About Us

At Altea Spanish Courses we specialise in getting you to use Spanish from day one. It's our aim to let you communicate as soon as possible and we focus on teaching you the vocabulary and speaking skills needed to do that. We don't teach unnecessary grammar to beginners, we first teach you how to speak and communicate effectively and then the grammar gradually eases its way in as we progress. We will never give you pages of conjugations to learn (unless you want to!), but we will teach you about the wonderful history and culture of our area and in no time you will have the confidence to chat to your Spanish neighbours and to ask where the eggs are in the supermarket.

At Altea Spanish Courses we're a multicultural, enthusiastic and very professional team of people who all work together on this project of communication and integration.

Come and join us!

We are a team of two teachers at the same time. Our comprehensive approach goes beyond simple language instruction, creating a vibrant and dynamic environment where interaction and communication flow naturally.

In our classes, we are both simultaneously present to offer an enriching experience. During the session, one of us prepares a detailed and organized summary with the necessary corrections, allowing the student to focus on the conversation without worrying about taking notes. This summary includes notes on corrections and grammatical explanations, helping the student maintain concentration.

Our combination of generations allows us to offer a fresh and varied perspective, ranging from the latest trends to historical events. We specialize in effective communication, grammar in context and cultural integration, providing a complete learning experience.

About our innovate methodology

Our methodology focuses on communicative practice, teaching grammar through real sentences and situations to ensure clear and efficient communication. We encourage active participation in class, emphasizing pronunciation, reading and expressing questions and answers.

To achieve deep understanding and fluency in the language, we repeat each activity from different approaches and contexts. Homework assignments are designed to apply what you learn in everyday situations, such as solving daily issues or understanding public services.

We use a wide range of materials, from grammatical structures to authentic resources such as magazines and catalogues, to familiarize students with the language in everyday use. In addition, we promote a global and humanistic education, recognizing each student as a complete individual and contributing to their integral development.

In our learning environment, student comfort and confidence are our top priorities, based on personalized education. That is, taking into account the needs of each of the students and promoting cooperation and solidarity in the group.

"Our philosophy underlines the idea that human communication is universal and is not subject to hierarchies or differentiation."

Nelly Figueroa

Founder and Principal

Hello, my name is Nelly and I'd like to tell you a bit more about myself.

I'm from Argentina and I've been living in Altea since 2002.

My entire working life has been in education.

I started as a high school teacher, teaching Social Sciences, but since 1990 I've been teaching Spanish as a Foreign Language (SFL). In Buenos Aires I owned a SFL school for 14 years and I've received qualifications in this field from the Universities of Buenos Aires and Salamanca. I also regularly take refresher courses from the Instituto Cervantes here in Spain. As you can see, I love being an educator, especially in a lovely town like Altea, and I couldn't imagine a happier life for myself. I especially love teaching Spanish, because language opens so many doors for us and it makes me happy to see my students being able to integrate themselves into the life here in Spain.

Teaching older people gives me great satisfaction, especially when I see how they build confidence as their Spanish conversation improves. We are never too old to learn a new language and we encourage learners of all ages to join our community.

Altea is a wonderful town in which to raise a family as the sun, the beaches, the climate and the food here are second to none. I enjoy spending time with my family, especially my grandchildren, and we enjoy going on excursions together. We like walking in the counryside or along the beach, cooking together and chatting to the neighbours.

Dany del Federico
Graphic designer

Dany spent his working life in Argentina as a graphic designer in the film industry and he's responsible for all the graphic design work on our website and in our publications and study materials. Dany is a keen photographer and artist and almost all the photos on this site were taken by him.