‘Olé SOL: A language school making its mark in Dublin through its innovative and fun teaching methods’

Introduction:

Dublin business owner Cristina Gonzalez shares her startup experience as the founder and one of the teachers at Olé School of Languages (Olé SOL).  As the premier language school of Dublin’s Grand Canal Dock, Olé SOL offers language courses in different languages to learners of all ages and of all levels. Cristina’s passion for teaching and Jonathan’s entrepreneurial guidance have helped to make Olé SOL a reality and a success. Read the interview below to learn more.

Interview:

Tell me about Olé SOL; what is the profile of your students?

Cristina: Olé SOL is a language school for everyone. We offer courses in Spanish, French, Italian, German, and English. We cater for all ages and to all levels; from primary and secondary school students to business professionals and retirees. We follow our own syllabus and create a specific programme for every course, adapted to each group’s needs. We used to be based in Grand Canal Dock, but recently moved our offices to Drumcondra Art& Business Campus. We also operate in national schools, community centres, business offices and private homes. We adapt to our customers’ busy lifestyles to make language learning happen!

What’s your startup story?

Cristina: I’ve always been a passionate teacher and curriculum designer and dreamed of opening my own school for years. Jonathan had previous experience developing business ideas. We spent considerable time discussing the idea of setting up a language school in Dublin, and how we could offer something better and unique from the existing language schools.

One Friday evening, sitting at the local pub, a couple of Guinness pushed us to go ahead with the project and we decided to set up the school.

In the Autumn of 2012, we attended a startup business course hoping for some advice and mentoring. Gaining knowledge and confidence, it was time to open Olé SOL. After several months in setup mode, working on things such as creating our website and designing our logo, we were ready to organise our first courses in the Summer of 2013.

What was the first programme you offered?

Cristina: We opened our first course, a kids’ summer camp, in July 2013. The camp was held in Urban Junction, Blackrock. It had a very impressive turnout with more than 30 kids enrolled for the two weeks that we run the camp. Our business continued to grow with children’s after school programming in Dublin public and private schools. We drew interest from youth clubs and primary schools. In Autumn 2013, we initiated our programme teaching Spanish at Booterstown Youth Club and in January, Citywest Educate Together National School joined. That winter we also launched our Leaving Certificate Assistance Programme which became very popular among the Secondary National schools in North Dublin. It was great to see such a positive response from both the families and the students who attended our classes. As we grow, we hope to offer more options to Dublin area youth and the larger community.

What do children do in the after school language classes?  

Cristina: Olé SOL’s methodology is based on language immersion through play, songs, and storytelling. The children learn the target language effortlessly without even realising, in a fun and interactive environment. Children are sponges, especially in the learning environment that we create because they are encouraged to be spontaneous and to have fun. I have the joy of watching them repeat words in the second language as if they were native speakers. We use this concept to their learning advantage and teach the foreign language in a natural way, imitating the way a child acquires his/her first language. Our children’s classes are a combination of art, music, and magic!

Where did the name Olé SOL come from?

Cristina: Well, I am not going to lie; I spent a few years thinking of the name, the same way one discusses with the friends in the teenage years what one’s children will be named! I wrote down names that I liked and went asking my friends and family what they thought. In the end, the words “olé” and “sol” were the most popular. “Olé” is the most widely used expression in Andalusia, a region in Southern Spain, my hometown. “Olé!” is used to express “Well done!” and for something that deserves an applause. “Sol” is the Spanish word for “sun”, which is a big icon of the Spanish culture. At the same time, “SOL”, is the acronym for “School of Languages”. We thought that the combination of these elements would make a great name for our language school!

How has Olé SOL changed since it opened its doors to its first students?

Cristina: Before we would have organised our courses in community centres only and would have merely taught Spanish. Now we have over 450 students over 15 different locations, and, apart from Spanish, we teach French, German, Italian, and English.

What excites you most about operating Olé SOL?

Cristina: While I love overseeing the school and welcoming new and returning students, my absolute favorite part is experiencing the magical process of learning a new language with the kids!