Our Method

Nearly four decades of teaching have taught us one thing above all: structure matters.
Here is exactly how we teach — and why it works.

Speaking first. Grammar second.

Most language courses begin with a textbook page, a list of vocabulary and a grammar rule. Students memorise, repeat and forget.

At Natalislang we do it differently. From the very first hour, the student is speaking — guided conversation, real questions, real answers. Grammar is introduced not as a rule to memorise but as a tool to explain something the student is already trying to say.

The result is that students leave every class having actually used the language — not just studied it.

"The first 20 hours are almost entirely oral. By the time a student sees something written down, they can already say it."

1. 01 Personal pronouns and possessives — with your hands

   The very first thing a beginner learns is personal pronouns — I, you, he, she — taught physically, using hand gestures to connect each pronoun to a person. Immediately after, possessive adjectives follow the same logic. The connection to English is made explicit from the start, so students see the pattern rather than memorising isolated words.

2. 02 Question words — the key to real conversation

   Who, what, where, when, why, how — these are introduced early because they are the engine of conversation. A student who can ask a question can keep talking. From the first hour, students are forming real questions, not just answering them.

3. 03 Ser and Estar — the essential Spanish distinction

   The difference between ser and estar is one of the first things that confuses English speakers. We address it directly and early — with examples, contrasts and immediate practice. Within the first two or three hours, students are using both verbs correctly in real sentences.

4. 04 Days, months, time, descriptions, locations — in dialogue

   Over the first four hours, vocabulary builds around practical themes: days of the week, months, telling the time, describing people, talking about countries and locations. Everything is practised through guided dialogue — not lists to memorise.

5. 05 Regular verbs — introduced through conversation

   After approximately four hours of oral work, regular verbs are introduced. By this point the student already has a working vocabulary and can form questions — so the verb system slots into a structure they already understand. Practice is immediately oral: the student uses the new verbs in sentences and questions.

6. 06 The verb card system — student-driven vocabulary

   Throughout the programme, students work with Natalislang's own verb card system. Each card covers one verb — its forms, its uses, its most common expressions. The student's task is to find the meaning in whichever language is easiest for them. This makes vocabulary acquisition active, not passive.

7. 07 Review before every new chapter

   Before introducing anything new, the previous material is reviewed — primarily orally. This constant recycling is one of the most important features of the Natalislang method. Nothing is taught once and forgotten. Everything builds on what came before.

8. 08 Periphrastic verbs, future and past tenses — when the student is ready

   Once the foundations are solid, the programme moves into more complex structures: periphrastic verb forms (going to, wanting to, needing to), the future tense and finally the perfect past. These are introduced progressively — never rushed, always with immediate conversational practice.

Our own books — developed over 39 years

The Natalislang method is inseparable from its materials. Over nearly four decades, the founder has developed and continuously refined a set of textbooks, verb card systems and audio resources that are used exclusively in our programmes.

These are not generic commercial textbooks. They reflect the specific sequence, logic and priorities of the Natalislang approach — and they have been tested with students from over 30 countries at every level from A1 to C2.

What every student receives:

• The Natalislang course book — matched to their level and programme
• The verb card system — for independent vocabulary work between classes
• Audio materials — for listening and pronunciation practice
• Digital copies for all students — in PDF format, sent before the first class
• Printed materials for students based in Chile

A new dimension: your topics, your Spanish

From 2026, students can go beyond the standard curriculum and choose their own topics — Chilean history, astronomy, Latin American literature, their profession, economics, travel — and learn Spanish through those subjects.

Each topic is prepared by the teacher as a custom lesson: a text or listening activity at the student's level, followed by the grammar and vocabulary needed to discuss it. The result is faster progress and genuine motivation — because the content is always relevant.

Find out more about this approach…

Why this works —
and why other methods often don't

• Oral practice from hour one — students speak before they write
• Grammar explained in context — never as an abstract rule
• Constant review — nothing is taught once and abandoned
• Exclusive materials — developed and refined over 39 years
• Active vocabulary learning — student-driven, not passive memorisation
• Personalised pace — the programme adapts to each student, not the other way around
• Connection to English — patterns are made explicit so students see the logic

Find a program that suits your needs:

• Crash Courses
• Private & Online Spanish
• Spanish for Exchange Students
• Relocation Spanish
• Learn Spanish Through What You Love

Experience the method for yourself

The best way to understand the Natalislang method is to try it. Book a free 30-minute trial class — online or in person — and experience the approach from the very first minute.

Take an evaluation   Book a free 30-minute trial class

WhatsApp us: +56 9 9257 1436