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Frequently asked questions:

• Why are there so many levels?
• How do I work out which level I’m in?
• If I enrol in a course and find it’s too easy or difficult, can I change levels?
• If I miss a class, how can I make it up?
• If I enrol and have a change of circumstances, can I defer my studies?
• How long does it take till I can speak Spanish?
• What are the DELE exams?
• Do you have classes in conversation?
• I’ve just returned from travels where I picked up some Spanish. I want to continue learning, but don’t want to start from the beginning.
• I am having trouble creating a login for miPatio.

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Why are there so many levels?
Our pacing and levels are designed for students living in a non-Spanish-speaking country. Any new structures and vocabulary need to be accompanied by oral practice, hence each level is quite detailed. Therefore we suggest that with a contact time of 1.5 hours per week, you need around one year to master the present tense and another year to learn the past tenses. The third year is spent with the subjunctive whilst still reviewing previous material.

Students who are able to study hard and/or have people with whom they can practise regularly are an exception, and are welcome to move more quickly through El Patio’s levels.

Any school which states that a language can be learnt faster is unrealistic, as this is usually only possible in a Spanish-speaking country.

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How do I work out which level I’m in?
Normally we are able to assess fairly accurately which level may suit a student through an informal chat, preferably in person. Factors which help decide this include:

• Any prior study completed
• Any time spent in a Spanish-speaking country
• The amount you wish to review and correct – filling grammatical gaps
• The amount you wish to be challenged – you may want to do extra work to catch up
• Which night of the week you can attend
• The amount of time you are realistically able to devote to study each week

You could also have a look at our test your level page - it's quite comprehensive and helpful.

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If I enrol in a course and find it’s too easy or difficult, can I change levels?
Yes, you can move up or down, as ultimately your Spanish study is for you.

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If I miss a class, how can I make it up?
You are welcome to attend an alternative class by arrangement, even if it is a different level. If you can’t make another class, contact us by phone or email to find out the work covered in class, and the homework, if any.

*Please note that it is not possible to make up classes at an El Patio centre other than the one you are enrolled in.

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If I enrol and have a change of circumstances, can I defer my studies?
You may transfer your course to a later Term if you request this prior to 5pm of the Friday preceding the start of Term, and pay an administration fee of 15%. Unfortunately El Patio can not take responsibilty for any change of circumstances of students, be it work or personal, once the Term has started. No transfers will be considered once a Term has started (see Terms and Conditions of Enrolment).

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How long does it take till I can speak Spanish?
Normally we say that if you were living in a Spanish-speaking country as well as studying the language, you could achieve a certain level in 6 months. However, living in Australia and attending a 1.5-hour class per week, we suggest that it takes at least a year to get to be able to conduct a basic conversation using some past tenses. This varies between individuals and according to his/her amount of practice and memorization. Obviously if you are studying 3 hours per week and keeping up with it, fluency will come twice as fast. (See “Why are there so many levels at El Patio?”)

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What are the DELE exams?

Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera. These are internationally-recognised Spanish proficiency qualifications for non-native Spanish speakers offered by the Spanish Ministery of Education and Culture through the Cervantes Institute. There are six levels – A1, A2, B1, B2, C1 and C2 - and the following skills are examined: reading comprehension, written expression, aural comprehension, grammar and vocabulary and oral expression. In Melbourne the exams are held each May and November. The DELE levels are quite difficult and correspond to the following CEFR levels (niveles). Here is some general DELE information on the Instituto Cervantes website, and below are links to the information regarding the six levels:

• Nivel A1, Entry
• Nivel A2, Elementary
• Nivel B1, Intermediate
• Nivel B2, Upper Intermediate
• Nivel C1, Advanced
• Nivel C2, Highly Advanced/Proficiency

All of the texts used at El Patio are directed towards these exams, although prospective DELE students normally need to do supplementary study for their preparation. This is largely due to the format of the exam, quite apart from a student's Spanish. Past years' DELE exam samples are found on the pages for each level, above.

Read more about what's behind the DELE exams and the CEFR levels.

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Do you have classes in conversation?
You have to know how to speak before having a conversation! All of El Patio’s courses are conversational, where learning to talk is emphasised in the four skills – talking, listening, reading and writing. Writing and reading are used as a way of helping students learn to speak, and here, some students wish to develop their written skills while others have no interest. Conversation is encouraged in all classes, and this generally depends on the group itself, however, from Elementary 3 onwards, classes are generally 100% Spanish.

We do offer courses that are named Conversation, and these are also graded according to level, for example Conversation Elementary 1. Students at an Elementary 1 level would have difficulty participating in a conversation class that was at a Lower Intermediate level! These courses are highly practical with an emphasis on oral skills, with a bit of revision to address any grammatical queries about the topics. More information about Conversation courses.

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I’ve just returned from travels where I picked up some Spanish. I want to continue learning, but don’t want to start from the beginning…
Two of the main skills involved in language-learning are accuracy and fluency. Normally students who have learnt a language from their experiences, without formally studying, have a high level of fluency, whereas students who have learnt solely through study have a higher level of accuracy than fluency. Sometimes students who have a degree of fluency without grammatical accuracy find it a bit boring coming into a class where more emphasis is placed upon accuracy. As a prospective student you might decide between:

• The amount you wish to review and correct – filling in grammatical gaps,
• The amount you wish to talk but also be challenged – you may want to do extra work to catch up.

Prospective students at post-Elementary levels, who are serious about improving their Spanish, often have to adapt to the classroom situation by realising that it is not the same as a conversation session, it is a learning environment (that is also fun!).

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I am having trouble creating a login for miPatio.

Possible scenarios might be:

• Have you ever enrolled in a course at El Patio? A login for miPatio may only be created by current or ex-students. If you have not studied at El Patio before it is still possible to create a login - only if you have previously contacted us and left your contact details.
• Has your email address changed recently? As your email address is used as your username, the system might still be assuming your older one is your username.
• It may be that your email address has been entered incorrectly in our system, so you are not being recognised when trying to create a login account.

If you need to change your username, are unsure of which one is in our system, or believe that it may have been spelled incorrectly by us, please contact us:

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