Learn through Experience
Bend Language Institute is a collaboration of experienced teachers who have come together to help advance our community’s language learning needs. We offer in-person and remote classes and private lessons in a wide range of languages including Italian, Spanish, German, French, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, ESOL, American Sign Language, and Japanese. Our institute is located on 416 NE Greenwood Avenue in Bend, Oregon.
Our teachers have taught in colleges and K-12 schools across the country and are committed to providing quality education for all. By offering small class sizes of 4-10 students as well as private lessons, we seek to support our students with their specific language learning goals such as conversational practice, reading and writing skills, and advanced literature studies. We recognize that learning languages isn’t just something that one does in childhood—but a lifelong practice that stimulates critical thinking and cross-cultural appreciation.
Our Language In Actions workshops allow you to further your language skills through action-oriented immersion workshops. You can practice your language learning while cooking in Italian or doing yoga in Spanish with one of our teachers. Several of these events are offered throughout the year and are a fun way to bring language communities together.
In addition to offering private lessons, small classes and workshops, we also work with community partners to connect members of the Bend community for language conversation practice. We have conversation partners who speak Tagalog, Spanish, Arabic, and French, among many others.
We hope that you will enjoy learning and speaking languages as much as we enjoy teaching them!
Support Language Learning in your Community
You can add a small donation to your purchase in order to support local underprivileged kids in their language journey.
CURRENT CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, AND OFFERINGS —REGISTER NOW
COURSE CATALOG
Italian Language Classes and Tutoring
Develop proficiency in Italian, no matter what your level. Learn to speak and write about a variety of topics, such as your family and friends, your likes/dislikes, food and hobbies, and travel plans. Learn language with community and cultural context.
Spanish Language Classes and Tutoring
Spanish is the fourth most commonly spoken language in the world and is important for everyday communication across three continents. And BLI we offer a range of Spanish classes and workshops that focus on conversation and travel, business communication, medical terminology and sports. We are currently expanding our program to also engage youth in Spanish speaking activities for an early start to language acquisition.
Mandarin Chinese Classes and Tutoring
With over one billion speakers, Mandarin Chinese is the most commonly spoken language in the world. It is a useful language for understanding international business, technology, film, food, and culture. Through Mandarin Chinese language courses students will learn the basics of greetings and conversation, as well as important colloquial expressions for business and travel.
Japanese Classes and Tutoring
Learn to speak Japanese to prepare for travel or to reconnect with family and friends. We offer classes, interactive workshops and private tutoring to help students of all levels learn to speak about their hobbies, travel plans, pop culture and work. By learning from a native speaker you will also develop cultural awareness of Japanese values and common communication practices.
Russian Classes and Tutoring
Whether you are planning for a trip to Russian or looking to try something new, Russian can be a fun language to learn. It is popular in over 15 different countries, where it can be useful for everyday travel, to connect with family, or even to explore fascinating literature. By learning from our native Russian speaker, you will develop a stronger connection to Russian history and culture.
French Classes and Tutoring
French is well-known for it's fluid sounds and air of romance. It is not only popular in France, but also widely spoken throughout West Africa. At Bend Language Institute you can learn the basics of French to prepare for upcoming travel, or master your language skills by studying French literature and art. We currently offer private tutoring sessions for students of all levels. Stay tuned for upcoming interactive (and tasty) workshops this fall as well as future course offerings.
English for Speakers of Other Languages
Improve your spoken and written English skills with the assistance of an ESOL teacher. We offer private tutoring for English speakers of all levels from beginner to advanced.
Arabic Classes and Tutoring
Arabic is one of the most widely used languages in the world; spoken by 400 million people, many of them are in The Middle East and North Africa. Like all languages, the Arabic language reflects the rich and very interesting history and cultures of its people. I enjoy meeting people of different cultures and languages, and I am very excited to join Bend Language Institute to share my culture through my language with others.
German Language Classes and Tutoring
Learning German can be a fun and interactive way to not only learn a new language, but also a rich cultural history from Northern Europe. At Bend Language Institute, we focus on integrating language and culture to prepare you for a future trip and satisfy your intellectual curiosity.
American Sign Language
Learn American Sign Language (ASL) with an experienced teacher. Our small group classes will help you grasp the basics in a fun and interactive environment.
NEWS AND HAPPENINGS
Learning a Language for Travel
Learning a Language for Travel Christina Cappy, PhD | 3-minute read At Bend Language Institute (BLI), thousands of Central Oregon residents have learned new languages with us. Our students learn languages for various reasons: professional [...]
Sign Up For Fall Classes Today
Sign Up For Fall Classes Today! Fall is just around the corner and our classes are starting to fill up! We have a range of offerings in Spanish, Japanese, German, French, English, American Sign Language [...]
Featured Student of the Week: Beth Mazza Robertson
Featured Student of the Week: Beth Mazza Robertson By Sarah Eckert | 2-minute read Beth Mazza Robertson radiates gratitude and excitement as she tells me about her journey of connecting with her family’s Italian heritage. [...]
Featured Student of the Week: Tyler Sylvester
Featured Student of the Week: Tyler Sylvester By Sarah Eckert | 2-minute read Tyler Sylvester works for a Japanese company called Yokohama Tires. Currently, he is the national account manager for major corporate accounts in [...]
Featured Student of the Week: David Wahl
Featured Student of the Week: David Wahl By Sarah Eckert | 2-minute read For David Wahl, deciding to start learning German at age 73 is part of a much larger journey. When I asked him [...]
Community Day Saturday, June 15
Join us for a Community Day Saturday, June 15th from 1-5pm at the institute! We’re looking to freshen up our space, give the institute some love, and enjoy our community. We’ll have books and DVDs to [...]
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