International travel is an amazing opportunity to get out and experience the world. But traveling itself doesn’t guarantee language development. In fact, a high percentage of university students who spend […]
Communication style is the way you say what you say – and it has huge implications on the results of a conversation between parties. Pay special attention to this post
How can you get your Spanish Teacher on your Side? We meet hundreds, maybe thousands, of Spanish teachers every year through our language training and Spanish immersion business. By and
If you teach any language for specific purposes courses, you have felt the pain of having to invent and feed the curriculum with hours and hours of creative energy in
The healthcare industry desperately needs a bilingual certification for healthcare workers. What does it mean to be Certified Bilingual and how is that different from interpreter certification? Interpreter certification in
Living with a host family in Costa Rica and attending interactive and stimulating language classes, puts you in a unique position to learn Spanish outside of just a regular
You know your student needs Spanish help – but you’re not quite sure how to help them….What can you do? Helping your student be successful in Spanish class is just
Small talk is a big deal! Conversational Spanish topics that are sure to get people talking. Don’t let yourself be at a loss for words when you’re on Spanish Immersion!
Keep reading, because the information below will keep you from thinking: “I wish someone had told me that earlier about my host family!” Okay, picture this… You have just touched
Are you struggling to thrive in your Spanish class like you do in others? There are several things you can to do help improve your Spanish grade – keep reading!
Everyone knows intuitively and experientially that Spanish immersion is the best way to learn Spanish. However, just because you’re traveling, doesn’t guarantee language growth on Spanish immersion! We love Spanish
The host family experience on our Spanish immersion programs in Costa Rica is always a highlight for the majority of our participants. At the same time, it’s also one of
When you can’t take a Medical Spanish Class at the moment, or you need to brush up between classes; what is the best way to study Medical Spanish on your
Ditch the Spanish Translator Apps – They Inhibit Learning! Important Note: this article focuses on Spanish translator apps because I’m a Spanish teacher and my business specializes in teaching Spanish
A brief discussion on the responsible use of medical Spanish from our Facebook group: It’s tempting to assume that your medical Spanish is “good enough”… The fact that you can “get
3 Easy English tips – how to select the correct pronoun: Speaking English well always gives a positive impression. Whether you’re trying to move up within your current position or
Classroom Spanish comes alive when you give your students real Spanish opportunities. Spanish Immersion trips to Costa Rica: we deliver communication skills for the future! Do your Spanish students know
Well-planned ESL classes can achieve more than just helping non-native speakers improve their communication skills. Companies that take the time to develop a staff, fully capable of communicating with one
What did our participants think of learning to speak Spanish in Costa Rica? “I’m going to Costa Rica!” is a statement that brings to mind sun-filled sandy honeymoons or zip-lining
There are many medical Spanish immersion programs and thousands of Spanish study abroad opportunities around the world – so what makes Common Ground’s Spanish immersion programs so unique? Several more things
Summer ’13 High School Spanish Immersion in Costa Rica: Our High School Immersion Students had a life-changing summer in Costa Rica! Before departing the USA, we talked extensively about
Spanish Translator* – English Classes – Spanish Classes…What is the best solution for your organization? A familiar scenario: José is on line 3 and he doesn’t speak English, only Spanish.
If you have any international or immigrant workers at your workplace, you have likely run into some English communication problems. Losing time and expending energy to keep everyone on the
The best free Spanish dictionaries are definitely better than Google Translate… Every language student wants a good resource for that quick translation to help you communicate your thought perfectly. The
Spanish translation can be tricky, especially if you have a document that you’re trying to translate in-house. We all know that it’s important to write well because your documents being published out
And you thought that Christmas and Navidad were basically the same thing! A large majority of the Spanish-speaking population around the world celebrates Navidad (in lieu of Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) – but
Our online Spanish tutors are ready to work with you! Common Ground International has recently invested in an online Spanish tutoring system to provide extra contact time with professional Spanish
International medical work is rewarding for the healthcare professionals who travel abroad. Three guiding principles ensure your work is proper, ethical, and sustainable within your target communities as well. For
3 Essential components for a successful English class at your workplace We’re always excited when a new client inquires about offering an English classes to their employees, and we’re equally
Professional Spanish Translation We don’t need to contract a professional Spanish translation for this document – we habla español! Unfortunately this reluctance to pay for a professional translation is common in the
Two easy tips for how to study Spanish! Almost all Spanish tests, when you break them down to their most basic components, are a combination of vocabulary and grammar. If
“The stakes are too high – I can’t practice medical Spanish with my patients.” We often hear this sentiment expressed in our Medical Spanish classes, and while it is a
Teaching Dyslexic Students Spanish- Great tips to ease the struggle By this time in the school year, it’s clear which students are struggling in your Spanish class. Some students may
Ever wish you could acquire your second language as naturally as you did your first? True language acquisition is the idea behind immersion programs abroad and immersion-style teaching. “I’m not
Tú and usted, using the forms of you in Spanish: In our work with professionals learning Spanish for workplace communication, we often encounter the patterns they learned in high school
Some relevant and interesting debate topics for Spanish Class Hopefully your Spanish students have been exposed to important historical themes through their classwork and readings. However, what better way to
Need some interesting, relevant Spanish class presentation topics? Let us help you get started with unas ideas: Light Topics: Common Slang Expressions Every day you say things that don’t translate
An effective immersion model is educational, fun and inserts students into the community There are a lot of summer programs out there for high school students, with different approaches to
Day of the Dead: A Tradition of Celebrating Deceased Loved Ones The Day of the Dead (celebrated Oct. 31 – Nov. 2) is one of the most colorful and meaningful
A fun and useful activity for learning Spanish verb tenses; have Shakira help you out with planning an easy classroom activity: Spanish Teachers – Don’t let practicing Spanish verb tenses
Learning a new language can always be tricky; some of the most embarrassing scenarios include these common Spanish-English translation mistakes: Whether or not you travel abroad this summer, chances are
Doing business with Latinos in another country or first-generation Latino businesses here in the States? Let’s talk about business and Latino culture: See if this scenario rings a bell: You
Having trouble motivating students? Getting ready to send your graduating Spanish students off to college and into the world – hoping that they’ll continue their language studies? For a lot
Medical Spanish Commands: Getting the Imperative Right in a Medical Setting Ever found yourself fumbling for the right way to tell your Spanish-speaking patients to do something, and end up
I’m going to study abroad in Latin America! What now? Once you’ve made the decision to study abroad, what you do in the months leading up to your departure can
What the 2010 US census numbers might (not) mean… The 2010 US Census received a huge amount of publicity, and along with it, projections about the Hispanic population – the
Over the past six weeks, fifteen healthcare professionals from Colorado traveled to Costa Rica with Common Ground’s Spring 2010 Medical Mission. They lived with Costa Rican families, studied Medical Spanish,
Use one of the easiest tunes to remember the tricky irregular preterite tense Irregular preterite tense can be difficult for many students. We all know that remembering the lyrics to
Formal Spanish Greetings- Getting Started Whether you’re traveling to Costa Rica with us this summer or working with Latinos in your own community, properly greeting and conversing with the people
As the Latino population in the United States grows, no business, sector, or industry remains unaffected by this huge demographic. While many businesses are adapting to and marketing to Latinos
