Background on the K'iche´ Language

K'iche´ (also spelled Quiché) is one of the 21 Mayan dialects in Guatemala. K'iche´ is believed to have originated over 4,000 years ago from the language of the Protomaya. Protomayan is the language that was spoken by the first inhabitants of what is today Guatemala, Honduras, and the Yucatán peninsula. Today, K'iche is spoken only in Guatemala. Currently, an estimated one million native speakers of K'iche´ live in Guatemala.

In spite of the marginalization that the Mayan languages have suffered, principally by the Guatemalan, Honduran, and Mexican states, there have been strong efforts by many to learn, understand, and preserve the language. This has resulted in the compilation of 15 grammar texts and 24 dictionaries.

K'iche´ Instruction at Celas Maya

The structure for K'iche´ classes is similar to that for Spanish instruction. That is, students enjoy four and a half hours of study each day with a half-hour break. Students have the opportunity to participate in activities and live with a host family. The weekly cost for the K'iche´ program is US $185 from September through May and US $200 from June to August.

Our K'iche´ Methodology

Like our Spanish program, the K'iche´ program at Celas Maya is centered around the approach of immersion methodology. Immersion with K'iche´, however, is a bit more challenging than with Spanish. Quetzaltenango, the city where Celas Maya is located, has a high percentage of indigenous Mayan residents, but for various reasons, many of these people do not speak a Mayan language.For this reason, students of K'iche' have the opportunity to visit nearby villages with their teachers where K'iche' is the main language spoken. The process of learning will include grammar explanations, phonology, syntax, morphology, and practice.

One-on-One Classes

As with our Spanish classes, our approach to teaching is to provide each student with his or her own trained instructor. This approach allows us to personalize the curriculum to each student's level, needs, and interests and maximizes program flexibility, individual attention, and the pace of learning.

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