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 $165 from
September through May and US $180 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.
Online Enrollment
To register for classes, see our online
enrollment form.
