Spanish Schools Abroad: June 2009

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Tips for choosing a language school

There are many considerations when choosing a language school. What considerations are the most important will be determined by you, depending on your language learning goals and travel plans. Still, some general guidelines and basic information would be useful for all language learning travelers.

These tips I have compiled from my experience traveling and attending a number of language schools through the years.

Tip #1: Be realistic about your language learning goals.
It might be possible to establish a good solid foundation in a new language in a few weeks. But it might be unrealistic to expect "fluency" in a short period of time. Learning a new language is a long-term process, with many advances and plateaus. A short time learning a language at a language school will definitely get you started; the rest you will need to continue when you return.

Tip #2: Research your language school well and make plans in advance.
Some people choose to have an agency make their plans for them, which takes care of a lot of work. The downside of this plan is that you are then limited in your choice of schools. On the other hand, going with an independent school requires that you make your plans in advance by directly emailing and/or calling the school. The advantage of a smaller school, outside of the agencies, is the choice one has between unique experiences. It goes without saying that you will need to plan in advance how you will arrive at the school. The Spanish schools are very helpful in helping with transportation. Some will even pick up their students at the airport! But if you are planning your trip on your own, check out the Lonely Planet guides sold in my Powell bookshelf (icon in the sidebar).

Tip #3: In choosing an independent school, research the atmosphere and values as a primary factor.
Schools have different philosophies and values, and they offer different types of services (host families, afternoon excursions, evening lectures and movies, etc.). Sometimes educational philosophy of a schools makes a difference, but it just one factor among many.

Tip #4: If there aren't many independent listings in your country of origin, try searching the international schools. Some countries are primarily served by the very large international companies and agencies. Two such countries are Spain and Cuba. Search for such schools with the International agencies tab.

Tip #5: Switch instructors periodically within a school.
It is oftentimes the case that the experience within a school can vary greatly, depending on the instructor. It might be a good strategy to switch instructors periodically at a school for this reason. On a shorter trip, perhaps you would want to switch weekly; on longer trips, biweekly or monthly. As a bonus, having different instructors exposes one to individual variation in the spoken language.

Tip #6: Force yourself to speak Spanish the vast majority of the time, even to people who speak your first language.
Of course everyone everyone gets tired speaking and listening in a new language. But in an immersion setting, you want to take advantage of the second language experience as much as you can. Those who aren't as disciplined don't learn as much as those who are and are committed to learning the language. Also, taking part in most of the cultural activities and spending time with your host families will be important. On these issues of taking advantage of your immersion experience, there is a book titled Maximizing Study Abroad that has many strategies for second language learners.

Tip #7: Immerse yourself in study of the culture and the history of the place where you are learning.
Learning a language is that much more easy when you are engaged in activities that interest you. For me, when I was studying in Guatemala, that meant studying the history of the culture. But you can choose many different avenues to become immersed in the culture. Connecting your language study to a discovery of a new place and its people is the best way to learn.