In the modern world, without knowledge of a foreign language, it is impossible to obtain a prestigious education and a good, well-paying job. To increase a child's chances of success in the future, one must think about their language training as early as possible. The best practice in this regard is considered to be living in the historical homeland of the language being studied. And if, in addition, one studies with professional linguist teachers, the effect will exceed all expectations.
That is why international educational programs have been popular for more than a decade. "Only in Europe there are currently about five thousand language schools," says Larisa Fast, General Director of the Global Link educational center. "In terms of effectiveness, for example, one month of English language classes in a UK educational institution is comparable to four to five months of an intensive course at home. Classes in language centers are not like regular lessons; here learning a foreign language is interesting. After just the first week of the educational program, children, having overcome the language barrier, themselves want to continue studying at more advanced levels."
Not a Word in Russian
Today, the most in-demand languages remain English, German, French, Spanish, and Italian. "The stereotype that, for example, good English can only be obtained in the UK, and German in Germany, is long outdated," believes Alla Sotnikova, manager of a language tour agency. "Now the list of countries and educational institutions is so huge that one can get confused in their diversity. Standard programs involve learning English in England, Ireland, Malta, the USA, Canada, or Belgium. German – in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. French can be improved not only in France but also in Belgium and Canada. But for perfecting Spanish and Italian, it is indeed better to go to their homeland."
All children's courses have an optimal division into age groups: 3–6, 7–10, 11–12, 13–15, and 16–18 years old, according to which the learning and leisure process is planned. "Children from all over the world come to language schools," explains Ivan Fateev, General Director of the international educational center. "This allows us to create international study groups in which children communicate only in the language they are studying. The main task is to minimize the use of the native language. The same policy is followed by school staff when accommodating children."
Studying in foreign schools is possible with any level of language proficiency, even zero. The average duration of the program is from two to eight weeks. The cost of the course depends on this. A trip for 14 days will cost approximately €2-3 thousand, and classes for eight weeks will cost €7-8 thousand. In addition to the tuition fee, parents will have to separately shell out for the services of the agency organizing the trip. This includes processing the entire package of documents, including visas and medical insurance, signing a contract with the school, as well as ordering and delivering air tickets and escorting the child to the airport and back. Some companies provide 20-30 percent discounts on their services if you send two or more children on the same program.
Student or Athlete?
An undeniable advantage of choosing a foreign language school is the variety of educational programs. When designing them, the age of children, their interests, language proficiency level, and of course, needs are taken into account. Some are thinking about entering a foreign secondary school, some want to combine study with a beach holiday, some want to see sights and wander through museums, and some cannot imagine themselves without sports. For summer study abroad, most companies offer four standard programs.
The first is a general course. "It includes 15 or 20 lessons per week, three to four academic hours a day," says Alla Sotnikova. "Classes are held in the first half of the day, and after lunch children have free time. In lessons, children learn vocabulary, grammar, reading, writing, learn to perceive foreign speech by ear and conduct dialogue. Classes are held in a standard study group of 12-15 people. All educational materials and aids are provided by the school."
The second program is an intensive course. Its structure is similar to the general one, but the number of lessons increases to 25-32 per week at 5-6.5 hours per day. Classes are held both in the morning and after lunch. However, the number of people in the group decreases to 6-8. The intensive course is recommended for those who plan to continue further education in a foreign secondary school or enroll in a foreign university.
The next course is an educational-entertainment program that assumes a balanced combination of study and leisure. In terms of education, it repeats the basic course, and in the afternoon and on weekends, children are offered excursions, various cultural and sports events. The leisure conditions for each program are developed separately, depending on the school's infrastructure, traditions, attractions, and climatic conditions.
The last option is an educational-sports course. This is a combination of study and professional training in the afternoon. Such programs are very often conducted not in schools but in camps, where all conditions are available. Traditional sports include tennis, golf, horseback riding, water sports, and skiing.
With "Foster" Parents
The most important question that worries parents is not even the learning conditions, but the living conditions of the child in a foreign country. For children traveling under an educational program, two accommodation options are possible: with a foreign family or in a school residence. Most often, companies offer the latter.
Living in a school residence is rational in cases where the program is held at a private school or college. The main advantage of this option is that children live on a closed campus under constant supervision of teachers. Children under 15 are not allowed to leave the premises on their own, and teenagers over 15 may only do so with written parental permission. "The campus of a good private school is usually located outside the city, in nature," says Larisa Fast. "It has all conditions for study and full recreation: a swimming pool, stadium, courts, playgrounds. The accommodation of students depends on the type of residence and school traditions. The standard is for two older children or three or four younger ones to share a room." Disadvantages of such programs include limited dates – from early July to mid-August, when school campuses are free for holidays – and high cost. On average, such accommodation will cost 25% more than a homestay.
"A host family is second parents for a child," says Tamara Zelenina, a specialist at a company organizing study abroad. "With them, the child will spend most of his free time. From the point of view of language learning, this is the most effective option, as the child will be completely immersed in the language environment. All host families are carefully selected and inspected by schools, most of them can boast many years of experience communicating with foreign students, so 'foster parents' are always ready for possible difficulties and unforeseen situations."
The standard arrangement involves the child staying in a twin room with another foreign roommate of similar age. Children eat at home. The hostess prepares breakfast and dinner for them, and packs lunch for school. "Living with a family requires the child to be independent and to know the rules and norms of behavior," warns Tamara Zelenina. "Therefore, before the trip, the child must be psychologically prepared: familiarized with the culture and traditions of the country he is going to."