Reviews for Level 2: the past tense and other topics

I am really enjoying level 2 - learning how to speak in the past tense as well as gaining an understanding of Spanish grammar. Monica Negron our tutor is excellent, she explains things very well.

I am currently enrolled in Silas’s class, and I chose to join his lessons specifically because I really enjoy his teaching style. I have learned so much from him, and after every class, I leave feeling genuinely satisfied and confident that I have practiced and improved my language skills. Silas has a special talent for teaching. His classes are engaging, interactive, and motivating, which makes learning both effective and enjoyable. What I appreciate most is how he encourages students to actively use the language rather than simply memorize rules. His enthusiasm is contagious, and he creates an atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable participating and making progress. Studying with him has been one of the highlights of my language-learning journey, and I always look forward to the next lesson.

I originally started learning at this school out of curiosity, but now I can’t imagine stopping! The teaching method goes far beyond simply explaining grammar—it helps you actively use the language and you get a lot of practice by doing the assignments and forming sentences in class. Every teacher brings their own unique style and strengths to the classroom, making each lesson engaging and enjoyable. Another aspect I truly appreciate is the flexibility of the classes. I’ve had to miss my regular class time on several occasions, but I was always able to join another session at a different date or time without any difficulty. This level of flexibility makes it much easier to stay consistent with learning. Overall, it’s been a fantastic experience, and I would highly recommend this school to anyone wanting to learn Spanish in a practical, supportive, and enjoyable environment.

I have thoroughly enjoyed taking this course with Juan Carlos. I have learned a lot, and I especially like getting the opportunity to speak a lot of Spanish with him. He also makes sure to include whether or not this particular word/phrase is used in Spain or Latin America which is very helpful. Overall, it's a great class, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

I am learning a lot about the past tense, numbers, and verbs. I enjoy the teacher - Marian is very calm, kind, fun to talk with, and passionate about language learning. It’s been a wonderful experience!

The classes are well structured and it is very helpful going over past lessons frequently. I am very pleased with our teacher.

Unlike Level 1, the Level 2 teachers don’t seem as prepared for class. I originally chose a Sunday slot at sign-up, which turned out to be a poor decision because my Sundays quickly became busy. As a result, I had to reschedule almost every week, often switching to a different day. This constant shuffling did give me the chance to work with many different teachers, but unfortunately a large number of them appeared unprepared. They do not work with extra materials to enliven the lesson and simply read dry explanations straight from the book. Once, a teacher began by saying, “It’s a short lesson,” yet we were starting Unit 7—one of the heaviest units—which told me she hadn’t even previewed the material. Some instructors also arrived late; on one occasion I was about to leave when the substitute finally appeared seven minutes after the scheduled start time. On the positive side, I appreciate that the teachers try to immerse students by speaking Spanish exclusively whenever possible. I don’t plan to sign up for Level 3.

I'm returning to Spanish study after a long break and Level 2 has been a great way to get back on track. The class moves at a decent pace and is a good fit for motivated students that are willing to set aside time for review during the week.

I am really enjoying expanding my knowledge of Spanish. I believe the classes are organized in order to optimize my ability to eventually speak Spanish. I've had three different instructors and they are all so thorough, interesting and easy to learn with.

I am using several different language-learning tools to learn Spanish, but I enjoy Berges the most because it provides opportunities to practice conversational skills. While the homework can sometimes feel tedious for this busy lady, it truly helps strengthen my understanding of the concepts and improves comprehension overall.

The second level is great, the instructor is amazing

Enjoyed every lesson with Silas, learned a lot.

I really like Monica and her teaching. This course pushes me out of my comfort zone just enough to learn, but not so far that I am too intimidated to come back. The pace is just right for my otherwise very busy schedule.

I really enjoyed this level and I feel much more comfortable with the preterite form. I thought the lessons were clear, that the homework helped in reinforcing the concepts, and that what we learned in the workbook will be applicable when conversing in Spanish. Beyond the level though, I cannot say enough good things about the instructor, Gloria. Gloria taught everything very clearly, she was patient, she was very friendly, and she made the classes interesting/engaging. I would not hesitate to take a class with Gloria in the future!!

I feel that in a short time my comprehension and conversational skills have improved immensely. Nelson incorporates humor into every lesson, and it makes our lessons much more lively than a typical "read, memorize and repeat" style. I always look forward to my lessons and showing off what I've learned to my friends!

I really enjoyed this class! The instructor Monica was well prepared, thorough and a great teacher. The lessons were just enough grammar and vocabulary to not be too overwhelming or difficult to comprehend. The homework was just the right amount too. I am definitely going to sign up for the next level. Thank you Berges Institute.

This is the best Spanish course I've taken online. I've tried quite a few and with those I found that the material was either very abstract (topics that are not useful in everyday life) or there is not enough practice of new grammar rules. This class has great pacing and I really love our instructor. I also like my classmates. It is a diverse group of people from different places. The cost is reasonable and the 90 minute format is perfect.

The content is considerable. The instructor (Claudia Montoya) is wonderful! Her teacher style and love of teaching are great. I wish she had been my instructor for the first course.

The level was a good intro to the past tense and ongoing practice for Level 1.

The Berges Institute's approach to learning is refreshing and fun. The opportunity to switch classes to meet schedules is ideal with the added bonus of being able to review, repeat, or catch up via the video recorded sessions is very convenient and supportive. I would highly recommend the program to all levels of curious learners.