Elena Chicago

I had the pleasure of taking the first two classes (Beginner 1 & Beginner 2) over the past several months. I had only taken Spanish back in high school (nearly 20 years ago) and wanted to really try and learn Spanish this time around. It really is amazing how much I’ve learned and absorbed in such a short time. Elena makes it very fun and comfortable for everyone. The classes at Club Lucky is such a great touch… bringing a beer or glass of wine into class. I highly recommend these classes.

I have really enjoyed taking Elena’s class. I have no Spanish education at all and I am only 6 weeks into the Beginner 1 class and I’m able to read a book in Spanish. She ramps up the vocabulary and teaches conjugation in a way that doesn’t feel like a textbook.
She also gives homework that is very easy to pick up and do at your leisure.
If you are looking to take a Spanish class and are intimidated… this is the route to go.

Beginner 1 is a wonderful class that hooks you right away and before you know it, you’ve got a hold of the language. You almost forget that you’re learning because you’re having such a blast. I’m impressed at how confident I feel speaking, reading, and writing Spanish in such a short time.
Elena is an outstanding teacher, she’s funny, and her enthusiasm is contagious. I highly recommend Elena Chicago to anyone who wants to learn Spanish or have a greater command of the language.

Elena is an excellent teacher, very dynamic and engaging. The 90 minute class flies by. If you want to learn to actually speak Spanish, this is the class for you. There are many opportunities to speak in class and my comfort level greatly increased in using present, past, and imperfect tenses.

I’ve had spanish lessons on and off since high school. I did fairly well each time I was enrolled in a class. Soon after taking the class my skills learned would dissipate. I was looking for an alternative style to learning language that would be engaging, and practical. I have taken Beginner 1 and currently in Beginner 2. I really love the learning format and different activities each class. We do a combination of listening, speaking, reading, writing and storytelling. It works great with my schedule and is fun to be around people interested in learning the language in this way. I plan on continuing all the way through Conversation classes. I encourage you to challenge yourself and learn Spanish with Elena Chicago. So fun and worth your time!

After completing Beginner 1 I was going to take a break from classes over the summer. Then I talked with a Spanish speaking friend and showed off what I had learned. They were amazed at the vocabulary I had built after five classes. I decided to sign up for Beginner 2 and keep learning. This is such a great environment. Elena’s teaching method is quick and repetitive helping to retain what she has taught. I’m eager to travel to a Spanish speaking country and have the opportunity to practice what I’ve learned. Highly recommend this class.

Rarely do you find the perfect balance of fun and learning… have to say this class is it!
Elena is a masterful teacher… having had some spanish in high school, I wished that my teacher then would have used Elenas method as I would have learned so much more.
It is really a great class!!!

I just finished the first session with Elena and I could not be happier! Not only did I learn a tremendous amount, I also had a great time each week. The method of teaching through storytelling is fantastic and not at all boring as other classes can be. It doesn’t hurt that the classes are held at Club Lucky where I can get a glass of vino roja before class.

I was talking to a family member recently about taking Spanish classes and how much I was enjoying them.
Family member: «So where are you taking Spanish?»
Me: «In the back room of an Italian restaurant.»
And it totally works.
I took Spanish in high school but never developed good speaking or listening skills for it. I signed up for Beginner 1 after my husband & I decided we want to go to Spain next year (I like to talk to people when I travel). And now I can actually understand bits and pieces of conversations I overhear on the train, songs on the radio, greetings from neighbors. The vocabulary we learn is very focused on what’s most used and most practical.
The class is conducted largely in Spanish, but an absolute beginner can understand what’s going on. Having so much of class spoken in Spanish really is helpful if the verbal aspect of language is a tough spot for you like it is for me.
Classes are relaxed and fun, and I think I’ve learned as much taking this class as I did in high school Spanish. It’s a great refresher if you haven’t taken or used Spanish in a while, and an excellent introduction if this is your first exposure to learning it.

I can’t compliment Elena’s class enough. I’ve only been through two course and I already feel like I’ve made loads of progress. Most of the class is in spanish but you don’t feel overwhelmed. You feel like you can understand almost everything she says!!! It’s a fun with lots of serious spanish learning going on and there’s chocolate!

This class is AWESOME! Such a great way to learn conversational Spanish quickly! It is interactive, fun, and Elena es fabuloso! I was hesitant because I haven’t taken a class in so long but if all of my college classes were like this, I would be a much smarter person :).

Enjoyable, fun and you learn a lot.

A great way to learn Spanish! Elena is a wonderful teacher, and learning to speak Spanish through storytelling is much more interesting and practical than typical Spanish lessons. The class is very relaxed, and being able to enjoy a glass of wine in class is a nice bonus. I would definitely recommend signing up if you want to learn as a beginner — the price also seems very reasonable compared to other classes in the city.

Best way to learn Spanish, hands down! Elena is fabuloso! She’s been teaching for years and now uses her preferred TPRS technique to teach adults Spanish. I find this particularly helpful as I’m not the quickest to learn when it comes to taking classes. The repetition of her method is super helpful and the exercises that she sends you online through Quizlet are really beneficial.
Bottom line, Elena has an energy and enthusiasm that makes the learning more fun than your normal class environment. I mean who doesn’t love that she teaches in the back of Club Lucky so you can grab a cocktail on your way to class? Fantastico!

