How to choose a language camp abroad?

Today, confidently speaking at least several foreign languages ​​is considered not so much a luxury as a necessity. A couple of decades ago, parents could consider their duty fulfilled simply by sending their children to school with a good teacher of English. But now we have to look for other opportunities for the development of our children - courses, training programs and even special language camps.

Language camp is, first of all, a children's recreation center. It resembles those camps in which the parents themselves rested a certain amount of time ago, with the difference that they seem to be somewhat more modern and offer more comfortable conditions.

Besides, the language specialization of the institution implies that the child is simply obliged to go back with a higher level of knowledge of one or another language, although, of course, rest is not limited to this - there will be a beach, and hikes, and gatherings around the fire, and team games.

There are corresponding camps in our country - here, too, you can learn foreign languages ​​in parallel with the rest. Another thing is how the process is organized. It is logical to assume that all of us (or almost all) vacationers are local children, who in the target language do not speak exactly the same as in their native language.

Between themselves, they would, of course, communicate mainly in Russian, and therefore - all learning would be reduced to a banal sitting at a desk, which does not greatly stimulate interest in learning and does not very much resemble rest.

Another thing - camps abroad. There may be no classroom classes (as such) at all. The fact is that children from different countries come here who do not understand each other's native languages, therefore they have to communicate in the language for the sake of the study of which they all came here.

The need for communication in children is very high, and new friends from other countries could tell a lot of interesting things, because all conditions are created so that the child constantly speaks a foreign language. This is very conducive to memorizing the rules and principles of the language, with the result that in a very short time the baby will be able to speak without making serious mistakes.

If the camp is also located in a country where the locals speak the right language, the likelihood that the institution’s employees will be native speakers is increased, with the possibility of pointing out the child’s mistakes.

Children of primary school age can not be sent to any language camp - you need to have confidence that this recreation center is able to accept, train and entertain the kid. Need to understand that parents will find it difficult to come and pick up a disgruntled child ahead of time, and the camp staff will not send him home on an international flight.

Why, in order to learn a foreign language, it is worthwhile to leave your home country, it has already been described above, however, the question remains open about where to go specifically.

Perhaps, in any country with a developed tourism infrastructure, there are similar places, however, It is worth highlighting those areas that are in the highest demand among our compatriots.

• England. Predictable leader of the flow of children whose parents would like to teach them English.English is still not yielded to the Chinese title of the language of international communication, and the number of people speaking it is ten-digit. Those who come here have not so many opportunities to lie on the beach - it's too cool here (although this possibility is also present), but there is something to see here in London, and in Cambridge, and in Oxford. The choice of camps in England is huge: there are suggestions for any wallet.
• Germany. Studying German in our country is also quite popular, because Germany, which is also quite close, is predictably in demand. Again, there is really no place to sunbathe here, but there are plenty of interesting sights, and you should not worry about the quality of the services provided - German pedantry is known to the whole world.

• Switzerland. Here, of course, the prices are simply exorbitant, however, the local nature and culture call to come here to rest, and the locals, by the way, speak excellently both German and French. You can choose one of two languages ​​or both at once, and only impressions will last a lifetime.
• USA. Another country suitable for learning English. But among the locals, especially in the southern states, there are a lot of Hispanic citizens, so that it is also possible to come here for the sake of Spanish. Local camps are famous for their unusual programs: in parallel with the language, you can study robotics and martial arts, cooking or physics. True, parents will have to spend money, because the program itself is quite expensive, and the flight will be expensive.

• Czech. The only country on this list where the native language of the locals is definitely not the one for which guests of language camps come here. Our fellow citizens here are attracted by the proximity and very low cost (compared to other Western countries). German is also taught quite well here, as the Czech Republic borders on German-speaking Germany and Austria, and many of its citizens work in these countries.
• Malta. If you do not want to deprive the child in the summer holidays of the familiar sea, you should send him to a language camp in the Mediterranean Malta. One of the two official languages ​​of this island country is English, because the locals speak it perfectly. A peculiar local feature is that children can come with their parents - kids attend day camp, every evening reuniting with adults, who, in turn, independently decide the issue with the settlement of the whole family.

The popularity of different languages ​​as a subject for study in the summer language camp is significantly different. Therefore, when choosing this or that institution, you still need to figure out what language it specializes in. It is very important and useful to learn foreign languages, however, it is necessary to choose the language wisely so that it is useful with a high degree of probability. In language camps usually learn something from the following list.

• English. After World War II, it was English that was recognized as the main language of international communication, therefore the number of people who speak it is almost half of the world's population. English is the state language in several dozen states on all continents, with it the child will not disappear almost anywhere.

