Latin American Language Center Inc

Chicago, United States

5

Open now

18 reviews

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 202-641-2151
Website:
www.lalcenter.com
Address:
3630 N Ashland Ave, Chicago, IL, 60613
b/t Addison St & Waveland Ave
Lakeview
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1.1 miMoraine Valley Community College
2.6 miPalos Park
2.8 miWillow Springs
Categories:
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Today

Today 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Chicago) 2:11 PM Friday, July 18, 2025

Business hours

Monday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Tuesday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Wednesday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Thursday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am – 8:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

Spanish Evening classes. No enrollment fees. You can do two payments for a course with no interest. Fun events outside the classroom (dinners, wine testings, brunches in Spanish). No extra fees for materials. The idea is to have fun while learning!

History

Established in 2007.

I am from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I still remember my adolescence, when I used to sneak from my English classes to hang out with my friends and failed all the exams. Actually, I hated English because it was something imposed by my parents and society in order to have better career opportunities in the future.

Everything started at the age of 24 (in 2007) years old, when I met one of my best American friends in boring Spanish/​English Institute. We first met each other in the hallway of that Institute; she approached to me with a nice smile and said that she wanted to learn Spanish. At that moment I started with my first student, our friendship and my interest to teach Spanish. Through this friend I go to understand better the American culture.

Not only I have taken my «International House (IH) Certificate for Teaching Spanish as a Second or Foreign Language (IHC), but also I have been teaching for 4 years, and realized that you should emerge in the culture to learn Spanish.

Meet the Business Owner

Mara Bogado Poisson M.

Business Owner

As I mentioned before I am from Buenos Aires, Argentina. After I got my degree in Business Administration in the prestigious University of Buenos Aires, I realized my passion for teaching my language, organizing languages events and emerging people in my culture. Therefore, I took my certification certified from «International House (IH) Certificate for Teaching Spanish as a second or Foreign Language (IHC), an internationally valid certificate, issued by the international House World Organization Foundation (IHWO). I thought in Atlanta, US and in Buenos Aires, I did private tutoring and groups as well. My vision is to transform the Spanish learning process in a fun and very attractive activity for all over the world. My mission to be able to spread my methodology all over Chicago and be able to offer job positions.

Related places

You might also consider:
1
ft
Davin Youngs Voice Lessons
410 S Michigan Ave The Fine Arts Bldg,Studio 540 (The Loop)
1
ft
Habla Ya Chicago
Serving Chicago and surrounding area
1
ft
Test Prep Chicago
Serving Chicago and surrounding area
1
ft
Valentin Kostov, PhD
Montrose & Broadway (Uptown)
2.8
mi
Al Majdel Arabic Language and Cultural Services
7667 W 95th St
3.1
mi
Language Stars
10300 W 131st St

Vicinity

Near this location:
1
ft
Mo2 Properties
1336 N Western Ave 1st Fl
1
ft
Brian J Grienenberger - Dream Town Realty
4553 N Lincoln Ave
1
ft
Happy Birth Doula Services
4850 N Talman Ave
1
ft
Norton Son’s Roofing
212 E Cullerton Unit PH00
1
ft
Morgan Locksmiths
1825 W 103rd St
1
ft
Topiarius - Urban Garden & Floral Design
2950 W Carroll Ave Ste 2 E B

