Bonjour! Hola! Hej! Spots in LA to learn a second language.
We have been thinking about what happened to those brain cells that housed our high school French and Spanish lessons and decided that they could use some waking up. Why? Well, aside from making ourselves understood in different places, learning other languages has many cognitive benefits. People who speak more than one language have improved memory, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, enhanced concentration, ability to multitask, and better listening skills. Also, as we age, being bilingual or multilingual also helps to stave off mental aging and cognitive decline. That's amazing! So, we started looking for places to re-learn what we've lost in these past xx years...
Here's our list of language schools we've collected so far. If you have suggestions on others, please let us know what they are.
Private language schools:
Santa Monica Language Academy
Santa Monica Language Academy's language programs are designed for small group classes. They focus on having the student learn vocabulary and grammar and apply it in conversation. Their interactive lessons help students speak their foreign language the very first day. The instructors are experienced native speakers with great passion for sharing their language and culture. santamonicalanguage.com
Languages: Arabic, Armenian, ASL (American Sign Language), Chinese, ESL (English as a Second Language), French, German, Hindi, Italian Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish
Beverly Hills Lingual Institute
A member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, BHLingual believes in the power of personal development through language. Their goal is to offer a complete package of language learning tools, guided by caring teachers, for a wide range of students. The school is over 20 years old and has grown to be the largest adult language school in Los Angeles. bhlingual.com
Languages: Arabic, Armenian, Mandarin Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Filipino/Tagalog, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Macedonian, Norwegian, Persian/Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Romanian, Serbo/Croatian, Slovenian, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Zulu
Language Door
Teaching for more than 18 years, Language Door’s expert teachers offer instruction for students of all ages. They keep our tuition prices low but offer quality instruction in a pleasant environment. Their teachers are native speakers and offer the hands-on training that enhance the learning experience. They hold in-person classes in Irvine and San Diego, but also offer online courses. languagedoor.com
Languages: ASL (American Sign Language), Arabic, Armenian, Cantonese, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Romanian, Swahili, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Urdu
Strømmen
The people at Strømmen believe that language has the ability to break barriers, foster compassion, allow understanding and build relationships. Strømmen offers private classes, online only classes, and group classes (in person and online) all at a great rate while making sure their team of award winning local instructors make a living wage. Current students can also join them for fun events like foreign language movie night, foreign language karaoke night, and other free events. strommeninc.com
Languages: ASL (American Sign Language), Arabic, Armenian, Cantonese, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, Farsi, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Nepali, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Romanian, Serbian, Swahili, Spanish, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Urdu, Vietnamese, Urdu
Don't forget about our amazing university extension programs!
LACC Extension
Community Services offers classes, events and other offerings for just about anyone in the community - old or young, resident or not, training for a career or just looking to have a good time. These offerings are not-for-credit and are 100% supported by fees or donations/contributions. They say that they are kind of like public TV or radio, but the education version! lacitycollege.augusoft.net/
Languages: Spanish, ASL, Chinese
UCLA Extension
UCLA offers exceptional continuing, lifelong, and professional education to empower individuals and organizations to thrive in an ever changing world. Their language courses help develop speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, as well as an understanding of different cultures. The courses integrate vocabulary, grammar, and cultural insights with themes related to personal experiences. Both in classroom and online language courses are offered. www.uclaextension.edu/languages
Languages: Mandarin Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish
West Los Angeles College (Westsidextension)
Westside Extension is the primary vehicle for satisfying the college's mission of lifelong learning and serving the community. The program serves populations not served by traditional college programs, thereby increasing the college's diversity. They offer several Language classes, generally two or more times a year. westlac.augusoft.net/
Languages: Spanish, Italian, French
What about learning a language through apps? We have tried them and most leave a lot to be desired. There's little in the way of conversation and no opportunity to be corrected in grammar or pronunciation. They just fall flat in the area of retention (making the language really stick and retaining our attention) as well.
Of course, private one-on-one instruction is available without going through an official school. You can find a teacher easily with a simple Internet search, but you can also check out sites like takelessons.com or search specifically for the language you want to learn.
Ciao!