In a world that has never been more global or more integrated, it is vital that our next generation are able to get a handle on foreign languages. Lagging behind our European neighbours in terms of language acquisition, times are nonetheless changing inBritain, and more and more people are learning the lingo and getting to grips with a foreign tongue. In an international marketplace, it is vital to gain any advantage you can, and that includes learning new languages, even if just to a basic, conversational level. One superb way to doing is to put those idle summer months to practical use and spend the hot holidays picking up a foreign language.
Foreign Exchanges
Overseas exchanges have long been the mainstay of the immersion school of language acquisition, and still play a big part today. Many kids learning a language at school will have had the change to head overseas to destinations such asFrance,Germany,Spain, and increasinglyChina, in order to bolster their language skills. And plenty of foreign exchange opportunities exist out of the school term as well. Check out official exchange groups and companies, locate the right host family for your child, and watch as they return home speaking the most precise Italian or Russian. As an added bonus, foreign exchanges let kids learn about the culture and society, and not just the grammar and pronunciation, of a different country.
Language Camps
An increasingly popular, and undoubtedly effective, way of learning a foreign language is to head to a summer camp. Camps in locations such as Serre Chevalier, high up in the stunning French Alps, offer programmes for kids at every level of expertise, from novice beginners to those on the verge of being fluent. Language camps are really the perfect environment to pick up a foreign language, with hours a day of dedicated study, exposure to a new culture, and a fun filled, friendly and non-competitive environment in which to learn.
Don’t think your child will be bent over a text book at camp, however, as experts have crafted courses that seek to immerse children into all different aspects of life overseas, ensuring a well-rounded, practical and cultural understanding of language, rather than the dry academic approach from days of old. Camps can either be intense, hot-houses of studying and personal growth, or more laid-back breaks in the sun. Either way, your child will be picking up, or even mastering, the ins and outs of a new language. And not every second of every hour at these camps is dedicated to rigorous studying, with outdoor activities, social occasions and visits to nearby attractions all breaking up days in the classroom. This ensures your kid will return home having had a great time.
Online Learning
Digital and online learning methods are also handy ways to bolster your language skills, and can easily be used in conjunction with summer programs or a foreign exchange. Recognised brands do not come cheap, but the comprehensive coverage and intuitive ways of learning have proved incredibly effective for most students. The major benefit of online learning is that learners get to pick and choose the pace of learning, tailoring intensity to their needs, and targeting which particular categories of language to focus on. Of course, nothing can replace the invaluable experience of going abroad and immersing oneself in the language of a different country, but utilising online and digital programmes is bound to be a great help to just about any dedicated scholar.