Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, September 17, 2009
The philosophy of your school
It is very advisable to consider the philosophical or thematic foci of the Spanish schools, along with your interests, as an important consideration in choosing a school. This tip, I believe, ranks as the most important of all. People learn languages the best when they can explores topics that interest them. For instance, when I visited Guatemala a few years back, my interests revolved around the politics and history of the country, and I was specifically interested in the union movement there and the years of militant resistance against the dictatorial regimes. The school where I studied, Juan Sisay, organized an educational delegation to a union meeting in town and a in-house talk by leaders of the leftist resistance. There are many schools in Xela that have social justice themes, which interest me the most, but there are other themes as well that might be up your alley. Find your school's website, read the background history, and follow your heart's desire!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Friday, July 17, 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.
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.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
International Schools and Travel Agencies
This is a listing of Spanish language tourist agencies and international schools. Such agencies might cost more, but they could make travel planning easier. Also, the international agencies might be useful for those countries where there are fewer independent schools.
A Broader View
Amerispan
Babylon Idiomas
Cactus Language
Cela
Council on International Educational Exchange
Don Quixote
Escuela Internacional
Enforex
Green Tortoise Adventure Travel
IMAC
International House
IPSA
Institute for Spanish Language Studies (ISLS)
Language Courses Abroad (LCA)
Languages In Action
Learn Spanish and Surf
National Registration Center for Study Abroad
Peterson's Study Abroad
Plus Languages
Spanishcourses.info
Spanish Abroad
Study Abroad
A Broader View
Amerispan
Babylon Idiomas
Cactus Language
Cela
Council on International Educational Exchange
Don Quixote
Escuela Internacional
Enforex
Green Tortoise Adventure Travel
IMAC
International House
IPSA
Institute for Spanish Language Studies (ISLS)
Language Courses Abroad (LCA)
Languages In Action
Learn Spanish and Surf
National Registration Center for Study Abroad
Peterson's Study Abroad
Plus Languages
Spanishcourses.info
Spanish Abroad
Study Abroad
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