General Language Immersion Program Info

A language immersion program combines formal language instruction with a mix of cultural and leisure activities. Accommodation is either with a local host family or in a school residence. Programs range in size from 40 to 240 students and some are more culturally focussed while others are more leisure-based. What they all have in common is that they expose you to the people and local culture of the host country and allow you to use the target language in a natural setting.

Do language immersion programs force you to speak in the target language 100% of the time?

We'd like to say yes to this but the realistic answer is that you will be encouraged to speak in the target language at all times but how much you do this will depend on your motivation and the motivation of the other participants. You are asked to speak in the target language in class, on school organized activities and excursions, during meals, with your host family and whenever you are communicating with staff. But some students will resort to their native tongue (or English, as it is a common language) in their free time or when they are out of earshot of staff. But keep in mind, even if you only used the target language as above, you are still being exposed to and getting a chance to use it exponentially more than you ever would at home and you are guaranteed to experience some degree of improvement.

Who are the other program participants?

Each of The Learning Traveller programs attracts a highly international mix of students (the only exception to this is the Teen Homestay Program in Costa Rica, which draws mostly North Americans). You can expect that the majority of students will be from Europe (programs in France tend to have higher numbers of Spanish speaking students and programs in Spain tend to have higher numbers of German speaking students) with some smaller numbers of students from Latin America and Asia. North Americans usually make up between 10% and 30% of the total student numbers depending on the program.

If participants are from all over the world, how do we communicate with each other?

While you might all speak a different native language (that's your mother tongue), the language you all have in common is the language you are there to learn. If you have studied the target language for 2 or more years you should be making an effort to communicate in this language at all times with your classmates, school staff and locals. If you have 1 year or less of exposure to the target language you are expected to make your best effort to communicate in it at all times but if you need to resort to English from time to time, that's fine.

English will also be a common language for many participants even if it isn't their mother tongue. But try to avoid using it whenever you can. The fun of speaking together in the target language can create a great social connection for students! Don't forget, what you have in common is that you are all there to learn!

If I go alone, how will I make friends?

Most students (~70%) attend by themselves so you are all in the same position. Your host school will organize socials and ice breakers throughout the week and you'll have plenty of time to meet other students. In addition, you'll get to know your classmates quite well as you'll be spending at least 3 hours with them each day (this depends on the intensity of the program you have enrolled in). Finally, if you have a roommate you have an instant buddy to hang around with.

While there will be no shortage of opportunities to meet people, it is up to you to make the necessary effort to make friends. This is not like overnight camp where you are in a dorm room with 11 other campers and counselors making sure you always have a buddy. You are going to be busy and interacting with different students throughout the day and you need to be mature enough to introduce yourself to other students and not rely on staff interventions to make social connections.

What is the typical daily rhythm of an immersion program?

During the week, your daily schedule will consist of language classes, held either in the morning or in the late afternoon, and cultural or leisure activities that take place when you are not in class. During the weekend, you will usually join a full-day excursion on one or both days and enjoy some unstructured free time when you are not on an excursion. For more on what kind of free time you can expect and how you can use it visit the Free Time page. The daily schedule varies from program to program so we recommend that you click on the Schedule link at the top of the overview page to see a sample schedule for your program of interest.

What are the classes like?

On the first Monday of the program, you will take a level test to determine the best class placement for your language skills. The level test takes into account your speaking/listening as well as your reading/writing skills and your class placement represents where your overall language skills will most benefit.

Classes will touch upon all aspects of language learning including grammar, vocubulary building, reading and listening comprehension as well as oral fluency. Teachers try to make the classes as interactive as possible to give you as much time as possible to review and use what you are learning. Of course, how much you actively learn depends on how much you willingly participate so speak up as often as you can in class to make the most of this unique opportunity.

While most of our partner schools offer at least 4 levels not everyone can be placed in a class that is a perfet match for their language skills. Teachers take this into account when they make placements so keep this in mind if you think your class is initially too easy or too difficult. And be sure to share any concerns about this with staff; the sooner they know about a potential problem the sooner they can address it!

How much can I expect to improve my language skills?

This depends on many factors such as how long you plan to stay, how well you naturally learn languages, how motivated you are to speak in the target language and the intensity of the program. Most of the programs we offer have a base of 15 or 20 lessons per week and some allow you to take up to 25 lessons per week as well as add on private lessons and conversations classes. We even have a Teen Super-intensive Residence Program in Paris that consists of 32 lessons per week. Obviously the more lessons you take and the longer you can stay the better but even at 15 lessons for only 2 weeks you can improve your language skills significantly if you are motivated to do so.

Why do some people have a less than great immersion experience?

There can be any number of reasons why an immersion program does not work out, but typically it is because of one or two of the following reasons:

You are not ready
You don't want to go
You have unrealistic expectations

It is really important that you are mature enough to handle the many challenges of an immersion program and that you really want to do this (it's not enough that someone else wants you to do it). We suggest you visit our Are You Ready? page for a list of 6 important questions you should consider. If you or your parents have any doubts about your readiness it is definitely better to wait a year.

If, on the other hand, you feel confident that you can handle the challenges and you really want to do this, you should be fine so long as you have realistic expectations! An immersion experience will be many things but it isn't going to be the same as your family trip to Europe last summer and it isn't the same as your mom's exchange program in Spain 40 years ago. If you haven't done an immersion program in the past it will be like nothing you have ever experienced! But this is a good thing and it's the whole point of immersing yourself in the language and culture of another country.

What expectations should I have?

In a nutshell, you should expect that just about everything you are used to - food, sleep routines, the weather, attitudes, leisure activities - will be different. Most of the time you are going to love these difference but there may be days when it will drive you crazy! Why do they eat so much meat? Why can't I wear my shoes inside? Why does everyone talk so loudly? Why is dinner served at 10:00 PM? Why do staff get frustrated when I question the rules?

Every day you will be exposed to at least one thing that is different (from food to social interactions) and if you try to compare this to how things are at home you are going to end up frustrated. But, if can you accept the "local" way of doing things and see this as a learning opportunity you will come away with a wealth of cultural knowledge and you will probably learn something about yourself along the way.

Here are a few important things to keep in mind:

You are a guest in the host country which means that you need to do the adapting, not the other way around.
There will be multiple nationalities (sometimes as many as 20) in your program so don't expect staff to have an in depth understanding of your particular culture.
Especially on our European programs, staff expect teens to be quite independent and able to advocate for themselves. This means that if you need help with something you have to ask; don't expect staff to read your mind or anticipate what you need to be comfortable.
Accommodation, whether homestay or residence, will be clean and comfortable but it will be basic.
Food will be a reflection of local cuisine but don't be surprised (or disappointed) if french fries or chicken strips show up on the menu from time to time; North American food influences are everywhere.
You can live without things you are used to for 2 to 4 weeks. It may be disappointing that your host family does not allow you to use their computer or you may find it frustrating that the residence breakfast consists only of bread rolls and juice but you will survive!

The more you can learn about the culture and customs of your destination country (and city) the better. But the best thing you can take with you is an open mind and positive attitude. In other words, expect the unexpected and you are likely to have a truly wonderful experience!

Questions about what to expect? Call us toll-free on 1 888 386 1411

Toll Free 1 888 386 1411 International +1 519 821 3202

Email info@learningtraveller.com