Latin American Language Center Inc

This is a great place to meet people and you your Spanish skills more frequently in a social and fun way. I know how to read and write in Spanish but it’s nice to be able to practice speaking with people more advance or on the same level as me! I would recommend this to everyone!

Mara makes it easy to learn Spanish! I love coming here, the vibe is welcoming & I learn so much! The Spanish-​speaking outings are a great way to meet new people, explore some Hispanic culture, & really communicate with others. I’d highly recommend coming here to learn Spanish!

I have been taking Spanish lessons at LALC and must say this is the perfect fit for my needs. Mara, my teacher/​owner, offers group classes or private lessons and super accommodates my every need. I have a very busy schedule and she always finds a time to work around it — be it morning classes or night. Her teaching style is very individual and she pushes hard to making sure you do your homework and get your money’s worth out of it.
It’s great how she incorporates technology and e-​learning thru shared google files as an integral part in her classes.
I have lived in several countries and been taking language classes all over. Mara is hands down the best I’ve ever had!

Love this place! My teachers Lulu and Luis were amazinggg and so sweet (and good looking– bonusss). They made me feel good about myself, no matter how bad my Spanish was along the way (lol), and they try to make every class warm and fun, unlike the first school I tried. The location is great and I love how small and intimate the class sizes are! I was surprised at how much they actually care about my learning Spanish and are invested in my progress. Plus, the owner, Mara, plans regular «Spanish Meet-​ups» to have dinner, see movies, and listen to live music to speak with and meet other Spanish speakers and people in the same boat as me who want to learn and meet new people. Can’t get enough. I highly recommend this place!

I’ve never learned Spanish before, but now it’s hard to stop. It’s fun and teachers are awesome!

I’ve had such a wonderful experience with the private Spanish lessons at LALC. I had some knowledge of Spanish from studying it in high school, so the private lessons allowed me to advance at my own pace. Each lesson is a great mix of conversation skill-​building, learning vocabulary, and playing games to keep the mood light and engaging. The best part, I believe, is the emphasis on weaving the language into your own life, which makes learning relevant and interesting. Highly recommended!

I give LALC a much deserved 5* rating! I have been a student there for over two years now, and have had such a wonderful experience. The teachers are knowledgeable and friendly and go to great lengths to make the learning process fun. The classes are interactive and there is a strong emphasis on immersion and conversation. Also, the Meetup events that the school facilitates are a great way to meet other students and native speakers!

I took intermediate level Spanish courses here for 3 months. Most places I found mainly offered classes for beginners so I was happy to find a place that offered reasonably priced group intermediate level courses. Classes are very small (I never saw one of more than 5 – 6 people) so you definitely get a chance to ask questions and talk through things you aren’t clear on. My instructor, Mara, was very responsive to feedback about on topics and exercises as well. The center also arranges for social outings to provide opportunities to practice your language skills in real life settings like restaurants and bars as well.

Mara is an experienced instructor that makes learning fun! She has helped my firm with training on how to best communicate with our Spanish speaking market. Thanks Mara!

I have been taking lessons at LALC for just a few months and I can not believe how much progress I have made! The classes are fun & affordable. The Spanish meet ups are so much fun… we have dinner and speak Spanish with each other the whole time… pretty cool

I’ve been taking spanish lessons with Mara off an on for about 6 months total now. She is clearly very passionate about teaching and is one of the few Spanish teachers I’ve had who is really doing it because that’s what she wants to do (as opposed to just being able to speak spanish and thus teaching a class while trying to support other endeavors). I find her one-​on-​one sessions to be quite fun and challenging and even though I know I am blundering my way through some pronunciations, she has a very positive and encouraging way of helping me get it right without feeling like a total fool. Her schedule for one-​on-​one is also great if you have a very irregular schedule b/​c she doesn’t make you pick the same time every week to have classes. I would agree with some of the other reviews that this isn’t the most structured setting out there, but it is clear that Mara does have an agenda and is following an overall structure; she just tailors it to your needs and ability.

Ive always wanted to learn Spanish but I’ve felt like it would be too hard at my age.
Since coming to LALC I’ve realized that learning a new language can be really fun and exciting! Every lesson is informative and i feel like I’ve made huge leaps in being able to speak spanish. If you’re looking for a fun learning environment this is definitely it!

Just got done with one month of lessons at LALC and it has been a fun and relaxing yet informative class. My company is planning on sending me to Mexico City within the next 6 months to start up a small corporate office. I could not be happier with my progress thus far and my company is approving as well.

Note: This is not like Cervantes, it’s not like SLC, UNAM or any other place with formal class schedules and materials.
If you are looking for something super structured, this may not be for you.
However, if you are looking for a tutor who is very dedicated, friendly, flexible and enthusiastic, you should contact Mara and I am sure she can set something up tailored to your specific learning situation.

I found Mara through Unilocal when I was searching for Spanish lessons. The first time we met she explained her teaching style and how her classes were set up. From there I decided to take one on one lessons with her. I’ve been taking classes with her for about 4 months and my Spanish knowledge has increased a lot. I find myself wanting to speak Spanish all the time now since I feel more confident. If you want an organized, energetic, understandable and knowledgeable Spanish teach I highly recommend Mara.

I found Mara through craigslist when I was looking for a Spanish tutor before I moved to Chile. I could tell right away that Mara was very organized and enthusiastic about teaching. In the four months of classes I improved my Spanish dramatically. Mara’s classes are fun and she uses a variety of methods to teach. However, what I appreciated most about Mara was her interest in me and what I was doing (moving to Chile and needing to learn to communicate there) and tailoring my lessons to those needs and moving at a pace that was challenging and effective, which given the short time frame I had to learn was very important to me.

I would highly recommend Mara to anyone who is just starting to learn Spanish as well as to those looking to polish their language skills. She is a great teacher and makes lessons enjoyable and fun. It is such a bonus to learn from a native speaker and she has really helped me to improve my pronunciation and broaden my vocabulary. Thanks Mara!

I was referred to Mara by a friend who took weekly classes with her leading up to a trip to South America. Obviously my friend had an excellent Spanish-​learning experience as Mara came highly recommended. I was slightly apprehensive as I live in San Francisco and Mara is located in Chicago… Meaning classes would be conducted via Skype, which I had never done before. I have had 3 classes now with Mara and it is fabulous! She somehow seems to understand exactly how I learn (after just 3 hours together!) I look forward to advancing my Spanish further with Mara.