- Are there countries on the global education market whose language schools always require early enrollment? Or does it depend not on the country but on the specific school or center?
- Of course, each country and each specific school or language center has its own differences in enrollment times. But the main "peculiarity" of the business related to summer language programs is parents: no matter how much you try to convince them that the best time to book a place in a summer language camp is February, it is all in vain so far. In the West, they have long understood that everything must be done in advance, and to save time (and time is money) and nerves, they choose a program, school, and order a place somewhere by mid-March. Then, having provided their child with a useful vacation, they can plan ahead the time freed from childcare. Our moms and dads, at best, start thinking about their children's summer activities in April, or even in May-June.
Why is that bad? First, schools do not wait for anyone and give places to those who applied earlier. First come, first served, as they say. So there is a risk of not getting into the intended school and program. Second, if you insist on a specific educational center, it may lead to rescheduling the trip dates. And dates are usually tied to the rest of the family's vacation, and then all plans are disrupted. Third, those who book summer language programs early will have an advantage in choosing accommodation, because you can ask the school to provide a host family located closer to the place of study. In the case of a summer camp, you can count on a room for one or two people, rather than four to six. And finally, what a nerve-saving! You don't have to sit in the agency office and get nervous listening to the phone conversation between the manager and the school representative about the availability of places in the desired center.
To be more specific, for example, the Swiss summer camp located in Crans-Montana required enrollment back in December of last year. Canadian sports camps finish their main enrollment in early March. In summer language camps in the UK, by the end of February there will be no places left for the most expensive programs (for example, in the Association of Summer Courses of Boarding Schools, where a week costs from 725 to 895 pounds sterling) and the cheapest ones (for example, St. Michael's College - 425-455 pounds sterling per week).
- Which schools and centers are usually the most difficult to get into? What is the reason?
- Most summer language programs are designed for the average student whose parents want them not to be idle. After all, here they learn the language, relax, socialize with peers, do sports, and go on excursions. That is, most summer courses are just "stuffed" with a little bit of everything, and getting in is not a problem.
At the same time, the summer education market has programs that prepare, for example, for further study in a foreign school. Where students study academic subjects - say, chemistry, physics, mathematics, or geography. Therefore, to get in, you need to know the language at a certain level, otherwise it will be impossible to understand the taught material.
As an example, we can cite the English program of Concord College. It is located in Shrewsbury, called the city of flowers in England. The nearest major city, an hour's drive away, is Birmingham. This is a private coeducational school where both boys and girls study. You can enter Concord College from the age of thirteen. The school follows standard British curricula, requiring exams GSCE (after 10th grade) and A-Level (after 12th grade). Year after year, it demonstrates good academic performance. For example, last year, in national publication rankings, it took the following positions: The Times - 26th place, Financial Times - 25th, The Guardian - 15th, The Daily Telegraph - 35th.
In summer, the college offers a "pure" English language course or English and such academic subjects as mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology. The program is designed for 13-17 year old students. Accommodation (single and twin rooms), meals, and various activities are organized on campus. Courses run from July 1 to 26 and from July 29 to August 19. Cost – 2,360 and 2,000 pounds sterling.
- Does it happen that an applicant for a place in a school or language center is refused? And why?
- Refusal of enrollment in a specific program is a blow to the agency's reputation, so before starting the enrollment process, employees thoroughly determine the purpose of the trip. But theoretically, a place can be refused in cases such as a complete lack of places, an overabundance of students of one nationality for that period, or if the child "misbehaved" during a previous stay.
This is not surprising. All children are different; some are law-abiding and follow all the rules of the summer school, while others, breaking free from tight parental and tutor supervision, act up. For example, last year, a young man who seemed very disciplined terrorized two host families: he came home late without prior notice, and was found to be "tipsy" (though it is unclear where he got beer, which is strictly prohibited for sale to minors). Only constant monitoring of the situation by our staff restrained the school's desire to send him home without waiting for the end of the program. If he had not been processed through an agency, he would have been sent home immediately after the first incident.
- Is there a quota system in the work of language centers and schools? Are there any quotas allocated per country?
- Competition among schools and centers organizing summer language courses is very high. Therefore, in order not to be pushed out of the market, schools do everything to prevent the predominance of representatives of one nationality. If communication in the native language occurs during extracurricular time, then the point of studying a language abroad is lost. It is better to send a child to some local camp that has foreign language courses. It will be much cheaper.
- What should you pay attention to when choosing a country, school (center), program?
- First of all, all of the above is chosen based on the task at hand and the expected budget of the trip. The goals can be very different. I will list some of the most common ones.
Language learning is not the primary goal yet; the main thing is communication with foreign peers. There may be very few language classes; the priority is quality leisure. The child knows a foreign language fairly well but is shy to speak it, and it is necessary to overcome their inhibition in speaking the language, or he already has a good level of the first foreign language, but for the future he needs a second language. The child plays sports (or has another hobby, for example, drawing), so courses are needed that combine language learning with sports or creative activities. A foreign language (English, French, German, Spanish) will be needed for further studies at home or in the country of the language being studied, so serious programs with a large number of lessons are necessary. Of course, it is better to learn a language in the country where one intends to pursue further academic education.
Without any doubt, other goals for a language trip can also be formulated. For example, parents believe that knowledge of a foreign language is extremely necessary for life, no matter what professional field the child will have to work in the future, but the offspring does not share their opinion. In this case, parents send him to a foreign language camp in the hope that through a clear example he will better understand that it is bad to live in the modern world without knowing another language.
- Are there non-standard schools and programs in the educational market?
In order to successfully compete in the language program market, schools develop new courses that set them apart from the already familiar 'language plus something.' Among the latest offerings are programs presented by the linguistic school European Center (EC). It has developed two new summer courses for teenagers aged 14-18, united under the common name 'Explore.'
The summer course 'Chinese in China' includes 15 lessons per week, accommodation and meals at the private secondary school Xiuming, as well as an extensive cultural and entertainment program and excursions. The cost is £1,100 for two weeks. Start dates are July 8 and 22. It should be noted that the course 'Chinese in China,' given the international expansion of this country, is very topical. The second program is 'English on a Cruise Liner,' also two weeks. In the first week, students study the language at the Maltese four-star complex Ramla Bay, and in the following week, on board the liner Super Libra Star. The price of the program is €2,198. It runs from July 10 to 24 and from July 17 to 31.
One can also note the developments of the language school St. Giles, which this year received an award from the Language Travel Magazine. Based at the American branch of the school, located in San Francisco, they have organized two excellent extracurricular programs – city tours and excursions lasting from one to five days, as well as visits to film festivals (March-April), music festivals (March, October), and jazz festivals (October). The cost of the events ranges from $100 to $1,000. Teenagers from 16 years of age are accepted for such programs.
- What main problems do students of summer schools and centers face? How to avoid them?
- In our opinion, the main problem is the child's psychological unpreparedness for such trips. It would seem that everything has been done correctly: the right school and program have been chosen, but the child does not want to participate in common activities, sits on the sidelines, does not communicate with other children. Accordingly, after a couple of days, he starts bothering his parents with calls, he doesn't like anything: the lessons are boring, the activities are bad, etc.
Another very big problem is the school's failure to fulfill its obligations. For example, if the school enrolls everyone without maintaining proportions by nationality, conducts lessons poorly, does not divide students by language level, carelessly organizes extracurricular activities (events and sports), takes children on excursions that are not those stated in the program. Such problems can be avoided by ordering a program through an agency.