• Deutsch. This language in the world is far from being as popular as English, but it is still being studied in many schools of our country. It is not surprising, because it is the state language of several developed and at the same time not very distant states from us (for example, Germany, Austria and Switzerland). It is in these countries and it is worth going for the sake of improving the language level.
• French. In our country, this language has already been well lost in popularity, although two hundred years ago the nobles of the Russian Empire in everyday life among themselves spoke almost exclusively French. Although French is no longer dominant in the world, it still remains one of the six working languages ​​of the United Nations and is native to hundreds of millions of people, among them: the French, partly Swiss, Canadians and Belgians. Since the phenomenon of language camps in France is not too common, our children are sent to camps in Switzerland or Belgium.

• Spanish. This language is one of the three most common in the world, however, the countries that speak it are far away and are not yet included in the main tops of developed countries, and therefore we are not so popular learning this language. Nevertheless, the Spanish language will be the best way to communicate not only with the Spaniards themselves, but also with Mexicans or Argentines, as well as representatives of many other nations.

• Chinese. If you do not count the diaspora around the world, then only two countries speak this language, but what countries are these - China and Taiwan. The first one has enormous economic potential and in the coming decades could become the main world economy, and Taiwan is already one of the main world centers for developing advanced technologies today.

Obviously, children's summer camps can differ significantly in the quality of services provided, so a good choice of the country does not mean that the institution will be ideal. For this reason, it is worthwhile to additionally consider the best camps according to the results of feedback left by Russian-speaking visitors.

• School IELS in Malta. On the one hand, this place is not even called a camp, and the name “school” could scare away a child who wants a simple vacation break, however, this place will completely change all ideas about school. It offers a daily beach holiday on the Mediterranean coast, excursions to medieval Maltese fortresses, a visit to the water park and dolphinarium, diving courses and karting.

• Oxford International in England. Contrary to the name, the school is not located in Oxford, but it is located next to the picturesque national park and offers all the necessary conditions for learning. The swimming pool, gym and dance studio are located right there, and on a tour you can go to London or Brighton (to the navy base).
• Anglolang in England. This school is located in the resort of Scarborough, where in the summer you can even swim and get a good tan. A feature of this institution is joint attendance at school by both children and their parents - the program, of course, is different, but the level of English rises immediately with the whole family. In their free time, the family can reunite for joint rest.

• ILSC School in the USA. This institution is considered one of the best in the United States, and even located in the famous and very picturesque San Francisco. After classes, it is possible to walk around this unique city, whose landscapes can be seen in dozens of American films and videos, imbued with the spirit of California and better understand the mixed culture of local residents living at the junction of North American and Latin American civilizations.

Some institutions are not language camps in the literal sense of the word, but they offer unusual and interesting programs that will help not only to learn the language better, but also to gain new knowledge from various branches of science.

The choice in favor of this option will significantly broaden the horizons of the child, and as a vivid example it is worth mentioning some of the best programs among them.

• STEM in Ireland. Since Ireland for a long time was an English colony, absolutely everyone speaks English, however, the locals decided not to stop at the banal language camp and went much further, having organized an entire school where you can study natural and exact sciences for two weeks. Children from 13 to 17 years old are invited to study technology, mathematics and engineering, and having mastered all the necessary terminology in English, they could enroll in a good foreign university for a technical specialty.

• Language School Bucksmore Education at the University of Cambridge. Perhaps a foreign language is much easier to learn if something is said on it that is really interesting. Young people aged 16-19 can come here for two or four weeks in order to select only two of the twenty-six subjects to take the course. You can choose from all areas of knowledge, in particular: economics and business, medicine and chemistry, law and literature, and much more.

• Discover California program at the American School FLS International. This is where you won't be bored - the school is located in the middle of the famous state of California, in the city of Los Angeles, from where in just three weeks you can go on excursions to Disneyland and Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Silicon Valley, as well as many other places familiar from films and books. It would seem that after all these journeys there will be no time to learn English, however, the organizers have found a rather original way out of this situation - students live right in the families of local residents, thanks to which they have the opportunity to practice the language throughout their free time.

It should be noted that the assessment of many of the described camps may seem subjectively too high to someone, because even the best institution may simply not be suitable for a particular child. To find a good place for your baby, you need to take into account his personal characteristics.

Firstly, In no case should not ignore the interests of the baby. For example, a small footballer might seem like a very boring camp, in which the entire entertainment program revolves around visiting historical places.

To learn a language, the presence of its speakers is very important. In a camp where only Russian-speaking children rest, it will not be possible to effectively teach English, even if it is located in the heart of England. The composition of the guests must be multinational or assume the overwhelming majority of native speakers.

Finally, those who want to save should pay attention to large camps with hundreds of vacationers, but if the child is small and wants attention to himself, it is better to choose small recreation centers.

In the next video, you will learn more about summer language camps in Ireland.