I am enjoying Spanish class with Elena Chicago much more than I ever did in high school!
Not having had a Spanish class in 9 or 10 years, my husband and I chose to start with the basic level 1. I would say this is an «easy A» for me but also a really great refresher. And I plan to continue with the next classes in the series.
The environment (the back room at Club Lucky in Bucktown) is very relaxed. You get homework and review it the next time in class. But Elena’s philosophy seems to be that this is a class for adults, so put in the effort to get out what you want. If you don’t do the homework, it’s fine. She also encourages you to practice and review vocabulary through an online program. It’s actually pretty fun and helpful.
Almost everyone seems to buy a drink before heading into class which makes things even more easy-​going. Students get a 20% discount on food and beverages– very generous! Elena always sets out candy during class and passes out prizes like stickers and pencils for winning the loteria or bingo. The whole time everyone is trying to converse in Spanish. Emphasis on speaking is definitely the approach here.
I’m excited to continue with the classes. Elena Chicago has really boosted my confidence and encouraged me that I can improve my Spanish language skills as an adult.

If you are thinking of taking a Spanish class, sign up for this one!
I hadn’t taken a Spanish class since freshman year of college (over 10 years ago), and with Elena’s help it has come flying back to me. I actually just emailed her because I recently spent 3 weeks in Mexico and I couldn’t believe how improved my Spanish was.
This isn’t a bunch of high school students sitting around learning how to conjugate verbs and recite the alphabet. Its a bunch of young professionals, enjoying a drink or two and acting out ridiculous stories in Spanish (that you then remember for a very long time!). Elena’s prices were very comparable to other classes, but I honestly feel that you get more out of her classes than you would from other teachers.
Sign up and enjoy!

Elena Chicago’s Spanish classes are fantastic! I have learned so much since starting in the fall – and I have had fun, too! If you are looking to start Spanish classes, her classes are definitely the way to go. She is a creative, talented teacher who clearly spends a lot if time preparing for her classes. I highly recommend her classes to both beginners and those with more advanced Spanish skills!

Before starting with Elena Chicago, I hadn’t taken a language class in 12 years, and that was in French. The class is billed as «TPRS», meaning that it’s not your traditional learn from a textbook course. The class time is spent doing short skits, reading a level-​appropriate novel, learning important grammar, and having conversations with the other classmates.
Despite having no Spanish experience other than a few words I’ve picked up from watching Spanish-​language soccer broadcasts, the beginner class did wonders for my speaking ability in only 8 90-​minute classes. Since then, I have also taken the Advanced Beginner and Intermediate-​level classes, and my co-​workers who are native Spanish speakers have uniformly remarked at how much my speaking has improved in literally just 20 classes over 5 months.
The classes are lots of fun, you learn quickly, and it’s WAY cheaper than comparable course in the city. Also, it’s taught at a bar, and having a beverage during class is encouraged! How can you go wrong with that? Elena is a great instructor, and if you want to learn Spanish in Chicago, this is the way to go.

husband and i were already itching to reacquaint ourselves with the spanish language when i read about elena chicago on the insider’s guide to wicker park & bucktown. the class was close to home and reasonably priced, so we decided to check it out; i’m so glad we did.
this is nothing like the spanish class you remember from high school or college. the class was approximately 16 like-​minded, fun-​loving adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s, sipping on cocktails and learning in a relaxed environment.
elena is such a fantastic teacher — she is involved, entertaining and will tailor her lessons to ensure she’s covering vocabulary and topics relevant to her students. her teaching style — TPRS — is effective and fun. the beginner class focuses heavily on vocabulary, conversation and story-​telling … and laughing!
husband and i both thoroughly enjoyed the experience and will most likely participate in the next session to continue learning. highly recommend for anyone looking to learn a language and make some friends.

I can say a lot of great things about Elena’s teaching style: Fun, interesting, hilarious, and engaging are just a few adjectives that come to mind. But the most important one is this: Effective! This class is great! The last time I had a formal Spanish class was about 15 years ago and it was nothing like this.
On the first day Elena explained to us what her teaching style is and so far I love it. It’s something called TPRS (and I can’t remember what it stands for at the moment) and it involves a lot of repetition of words along with gestures for them and all of this followed by story telling.
It’s the most fun I’ve ever had taking a class.
About 75% of the class is taught in Spanish and she does such a great job with gesturing, props (including puppets), and vocabulary introduction that it’s not a problem to follow along — even for low level Spanish speakers like me. In addition, her stories are hysterical.
For example, last night’s class involved a rich cow with a big house and «zapatos fabulosos». It also involved a dog that loved the shoes so much he stole them. At no point was anyone in the class unsure about what was going on because of the great teaching style. Everyone was also laughing the whole time.
If you know a little bit of Spanish and you’d like a class that will not only teach you a lot more but do it in a fun way, you should give Elena a call.