18 reviews of Latin American Language Center Inc

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Toledo, OH
This is a great place to meet people and you your Spanish skills more frequently in a social and fun way. I know how to read and write in Spanish but it’s nice to be able to practice speaking with people more advance or on the same level as me! I would recommend this to everyone!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Mara makes it easy to learn Spanish! I love coming here, the vibe is welcoming & I learn so much! The Spanish-​speaking outings are a great way to meet new people, explore some Hispanic culture, & really communicate with others. I’d highly recommend coming here to learn Spanish!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I have been taking Spanish lessons at LALC and must say this is the perfect fit for my needs. Mara, my teacher/​owner, offers group classes or private lessons and super accommodates my every need. I have a very busy schedule and she always finds a time to work around it — be it morning classes or night. Her teaching style is very individual and she pushes hard to making sure you do your homework and get your money’s worth out of it.
It’s great how she incorporates technology and e-​learning thru shared google files as an integral part in her classes.
I have lived in several countries and been taking language classes all over. Mara is hands down the best I’ve ever had!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Love this place! My teachers Lulu and Luis were amazinggg and so sweet (and good looking– bonusss). They made me feel good about myself, no matter how bad my Spanish was along the way (lol), and they try to make every class warm and fun, unlike the first school I tried. The location is great and I love how small and intimate the class sizes are! I was surprised at how much they actually care about my learning Spanish and are invested in my progress. Plus, the owner, Mara, plans regular «Spanish Meet-​ups» to have dinner, see movies, and listen to live music to speak with and meet other Spanish speakers and people in the same boat as me who want to learn and meet new people. Can’t get enough. I highly recommend this place!
Place rating: 5
Alameda, CA
I’ve never learned Spanish before, but now it’s hard to stop. It’s fun and teachers are awesome!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I’ve had such a wonderful experience with the private Spanish lessons at LALC. I had some knowledge of Spanish from studying it in high school, so the private lessons allowed me to advance at my own pace. Each lesson is a great mix of conversation skill-​building, learning vocabulary, and playing games to keep the mood light and engaging. The best part, I believe, is the emphasis on weaving the language into your own life, which makes learning relevant and interesting. Highly recommended!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I give LALC a much deserved 5* rating! I have been a student there for over two years now, and have had such a wonderful experience. The teachers are knowledgeable and friendly and go to great lengths to make the learning process fun. The classes are interactive and there is a strong emphasis on immersion and conversation. Also, the Meetup events that the school facilitates are a great way to meet other students and native speakers!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I took intermediate level Spanish courses here for 3 months. Most places I found mainly offered classes for beginners so I was happy to find a place that offered reasonably priced group intermediate level courses. Classes are very small (I never saw one of more than 5 – 6 people) so you definitely get a chance to ask questions and talk through things you aren’t clear on. My instructor, Mara, was very responsive to feedback about on topics and exercises as well. The center also arranges for social outings to provide opportunities to practice your language skills in real life settings like restaurants and bars as well.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Mara is an experienced instructor that makes learning fun! She has helped my firm with training on how to best communicate with our Spanish speaking market. Thanks Mara!
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I have been taking lessons at LALC for just a few months and I can not believe how much progress I have made! The classes are fun & affordable. The Spanish meet ups are so much fun… we have dinner and speak Spanish with each other the whole time… pretty cool
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I’ve been taking spanish lessons with Mara off an on for about 6 months total now. She is clearly very passionate about teaching and is one of the few Spanish teachers I’ve had who is really doing it because that’s what she wants to do (as opposed to just being able to speak spanish and thus teaching a class while trying to support other endeavors). I find her one-​on-​one sessions to be quite fun and challenging and even though I know I am blundering my way through some pronunciations, she has a very positive and encouraging way of helping me get it right without feeling like a total fool. Her schedule for one-​on-​one is also great if you have a very irregular schedule b/​c she doesn’t make you pick the same time every week to have classes. I would agree with some of the other reviews that this isn’t the most structured setting out there, but it is clear that Mara does have an agenda and is following an overall structure; she just tailors it to your needs and ability.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Ive always wanted to learn Spanish but I’ve felt like it would be too hard at my age.
Since coming to LALC I’ve realized that learning a new language can be really fun and exciting! Every lesson is informative and i feel like I’ve made huge leaps in being able to speak spanish. If you’re looking for a fun learning environment this is definitely it!
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
Just got done with one month of lessons at LALC and it has been a fun and relaxing yet informative class. My company is planning on sending me to Mexico City within the next 6 months to start up a small corporate office. I could not be happier with my progress thus far and my company is approving as well.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
Note: This is not like Cervantes, it’s not like SLC, UNAM or any other place with formal class schedules and materials.
If you are looking for something super structured, this may not be for you.
However, if you are looking for a tutor who is very dedicated, friendly, flexible and enthusiastic, you should contact Mara and I am sure she can set something up tailored to your specific learning situation.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I found Mara through Unilocal when I was searching for Spanish lessons. The first time we met she explained her teaching style and how her classes were set up. From there I decided to take one on one lessons with her. I’ve been taking classes with her for about 4 months and my Spanish knowledge has increased a lot. I find myself wanting to speak Spanish all the time now since I feel more confident. If you want an organized, energetic, understandable and knowledgeable Spanish teach I highly recommend Mara.
Place rating: 5
Chicago, IL
I found Mara through craigslist when I was looking for a Spanish tutor before I moved to Chile. I could tell right away that Mara was very organized and enthusiastic about teaching. In the four months of classes I improved my Spanish dramatically. Mara’s classes are fun and she uses a variety of methods to teach. However, what I appreciated most about Mara was her interest in me and what I was doing (moving to Chile and needing to learn to communicate there) and tailoring my lessons to those needs and moving at a pace that was challenging and effective, which given the short time frame I had to learn was very important to me.
Place rating: 5
San Jose, CA
I would highly recommend Mara to anyone who is just starting to learn Spanish as well as to those looking to polish their language skills. She is a great teacher and makes lessons enjoyable and fun. It is such a bonus to learn from a native speaker and she has really helped me to improve my pronunciation and broaden my vocabulary. Thanks Mara!
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
I was referred to Mara by a friend who took weekly classes with her leading up to a trip to South America. Obviously my friend had an excellent Spanish-​learning experience as Mara came highly recommended. I was slightly apprehensive as I live in San Francisco and Mara is located in Chicago… Meaning classes would be conducted via Skype, which I had never done before. I have had 3 classes now with Mara and it is fabulous! She somehow seems to understand exactly how I learn (after just 3 hours together!) I look forward to advancing my Spanish further with Mara.