What if you let your teenager go abroad for immersion ?
For the hen parent that you are, this very thought sends shivers down your spine. Even if your child shows linguistic predispositions, you are not sure if it is really useful. After all, couldn’t he continue to learn English with his private teacher? Although Mr. Sullivan is a dedicated teacher, it is unlikely that his skills rival the benefits of a language stay.
Master a language faster
All polyglots will tell you: it is by practicing a dialect that we acquire mastery of it. The problem is that in France, your child speaks French. The only time he is required to step out of his comfort zone is during language classes. And that’s not enough.
Going abroad for immersion will force him to practice the new language more often. At the bakery, in the street, to take the bus, etc. A language stay for teenagers allows you to progress sustainably and quickly. Immersed in an environment where only English/French/Spanish/etc. is spoken, he will be forced to increase his lexical field and work on his phrasing.
Discover a new culture
Learning a language is more than memorizing words or expressions. It’s about becoming familiar with a foreign culture. It’s learning mind-blowing cultural subtleties. It’s discovering the habits and customs of other people.
And sometimes, reading books is not enough to immerse oneself in this reality.
Only a language stay for teenagers in England allows you to understand the importance of “tea time” for Anglo-Saxons. Likewise, a few days spent in Italy will allow you to discover this country beyond the clichés.
Another element not to be overlooked is the discovery of exceptional sites. For example, a teenager who goes to Spain will have the opportunity to discover more than 20 breathtaking sites. La playa del silencio, Carmona, Zaragoza, … Your teenager will be speechless at the splendor of nature.
Going abroad for immersion for greater employability
Today, the Earth is on the way to becoming a large global village. For someone who only speaks one language, the range of possibilities is limited. On the other hand, the more he is able to express himself in different dialects, the wider his horizons become.
There will come a day when your teenager will have to leave the nest. Where he will have to go and start his own family. At that time, you will be happy, for example, that he speaks Spanish perfectly thanks to language stays and that he knows more about the culture of this country than the color of the flag of Spain . Don’t stay focused on your microcosm. Worse yet: don’t impose this very limited view of the world on your child. Letting him go abroad for immersion is giving him the weapons necessary to forge his future.
Well prepared, a language stay is an experience that positively changes a teenager’s life. Between learning a new language and developing skills, he will come away feeling energized. Once he becomes an adult, he will be forever grateful to you for this opportunity.
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