This is, of course, true when it comes to adult students, but children have a special psychology, and they require a special approach for effective acquisition of a foreign language.
Attention: total immersion!
As for geography, it's simple: where better than in the country of the language being studied can a child overcome the language barrier and start speaking? Nobody argues: the method of total immersion, when a person is simply forced to communicate in a foreign language from morning to night, is the most effective way to master a language. On the other hand, for teenagers, the very word "lesson" causes boredom, especially when it comes to studying during holidays.
Western language schools are well aware of this. That is why they develop special, supposedly "light" holiday programs, by the way, not only for children and teenagers, but also for young people and adults. The best children's programs are those in which teachers trained to work with children teach using textbooks developed for a given age group (and, naturally, for a given level of language proficiency). Holiday programs must be filled to the brim with sports, excursions, and other joys of life, so that the child feels like he is not studying at all, but simply having fun: watching videos, playing football or basketball, swimming in a pool or in the sea, wandering through ancient castles, dancing at parties...
But! He will play football (or some other game) with peers from various countries, and very quickly it turns out that the most accessible way to communicate is precisely in the language being studied. Only in this language can he hear interesting stories on excursions and watch movies. Thus arises that coveted "immersion in the language environment", when language is learned naturally, and even a short trip will bring great benefit. According to experts, 3-4 weeks of summer courses with an intensity of 20-25 lessons per week are approximately equal to a year of language study at school.
Great Britain: summer in the homeland of Harry Potter
The British were the first to turn teaching their language to foreigners into a serious business. They were also the first to understand: to make the learning process successful, you need to find a certain string in a person - and play on it. Indeed, if you offer the laziest, unmotivated, not inclined to study child several dozen activities to choose from, he will definitely get interested in something, and then, on an emotional upswing, learning will go. This is how the "Language plus ..." programs appeared. The list of what supplements the lessons is extensive: tennis, golf, rock climbing, swimming, yachts and kayaks, painting, ceramics, theater, and much, much more.
For those children who are going to Great Britain for the first time, we recommend starting the trip with a group tour. This also allows saving about 20% of costs. The choice of individual programs is huge, so it is better to select with the help of a professional agency.
Malta: British tradition with a Mediterranean flavor
Malta is perhaps the most attractive place for tourists from all over the world who decide to combine business with pleasure during holidays - relaxing with children by the sea and studying English. The relative ease of obtaining a Maltese Schengen visa at the Maltese embassy in Moscow, almost complete absence of crime, warm climate of the Mediterranean archipelago add to the attractiveness of Maltese schools - as well as relatively low prices (compared to British) for all language courses.
Malta has two official languages: Maltese (related to Arabic and Hebrew) and English, as Malta was a colony of Great Britain for a long time. In everything related to the organization of study and student life, the structure of courses and the content of curricula, Maltese English language schools are no different from British schools. The selection of courses in Malta is so wide that both a child and an adult of any age and level of training will find a suitable option.
One of the novelties of the Maltese educational market is a program of learning English with an internship. It can be designed for 2 or 3 weeks of language study and preparation for the internship and respectively 2 or 3 weeks of direct internship at Maltese enterprises or hotels.
Switzerland: a world of comfort and sports
Tennis lessons, horseback riding, golf are available not only in summer schools in Great Britain, but also in almost any language center in Switzerland. The international children's and youth camps of this country are rightly considered an ideal place guaranteeing a full-fledged vacation for several weeks. All Swiss summer schools are organized according to a simple model once invented in the USA: not to give the child a single free minute - let him climb mountains from morning to night, ride a horse or water skis, go rafting, participate in all kinds of competitions, go hiking. And the child will be absolutely happy! Switzerland added to this idyll comfort, good food, and a unique opportunity to communicate with the nature of the Alps, where you can go from winter to summer in a matter of hours, and at the famous high-altitude resorts try skiing or snowboarding.
Swiss camps have another feature: you can study several foreign languages here. Usually they offer English, French, German. Switzerland also has interesting programs in English that allow you to improve academic performance and acquire leadership skills.
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