Study Greek in Athens & The Islands

The quality of your holidays or your living and working conditions in Greece will improve considerably once you start learning Greek. Mastery of the language will enable you to better understand Greek history and culture and to help you form acquaintances with the people you meet in Greece. We can help you learn and improve your knowledge of Modern Greek while experiencing daily life, the past and contemporary culture. Our formula of learning and holidays combined, with optional cultural activities, allows you to enjoy yourself while you acquire an in-depth knowledge of the country.

Our Athens center has developed a unique approach to teaching Modern Greek, backed by a select team of Greek teachers. The informal and relaxed atmosphere of the classes makes learning Greek an enjoyable and successful experience for all.

Although our priority is providing top-quality training, we also aims to bring its students in direct contact with local customs, history and culture through various excursions and activities.

Our School

Our partner school is located in the heart of the city of Athens, only five minutes away from Omonia Square, in a well-lit space of 105 square metres.

The center houses a library (books and videos) as well as a variety of Greek music CDs, Greek movies and documentary films. Books on the instruction of Greek as a foreign/second language, on Adult Education and on Intercultural Education as well as on Greek history, arts and culture are all at the disposal of the students. Students can use the computers and can borrow a CD player or cassette player in order to practise listening comprehension outside the classroom.

The historical centre of the city is very close to the school, which is a meeting point for students from all over the world. There are museums, theatres, bookshops and shops, as well as the Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Athens, Stoa tou Bibliou (The Bookshop Arcade) and various Universities.

Course Descriptions

Intensive Course in Athens

Courses start on Sunday (10.00) and finish Saturday (14.00).
The lessons take place from
10.00 till 14.00 on first Sunday and last Saturday (4 hours/day)
13.00 till 16.00 on Mon, Tue., We. and thursday (3 hours/day)
12.30 till 16.30 on Friday (4 hours)

Min 3 and max 6 students per class
If a class has less than 3 students, the teaching hours will be cut to a total of 18 hours.
Tuition includes : 24 hours instruction, text book, 1 tavern meal on Sunday (14.00), guided walk in Athens, visit to museum or concert (ticket not included), coffee and tea during the breaks

Intensives Courses in Nafplion and Island of Syros

2-week courses, 5 days a week, 4 hours a day (TOTAL 40 HOURS)
Courses start on the indicated arrival day at 19.00 and finish the indicated departure day at 13.30
The lessons take place during 10 days, 4 hours per day (usual teaching times 9.30 - 13.30).
For courses in Nafplion there is 1 day off, for courses in Syros there are 2 days off without lessons.
Min 3 and max 9 students per class

Tuition includes : 40 hours instruction, text book and 1 tavern meal on arrival day. Also included optional afternoon activities (like Greek dance lessons, museum or monastery visit, guided walks, possibilities to attend concerts and/or theatre (tickets not included), depending upon the location and the period the course is organized.

Private Instruction

Any time of the year in Athens, except July and August, Christmas and Easter Holidays
During the intensive courses in Nafplion (Easter) and Syros (June, July and September), private lessons are possible between 15.00 and 20.00.
Private lessons in the Athens office are 28 till 30 Euro/hour (60 minutes). For more detailed pricing, please contact us.

About the Islands- Nafplion and Syros

Nafplio (or Nafplion) was the first capital of Greece after independence. Today Nafplion is a lovely seaside town about a 2.5 hour drive southwest of Athens on the Peloponnese Peninsula. Nafplionis a good base for visiting the many ancient archeological sites nearby. Nafplion has cobbled, meanderingstreets that criss-cross this quaint townand leadsits visitorsto small cafes, inns and taverns offering mouthwatering local cuisines.With a picturesque harbor, Nafplionis dominated by three citadels -- the vast Palamidi Fortress, the Akronafplia Fortress, and the Bourtzi Fortress.

The island of Syros is full of beauties and charms created by its unspoiled landscape, its authenticity and its traditional villages. The wonderful capital of Syros, Ermoupolis, is the capital of all the Cyclades. Ermoupolis is a walkers paradise and there are plenty of small streets, little shops and cafes . The waterfront is lively with people, cars and activities. There are plenty of good restaurants and ouzeries.
Because Syros was a commercial center (Ermoupolis was named for Hermes: God of commerce) and not reliant on tourism they restored slowly and built intelligently. The city is a living museum.

Teaching Materials and Methodology

The Center's faculty has produced original teaching materials for all our language programs. These consist of texts, a collection of original visual materials (photos, videos, cassettes, CDs) and a collection of language games. Teaching materials are based on ideas formulated on teaching in the classroom and are being constantly improved according to their systematic application by our teachers. These materials are also used with large groups in consistence with the principles of individualized teaching. They include alternative texts and exercises for use in mixed-abilities classes and in multilingual-multinational classes.

The aim of our courses is to practice all language skills (oral and written speech production and comprehension). We particularly stress the use of language games and of communicative exercises through which grammar and structure can be effectively learned.

We mainly organize two kinds of courses in order to accommodate the students who live either in Greece or abroad:

-2-week intensive seminars (60 hour courses)
-Extensive seminars of two or more months

Classes are held:

- In our premises, in Athens
- In the student's residence/office
- In selected venues in Greece (spring/summer programme). Easter and summer 2009 program in Lesvos/Mitilini island, Aegean sea
- In other countries (upon request by organizations)

The fees include:

• All the necessary books and other educational materials

• Proposals/ Schedule for everyday cultural and educational activities (theater, public lectures, concerts, etc)

• Certificate of Attendance

A program of educational-cultural activities functions alongside the language courses. It is adjusted to all levels of language ability. The aim of this program is two-fold: on the one hand it is to practice and reinforce students΄confidence in using Greek, and on the other to bring them into contact with the reality of contemporary Greece. The program includes:

• Conversation classes where students present their language learning projects and interviews with Greeks

• Lectures by experts and other professionals on themes such as the arts, politics, history, society and modern life in Greece

• Visits to working places and other sites of cultural and social interest

• Language workshops where students practise the language through language games and communicative activities

• Discussions on a contemporary Greek movie

• Tandem classes, i.e. conversations on specific subjects with a Greek native speaker who learns the student's language.

• "Visit my country", where students present their countries in various ways (photos, objects, tastes, etc)

On a regular base we organize:

• Greek song learning

• Greek dance courses

• Traditional Greek cooking

• Trekking and other nature activities

Accommodations

Most participants prefer to stay in the same hotel, in order to have more contact with each other. Therefore we can suggest some conveniently located hotels in the center of Athens. In case you prefer to book a hotel other than what we recommend, of course do not hesitate to do so. There are plenty of options in Athens, in different locations, neighborhoods and price-categories.

Course Fees and Dates

Intensive Course in Athens- One Week at 360 euros

March 8 to March 14

March 15 to March 21

April 5 to April 11

May 17 to May 23

Intensive Course in Nafplion-Two Weeks at 590 euros

April 14 to April 25

Intensive Course in Syros- Two Weeks at 590 euros

June 21 to July 3

July 4 to July 16

September 6 to September 18

September 20 to October 2