Smarter English and Study holidays
Study holidays can be an amazing experience both in terms of personal growth and language skills development. But, a study holiday preceded by a Smarter English week is even better. The confidence and fluency gained from a Smarter English week will enable participants to hit the ground running as soon as they arrive abroad. From day one, your teenage adventurer will be making friends with classmates and host families without fear of making mistakes.
So if you invest in a study holiday for your son or daughter, help them make the most of the experience by having them participate in an intensive language week before they fly.
What kind of study holiday is best?
If you do invest in a study holiday we recommend that you travel independently and stay with a host family.
Why travel independently
All too often, we see students stay in their comfort zone rather than taking risks with the language. It is a shame to see students wasting an opportunity and speaking their native language with their classmates during afternoon activities and games, at parties and on the bus ride home, when they could and should be speaking English with new international friends.
Why stay with a host family
We also strongly suggest staying with a host family: The social, cultural and language exchange afforded by staying with native speakers and other international guests is an important part of any successful study holiday.
How to choose a school
In order to help you organize your own trip, here is a list of things to consider when booking a study holiday:
- British Council accreditation report. A school with a good report will most likely offer high-quality service and a great experience. You can see a report on any accredited school you are interested in here
- Homestay vetting. The above BC report will confirm whether the school meets the requirements for selecting and managing homestay accommodation and ensuring student welfare.
- Class sizes. The fewer students in each class, the more homogeneous the level and the greater the opportunity to interact with the teacher.
- The number of fellow nationals in school. Reduce the temptation to speak your native language by choosing a school with few compatriot students expected.
And we can help too
We have a few schools in the UK which we know to be reputable. These are excellent schools that we can confidently recommend. Check out this page for more info.
We can also offer a little free consultancy (time permitting) asking our network of teachers and contacts in the industry about specific schools. If you have a school in mind and would like us to investigate and give you an opinion, please email us and we’ll give you the low-down.