How to choose a language school for the holidays

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:37

A vacation spent on a language course in Europe today is no longer a surprise. And there are enough foreign schools that offer intensive courses with full immersion in the environment. But the quality of such training may turn out to be significantly lower than expected. This material is about how not to miscalculate when choosing a language course abroad, and what to look for when choosing it.

If you want to combine business with pleasure and spend a couple of weeks of vacation in one of the European countries, studying its culture, customs and a foreign language, the best way to do this is to go to Europe for an intensive foreign study course. Regardless of which language you prefer to improve - English, German, French, Italian or Spanish, keep in mind that the choice of a language school must be approached carefully so that later you will not be disappointed with the result.

The reputation of a school can be judged by the feedback that students leave about it.

First of all, when choosing a language school, pay attention to its professional reputation and the courses she offers. The reputation of a school can be judged by the feedback that students leave about it. A good sign is also the variety of courses and the fact that the school, in addition to standard courses, prepares for international exams. Traditionally, schools offering preparation classes for international certification have higher ratings and teaching standards. Therefore, even if you do not make it your goal to pass the language proficiency test immediately, give preference to a school that provides such an opportunity. Take an interest teaching methodologyand also find out if there is study guide, or instructors only use internal printouts. The first option is preferable because it provides a clearer structure and gives you an idea of the material being studied. An interesting option is language courses at large universities. They are good at the high quality of teaching and expanding the circle of communication in the university environment. If you are flying on vacation for two weeks, choose a course that includes classes in the morning and leaves the day and evening free. Some schools also offer super-intensive courses, where classes run from early morning until late at night, but this schedule is not easy to maintain.

It is known that the best conditions for language learning are created in language environment. Therefore, the popularity of the school in Russia can do you a disservice: if your class has 50% of Russian-speaking students, most likely, you will not advance so much in learning the language. Therefore, be sure to ask the school or your agent what the percentage of Russian speakers among students. If the school offers living in a foreign-speaking family - this is an excellent option in order to replenish your knowledge base, since traditionally such a family not only provides a table and shelter, but also is an excellent testing ground for practicing the knowledge gained.

If you use language leave not only for learning the language, but also for the purpose expanding the circle of acquaintances, ask about the composition of the students: age, occupation. A middle-aged businessman is unlikely to be interested in a circle of students, both in terms of communication and in relation to the studied vocabulary. Serious schools therefore offer separate business vocabulary courses.

Another indicator of the quality of education is the presence of an entrance examination test, which will show the level of your knowledge. And if you are aimed at obtaining a certificate and do not have a rigid binding to dates, match your vacation for the days when the course finishes the next language level. In this case, you have the chance to write an internal exam together with the whole group and get certificate language proficiency at a certain level.

Ask what cultural and recreational activities the school organizes for its students.

Since even a language vacation is primarily a vacation, ask what cultural and recreational leisure organizes a school for its students. This can be both joint outings to a restaurant, and weekend excursion trips to nearby cities. And if you want to complement such a vacation with a couple of your favorite activities, look for dual schoolsthat offer dual programs. For example, language learning and cooking courses (Italy, France), language school and surf training (Spain) and others. In this case, your vacation will truly become not only useful, but also unforgettable.