Our program involves the following:
Oral comprehension (speaking): Phonetics is taught in terms of pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. It is important to speak correctly. (In the beginning, it is preferable to sacrifice a little fluency in order to increase quality). Vocabulary and idiomatic expressions are taught in context.

Oral comprehension (understanding): We work with tapes and stimulate the student to cultivate contacts with Brazilians and to watch TV. The student does not need to speak like a Brazilian; but he or she does need to understand colloquial conversation.

Written comprehension (reading): We work with various texts from literature, dialogues, the Bible, newspapers and magazines.

Written expression (writing): We work throughout the entire course with the writing of texts within the capacity of the student. In the final part of the course, we work more intensively with specific interests of the student: testimonies, Bible studies, sermons, etc.

This program involves not only purely didactic activities, but also practical aspects in the life of the student. Therefore, when necessary, we help the student find a home, purchase furnishings for the home, resolve problems with deliveries, employ the service of a maid, etc. We even took a student to the maternity ward in the middle of the night!

Because the classes are personalized, they may begin and end at any time. There are some students who study 2 months, others who study 6 months, and most study 1 year.

Class schedules
In the one-year program, the student will have two classes daily. Each class will last for 1 hour and 15 minutes and each will be taught by a different professor. The classes will be held each day, Monday through Friday. Thus the student will have completed about ten and a half months of classes (approximately 600 hours) by the end of the course.

The school officially closes for vacations the last two weeks of December, and the first week of January.

Interclass is open to other possibilities.

Culture
A language is not a free-floating structure in isolation of the country and culture in which it exists. It is directly connected with the people who speak it. And for this reason it is important to know these people, their country, and their culture. At Interclass, we stimulate contact with culture through special classes, personal contacts between student and professor, cultural field trips, outings to such events as soccer games, rafting trips, seasonal celebrations, parties, etc. Here, the most important thing is to help the student to discover and enjoy Brazil.

Extra information
Since 1977, Interclass has been working with more than 40 different Missions. Pierre Coudry, the director of Interclass, has developed the following projects:

• Co-authored with Elizabeth Fontão Fala Brasil, the current best selling Brazilian Portuguese language textbook.
  
• Consultant at Graded - the largest American School in São Paulo. This includes teacher training, adapting Fala Brasil to the needs of the students, and designing a new curriculum and materials for the school.
  
• Training of Language & Culture for college students from Christian organizations such as Inter Varsity, N.O.W. Corp, Christian Alliance, etc.
  
• Director and teacher at Interclass. This includes: Teacher training and orientation, Portuguese & French Language instructor, orientation in Brazilian history and politics and student assistance in renting houses, finding schools for student dependents and various visa and customs problems.
  
• Wharton School - Lauder Institute teacher in the Summer Program in São Paulo - Brazil.
  

References

• Free Will Baptist Foreign Mission - Curt Holland
  
• Missão Presbiteriana - Pr. Frank Musik
  
• Christian Missionary Aliance - Pr. Tim Bubna
  
• United Church of Christ - Lawrence Gilley
  
• Igreja Anglicana - Patrick Mauney
  
• Mennonite Central Committee - Gloria Nussbaum
  
• Mission Aviation Fellowship - Tim Ault
  
• Africa InLand Mission - Steve and Sharon Entwistle
  
• Grades American School - Angelina Fregonesi
  
• Escola Americana de Campinas - Steve Herrera - High School Principal
  
• Calvary Chapel - Pr. Kevin Miller
  
• Hope Unlimited - Corenne Smith
  
• Wycliffe - Paul and Angie Kimball
  
• Assembly of God - Chris and Michelle Weber
  
• Global Ministries - Lawrence and Carol Gilley
  

To view the reference letters please click here References.

Accommodations
We don't have accommodations, however we have helped students to find accommodations.

For any other information, please, contact us.