COINED, the "Comision de Intercambio Educativo" is known, is a non-profit organization active in the field of intercultural exchange and international education since 1971. The first Spanish school was founded in 1985 as the academic branch of the organization.

Today, COINED has offices in Cordoba, Buenos Aires, Bariloche, Ushuaia, and Mendoza, in Argentina. Since the school was established, thousands of students from around the world have taken Spanish courses here and joined the cultural immersion programs.

Through the cooperation of a number of former participants, COINED has evolved into a dynamic organization, constantly thriving for the highest standards in quality and on the lookout for new services to offer.

 

 

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Location:  The Spanish Language School in Ushuaia is located at a ten minute walking distance from the center of the city and three blocks from the main avenue. It is also near the port, one of the most important in Argentina which is very busy from October to April.

School Size:  The Spanish Language School in Ushuaia includes 14 class rooms with a maximum capacity of about 140 students.

Class Size: The average size of a class is 3, never exceeding more than 5 students per class. Spanish courses groups are organized according to the student's level of Spanish.

Timing:  Classes start on any Monday. If you arrive on any other day and there is no group class available, you may begin with individual classes and join a suitable group later.

Start Dates:  Classes start on any Monday. If you arrive on any other day and there is no group class available, you may begin with individual classes and join a suitable group later.

Holidays: The school is closed on the following dates: Jan 1, April 13-14,  May 1, May 25, June 19, July 9, August 21, October 16, December 8, Dec 25 of 2006

Duration: Classes are held Monday to Friday and students are free to choose the length of their course. A minimum of 1 week in required for group classes. There are classes every day, for a period of four hours, each lesson lasting 55 minutes.

Content: The Syllabus is specially designed for foreign students. Using various interactive methods, more emphasis is placed on communication. The teaching material has been carefully prepared to connect areas of listening comprehension and oral communication. We encourage the active participation of our students with different games and materials such as current newspaper clippings, magazine articles, etc, which help them to acquire more fluency in the language. In addition, extra curricular activities are organized so that our students have the option to participate in a minimum of 2 activities per week. Thus, the program becomes more than just a language course; it is also an opportunity of immersion into Argentine culture, customs, and way of life. Students begin with practical situations and gradually grammatical forms will be introduced. The lessons apply situations used in daily life, with fun and diverse methods. The grammatical explanations are given in numerous exercises that combine images and games, as well as audio elements, so that students practice oral comprehension as well. The personalized support of the teaching staff, who will answer all your questions and clear any doubts, is always available.

Books: The Spanish Language School follows the same syllabus of the University of Buenos Aires Language Lab. The school's books are "Español para extranjeros" Levels 1 to 7 issued by the University of Buenos Aires, written by Palacios, M. del Carmen, and Prati Silvia.

Homework:  Teachers sometimes give homework to their students. In these cases, it could take from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and perhaps weekend homework could take 2 hours.

Schools Features:  TV, video and audio teaching materials. › A comfortable waiting room › A kitchen. › An important computer lab with 18 computers with Internet access. › A a teacher's room with a lot of interesting working material and books.

College Credit:  College credit can be issued based on Pre-approval from your university.  Contact the admission office, study abroad office or Spanish department of your college before applying to COINED .

Excursions/Activities: As part of the Spanish course, we offer 2 organized activities every week and a daily schedule of cultural events, including visits to theatres, museums, and festivals as well as information on ticket prices. Activities include:  Visits to local places of interest.  Dance Classes.  Cooking classes.  Parties & Fiestas.  Spanish language videos & movies. Seminars & Discussion Groups - themes include: Latin American and Argentine history; Arts and society in Argentina; The legal system; Drug addiction; The environment; and the economy. Please Note: You may need to pay "out-of-pocket" expenses (bus fare, entrance fees, etc.) when activities take place outside of the school. The Spanish Language School in Ushuaia works in cooperation with well known Argentine tour operators organizing trips on weekends to different places of interest, both locally and nationally. The options are endless, from the magnificent mountains in Cordoba to a trip up north to Salta or to the Southern Province of Mendoza.

Cordoba Mountain Range: A trip through Cordoba mountains and valleys. The students will camp or they will spend the night in small ranches. The locals, "Serranos", will cook authentic regional food for them.

Talampaya and Valle de la Luna: Students will be taken in special vehicles due to the difficult access to this area and will get the opportunity to visit this region of magnificent beauty.

An Adventure in Mendoza: At the foot of the Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in South America, you can visit Mendoza. In the surroundings of a beautiful landscape you can go rafting, horseback riding and trekking.

Iguazu Falls: Located in the northeast region of Argentina, on the border with Brazil and Paraguay, there is a group of 275 waterfalls in an area of 2.5 Square Km. It offers the visitor a majestic view.

Puerto Madryn: The journey begins in Puerto Madryn and continues with a visit to the Valdez Peninsula where you can enjoy the lovely beaches and the whales' migration. Going by the coast, you can admire local marine fauna, sea wolves, cormorants, and seagulls. At Punta Tombo, you can observe penguins, guanacos and American ostriches.

Northern Region: The trip through the historical sites of the northern region begins at the Northwestern Region, and includes beautiful cities like Tucuman, Salta and Jujuy. We will travel the Calchaquies Valleys going through small towns that once were home to the Diaguita Indians, members of the Inca Empire, where you can see the view of the breathtaking Cordillera de los Andes. We finish the trip with a visit to the Iguazu Falls in the Northeastern Region. Voyage to Patagonia: A 15 day trip where students will visit this exotic region, going through Bariloche, Rio Gallegos, Ushuaia -the southernmost city in the world- and Valdez Peninsula in the Atlantic coast. Here students will enjoy the wild coastline with the colonies of penguins and sea wolves, plus whale spotting.

Additional Programs: Volunteer and internship programs are available. Our internship and volunteer placements are available all year long. All our placements require a minimum commitment of 2 months.  The maximum length of an internship or volunteer work is 12 months. Once the application documents are received, it takes a minimum of 6 weeks to confirm your placement. Please contact us for more information.

Accommodations: Students have the option to say in a host family, shared apartment, residence, or apart-hotel. For more information, please click here.