Reviews

I was looking to learn to speak Czech and discovered the 'Czech Language Training' Taboritska 15. 

I initaiily went for 2 weeks of individual (one-to-one) tuition and have been back twice since over the last two years for a 4 day and 5 day course. Each lesson was 3 hours and the teachers made it both interesting, interactive and enjoyable which ultimately enhanced the learning process. In contacting various companies/people I found the Czech Language Training school were genuinely concerned about the standard of education they delivered. I will certainly be returning for future courses and would be more than happy to recommend this company as a great place to learn Czech.

Alan

(London)

- amartin

I have spent 3 months learning Czech at this school and I recommend it. They are supportive and flexible to their students and you can meet fellow expats and share not only the language learning experience but also improve cultural knowledge of the Czech Republic and other countries. You can also pick up practical knowledge about life in CZ via the classes too. It's a useful place to go to. So far, the best language centre I've experienced in Prague.

- Belle

Attended intensive for beginners course in September. Must say am very pleased with the quality of the course and (relatively speaking) low price. 

Pluses:

- small group means extra attention

- teaching method is great, very flexible, can speed up or slow down based on how well you're doing

- professional staff

Minuses

- location not so great, old building. Some classrooms are nicely remodeled, some old fashioned. Can be a bit noisy.

- commute to/from by tram, not close to metro station (two tram stops from Flora, about 5 from city centre). This means it's not the most convenient place to find.

Overall, very satisfied with quality of teaching and results so far. Can recommend this school without any hesitation.

- 1707

I've been attending the lessons at CLT just for few months, but in that short period of time my czech level improved a lot!

When i attended my first lesson i was barely able to say "jak se mas?" but after a really short time i could have a conversation with a czech person (non-english-speaker) so i found in CLT the push i needed!

the teacher (veronika) was really great, patient and funny, she was able to make the time fly away very fast while teaching the very difficoult czech grammar :)

Now i'm leaving prague so i cannot continue my lessons, but if i was staying i was for sure enrolling for this year as well :)

thanks a lot to all CLT staff!

- valeria_muddum

The Czech Language Training Course is a great place to learn Czech. The staff are professional and friendly. The amount of students per group is perfect for group learning at each level, getting some individual instruction, and making friends. 

I was in the situation where I wanted to take courses one month, then skip a month due to traveling, and come back the next month and continue with a group working at my level. This was no problem at CLT because courses at all levels are open to new members every month. The system is very flexible and I had a positive experience.

I highly recommend this CLT for anyone learning Czech language.

- ClaudiaZ

I agree with Andy about the evaluation of the Czech course by Magda in the first two weeks of last July. As former language teacher and present learner of many other languages, I know how difficult it is to satisfy all different expectations of the learners. I find, our teacher managed this pretty well, we could talk a lot, and by doing this, improve our command of the tricky peculiarity of the Czech grammar. when after a course the language I'm learning looks less "stranger" and becomes more familiar to me, then I know that I have received a good teaching: exactly what I can say about this course and our teacher Magda.

Graziano P. 

E-mail: gianavello(e)atlas.cz

- gianavello

Hey - wanted to add a positive comment about my experience about Czech Language Training... I think with any language school, the most important thing is that the solution they offer meets your needs. So, no one solution will be right for everyone. I tried one on one classes, thru another agency; I've also tried group classes managed thru my work. Neither of these solutions moved me forward. At CLT, the 2x weekly sessions move me along well (previously, I'd only done 1 class per week). I like the structure, and we spend a good mix of time drilling on basics vs. conversation. And, best of all is my teacher, Marie... she's utterly fantastic. I've given feedback to the school about her approach, which I feel is first rate (and I've had a bunch of Czech teachers, trust me :-). So would really recommend you guve them a try.

C

- saffron

I studied at CLT for several years and also tried quite a few other language schools/ private Czech teachers. I've been following some of the discussion here and overall pretty much agree with Good_Will:

*I found some of the teachers at CLT fantastic, and my Czech speaking ability increased exponentially. The things i liked were: the classes were very structured & well-prepared, the teachers were engaging and patient, and the themes were relevant and wide-ranging (we did classes on current newspaper stories & dealing with tradespeople and a long course on Neruda's short stories). The atmosphere of these courses was relaxed, but they still were pretty rigorous. They involved a lot of class discussion as well as grammatical drillwork and a tonne of writing homework. 

*I found a few other teachers at the school less effective. Either their course content wasn't relevant to me, or I disliked their style of teaching. At the same time, I had no difficulty changing out of their classes & trying others until I found one I preferred. I was even given copies of past students' evaluation sheets for some of the courses I was considering. It's also worth noting that some of the teachers I liked best were ones my friends didn't care for & vice versa.

* In sum, CLT courses can be really great, but they are also what you make them. At this level of learning, I really think you need to be ready to express your concerns about goals, activities, curriculum etc. during the course. I found that whenever I did this, I was taken very seriously by my teacher and Miroslav. My teachers repeatedly asked me what I wanted to focus on & whether I was happy. 

I'm always puzzled by people who put up with things they don't like and then complain after the fact.

- ak

Great schools are made by great teachers, and they do vary at CLT. I was lucky enough to start with Ludek, who is absolutely excellent. He even makes grammar fun which is pretty tricky to do regarding a language that seems to have been developed somewhere on Jupiter. 

Some other teachers there are not so good and use Czech Step by Step going through it chapter by chapter. That's not teaching as far as I know. That's laziness.

So your mileage may vary. If you do get a great teacher though then the progress is quite startling. My Czech girlfriend is amazed by my progress, and sometimes I find myself actually thinking in Czech, which is frankly a bit odd.

And no, I'm not Miroslav and I'm writing this of my own volition (see my previous reviews or posts). There's no such thing as a perfect language school but there are at least couple of very good teachers at CLT. The only reason I am not giving it a 10/10 rating is because there are some bad ones too.

Cheers, Will

- v

I never write reviews but I feel the urge to join the fray here. I'm giving CLT a rating of 9/10 because, even though the classes didn't really work for me personally, I think the school is excellent. 

The teachers are well-prepared, committed, friendly, funny, entertaining and knowledgable. The director of the school is hands-on and very interested in the students progress. The materials are varied and interesting. There is a range of other material, such as books and DVD's, available for the motivated student. Regular film and social nights are organised for students who wish to attend. 

The classes didn't work so well for me because I don't do so well in groups and I can't afford individual classes but I wouldn't hesitate to do individual classes with any of the teachers that I had at CTL if I could.

Perhaps the expectations of the unhappy reviewers here are unrealistic. Sadly, there is no magic wand for language learning - it is a long, slow, hard and, often frustrating, slog. 

(And if the building isn't so glamourous, for me, it is more than countered but the fact that the prices are reasonable.)

- starfish