Catalan courses in Formentera have reached approximately 200 people in 3 years

Catalan language courses provided through the Linguistic Assessment Service (or SAL, for Servei d'Assessorament Lingüístic) of the Formentera Island Council will start this coming Tuesday, 8 October. The new course offering will complement those already in progress at the Escola d'Adults, the goal being to provide a wide, flexible range of alternatives as useful for a first-time Catalan student as for someone interested in strengthening an existing knowledge base and operating at already intermediate or superior levels.

A total of three courses will be added to the list of existing Catalan classes: the introductory or basic level (A2), the elementary level (both B1 and B2), and mastery (levels C1 and C2). The courses will be held Tuesday and Thursday mornings; level A2 from 9:15 to 10:15 am; B1/B2 from 10:15 to 11:15 am; and level C1/C2 from 11:15 am to 12:15 pm.

Another way to study Catalan, be it a student starting from scratch or one wishing to resume past studies, is the Self-Study Point (or Punt d'Autoaprenentatge), also under the direction of the SAL de Formentera and located in the Marià Villangómez Library. This formula is built on a system of progressively more difficult tasks adapted to student level, with students receiving teacher supervision via weekly tutorial sessions. The Self-Study Point provides an option for Catalan study without the necessity of maintaining the timetable of a fixed course. Course lengths are set to coincide with the first round of official certificate-providing exams administered by the Govern Balear, anticipated for January and February. Registration for both formats – face-to-face courses and the Self-Study Point – is free.

Instruction in Catalan has been offered by the SAL for three years, during which time approximately 200 students have registered. The number of island residents interested in learning Catalan hovers around 80 every year, proof of the popularity of these free courses. The Formentera Island Council is happy to amplify the selection of these courses, thus making Catalan study an opportunity for more residents and promoting integration for those non-Catalan-speaking residents of the island.

Linguistic Assessment Service
The SAL provides information about existing government assistance for the re-signage of businesses in Catalan in addition to attending to technical consultations regarding the Catalan language. The service also offers the possibility of translations of café and restaurant menus, and of following Catalan courses at a variety of different levels. You can contact the Formentera Island Council's SAL by telephone, dialling 971 32 12 75 (ext. 25) or by email at sal@conselldeformentera.cat