The Total Immersion Program views language as a mean of communication. In the classroom, the student learns functional language strongly associated with the daily Mexican life. Therefore, in real language situations the student may easily know how to talk to a taxi driver; how to order a meal in a restaurant; how to bargain in a Mexican market, etc. In fact, characters, places and situations in the content of the program are real entities in the city of Cuernavaca, which provides great significance to the language the students are learning in the classroom. In addition, this kind of learning is facilitated by an experienced team of native teachers, whose performance is focused on aiding students in the mastery of language meaning and communication.

     The TIP covers all levels, from the most basic to the most advanced. Personal attention begins the moment the student joins the program. During an initial interview, the student’s current proficiency is evaluated, and based on these results; they are placed in a class with the appropriate instruction with a focus on communicative activities (maximum 5 students per class).

Mexican host families are considered one of the most important elements of the Total Immersion Program, because they provide the closest connection to the Mexican culture. The families are not seen solely as a host service, but as relevant protagonists in the student’s language learning. Many of the language tasks embody the family’s contribution via opinions or useful information obtained to complete language and cultural studies.

The selection of families has been made by taking into account important features such as level of education, economical position and holding an honourable role in the community, among other traits. In addition, families are trained by FLI on certain linguistic and cultural knowledge in order to provide not only hospitality, but aid students in language development.

The FLI Immersion Program offers an extensive list of families who have been welcoming students into their homes for years. They provide meals, language practice, and first hand involvement in Mexican culture. The majority provide a comfortable room and bath of middle class standards. Whether you come alone or with a friend, we will place you with a Mexican family glad to accommodate you. As different as they are from one another, all our families have one thing in common: unsurpassed Mexican hospitality.

Although classes are of great importance in learning Spanish, they should serve primarily to prepare students in participating in the life of the surrounding community. Contextual Practice can be described as the opportunity for students to put their language into practice outside the classroom. Guided by a teacher, students visit different places such as a bank, a market, a laundry mat, etc. Communication settings where the students experience useful situations for both satisfying their own needs and making the language come to life.

In order to make the experience more meaningful, FLI Immersion Program offers a series of one-hour courses, Monday through Thursday, aimed at helping the student understand the roots of Latin American culture, while furthering abilities in Spanish. Our main bulletin board lists the courses offered each week. Some examples include:

– Contemporary History of Mexico
– Pros and Cons of the Free Trade Treaty
– Literature, Art and Society in Mexico
– Mexican Murals
– Historical Survey of Women in Latin America
– Pre-Colombian Civilizations
– The Novel of the Mexican Revolution

– Dance, Music and Folk Culture