. Like a bunch of courageous, happy toddlers, stringing words together for the first time. It’s thrilling!! —Stasia S.
I can’t believe how much fun I had during this class! Elissa is fantastic. She creates a very safe, supportive environment, and you’ll never feel pressured to participate beyond your comfort level. Plus she knows how to keep things interesting. There’s no sitting through boring verb conjugation drills. You’ll be up and moving, and before you know it, able to carry on a conversation. I highly recommend this program — whether you’re completely new to Spanish and want to become familiar with the basics, or you already have some experience and want to become more confident speaking the language. I learned lots, I laughed lots, and even made new friends. Gracias! —Alison W.
I can’t say enough about the quality of Elissa’s classes! I’ve been taking the intermediate classes for awhile- in preparation for a month long trip to Costa Rica. My experience there was enhanced by the increase in my comfort level when conversing in Spanish! ¡Las clases son muy divertidas y mágicas! I highly recommend Express Fluency if you want to take your Spanish to a whole new level! — D’Vorah K
Lynn –
I can’t think of a more fun way to learn (or remember) a language.
Elissa starts you off with a couple of key words and phrases and off you go — whether its an interview of a “persona famosa” (a classmate with a special talent), a group play co-written and acted out by classmates (I got to be Señora Ed Friskey — a chocolate-loving horse who accompanied cowgirl Annie to Guatamala), or a marketplace with lots of props to buy and sell. It doesn’t matter how much background you have – some speak fluently ; others (like me) are more of the took-one-year-of-Spanish-in-high-school-decades-ago-and-want-to-learn-some-key-phrases. It’s laughs, repetition, encouragement and some pretty unusual ways to remember basic vocabulary.
DAVID –
Elissa’s class was a wonderful experience. For someone like me who usually feels a need to take notes and read books, it was easy to participate in another way, and take in much more than I thought would have been possible, just by being present and listening. Elissa has great spirit and that’s part of what makes the experience an enthusiastic and positive one.