Center for Accelerated Language Acquisition (CALA) at MTSU

I am a Spanish instructor and I have taken French and the Teacher Workshop with CALA. Seeing how fast and with what ease I was acquiring the new language was truly amazing. I then explored more possibilities with them to learn about the method. I highly recommend their classes! They may appear a bit too playful to those with more traditional approach to learning a new language, but everything they do is based on solid research on how the brain learns. These are very well thought through classes! Thank you, CALA!

If you want a FUN and SMART way to learn a new language, CALA is really the way to go! So far I've taken both Spanish and Italian and I've had a great time with the teachers and students there. My wife, who has taken French in the past, is the one who highly recommended that program to me and she also loved her experience. Brian, Dr Thomas and Paolo are all superb teachers who are passionate about the languages they teach and really wants you to succeed, and it shows. If you are like me and you can't cram list of words after words in your head no matter how hard you try, I highly recommend you give CALA a try - By the end of the week, you won't even realize that you've been learning a whole new language since there's no massive list of words to memorize or giant grammar books to go through, it's all TPR! (total physical response) - it's like playing an interactive game while learning something new, give it a try, you won't be disappointed!

Even a person over seventy can learn to speak Spanish well enough to enjoy travel interacting with Spaniards and to pass a proficiency test for course credit at Middle Tennessee State University, thanks to CALA instruction. (At least, that was true for me! Before enrolling, I couldn't even count to ten in Spanish and feared that I wouldn't make it in the course.) I appreciate the unique way in which these courses are taught, and the ability of the instructor to make sure that all members of the class are learning quickly while engaged in a variety of fun activities.

I took a one-week course in Chinese during summer of 2016. I returned the following summer (2017) to take a course offered to World Language teachers focused on learning about methodology used in the language course (Chinese, French, etc.). I have only wonderful things to say about CALA. The language teaching and learning I experienced at CALA represents the most engaging and effective I have seen during my career at a World Language teacher. The Chinese class I took engaged us through interactive storytelling (TPRS) that got us to learn syntax and vocabulary in an organic way. This kind teaching requires an incredible amount of planning and forethought, but it is most definitely worth the rewards. By the end of the week, we were each able to tell an original story in Chinese that we had created. The class never felt like work and was actually a lot of fun. We laughed and moved around while simultaneously developing the three modes of communication using different skills (listening, speaking and writing---this was restricted to pinyin). Whenever I meet anyone in the area who is interested in studying another language, I recommend they attend a class at CALA. I also recommend World Language teachers take a course (in an unfamiliar language). Administrators who work with WL teachers would also benefit from seeing research-based best practices in language teaching. The experience has greatly informed my own teaching of Spanish and I continue to reach out to Dr. Shelley Thomas as a trusted teacher and expert in the field.

Attended the Spanish training Part 1. The class was great. Easy to learn. Brian was able to guide us easily to understand the language. Felt like we are kids again learning the language... Due to unforeseen circumstances, unable to continue to attend the Part 2 or 3... But will get back to join soon to finish the learning. The class was not like any regular ppt/notes class... This is an interactive class and fun learning.

CALA changed my teaching and my understanding of how kids learn language. If you’re a teacher the language and methods class are a MUST. It will make your life easier and your kids will not just learn the language, but ACQUIRE it for good. If you are language learner, there is NO better way to learn a new language. I took Chinese and was impressed by the teaching style so much and was doubly impressed at how much I learned in such a short time. You’ll be glad to be there!

I have taken one of the yoga classes and am learning a second yoga practice in stages. The instruction is clear and the instructor is very helpful and caring. I like that I can go learn the practice, then do it on my own, and that if I have questions or think I might need further help, I can go to the review sessions. A great way/place to learn yoga!