Language schools abroad for 12 year old

[toothpicklover]

I tried to do a search but nothing really came up.

I would like to send my 12 year old to France to help him learn the language and am looking at summer next year for 2-3 weeks. Has anyone done this? How easy was it to get unaccompanied flights?

I never had this opportunity when growing up and I do not know of anyone that has done this either.

Any other information about pros/cons and useful info will be gratefully received.

Does he really want to?
Why does he need to learn French?
I have a 12 year old and wouldnt dream of it but I know they are all different

They learn it at school, it'll be one of his GCSE's as they need to choose a language and I think it's important to learn other languages.

His school will probably offer an exchange trip/ school trip to France, Covid permitting. 12 feels like quite young to go away alone for 2-3 weeks.

There is a lovely swiss company called Les Elfes which has different camps for kids. It is around Geneva and has french language camps i think

Usually kids doing this are older - post 16.

They can do this from age 6. He would have no issue being away either and would have a great time, at the moment he's on a weeks PGL camp. I didn't actually ask for advice about whether people thought it was okay or not hence me posting in chat not AIBU .

I was after information about unaccompanied flights etc.

Have a look at Frilingue. My ds had a good time there last summer (we are in Switzerland though so cant advise on travelling from uk but I'm sure they would do transfers etc).
If you are looking at summer camp make sure you ask about the qualifications of the teachers. The one my ds went to this year had unqualified (students I think)) to teach and he was not impressed.

Check Alliance Française first. They will probably suggest language schools with courses for teens. I remember googling them some years ago, when I was a teen myself, and they had nice summer programs with language classes in mornings and activities in the afternoons.
I think 12 is too young, though. Seem to recall it was 14 up or so.

I also travelled long haul (Brazil-Canada) as a 17 year old for a language course. Mid 20s now, but other than COVID nothing has changed. I needed a declaration from my parents to board the plane, cross the border. Due to mental illness I was also carrying controlled medication including Xanax - my doctor wrote me a declaration in English in case anyone asked, but they didn't.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any questions, but the language school should be able to answer any questions you have. I definitely reccomend waiting a couple years, though.

Oh that's interesting, I would have thought they would have all had to be teachers. Thank you.

Also, don’t rely on the school organising an exchange. The days of the school exchange are long gone…

But the school might arrange a trip or holiday.

Here: www.cia-france.com/french-kids-teenage-courses/ I remember really enjoying this place when I considered studying french. Didn't end up going, though, as life got in the way.

The other one my other DS has done is Didac in Lausanne. Very good teachers, they live with a family though and have to get themselves to school In Lausanne. My DS was 13 when he went there.

What a terrific opportunity for your son!

I don't think they do exchanges anymore at his school. I'm sure for some 12 year olds this would not be good but my son has no issue with going away, he is very much like me and is really keen to do this.

I've looked at CIA, they look good. Lots of the ones I've looked at have onsite accommodation for those under 14 rather than homestays. The sites just don't really give any information about flights and unaccompanied minors. I'm thinking it might be easier and cheaper to fly out there with him, drop him off and come back again.

Do PGL still do camps in Europe? Ds went to one in Normandy with school.

I would also question whether immersion at 12yo will really have a significant impact in the long term.
My DC spent most school holidays in Spain and what helped them immeasurably was enrolling them into kids activities with Spanish kids ie windsurfing/horse riding/diving.
Do you speak the language at home? I've learnt a great deal by leaning along side them.
One child is ecstatic she passed the Spanish GCSE this year and is dropping it like a hot brick, the other DC is in her final year of a Spanish degree.
Regarding unaccompanied flying, DC both did it from 10 yo with BA and both had a blast!

This one might be of interest to you?

alpinefrenchschool.com/

We would have been using them this year if not for Covid.

Most airlines do unaccompanied minor flights. If you look at the airlines website it should say. There are thousands of children who travel this way every year. I would think that the language school would be able to tell you as well. He might be able to travel on the same flight as others going.

Unfortunately I never learnt a language and have zero time at the moment to learn with him or have enough annual leave to go with him over the summer. He will be going every year for 2 possibly 3 weeks so I'm hoping it will be of benefit to him on top his lessons at school.

He would like to go to China and learn Chinese but I've told him he needs to go somewhere closer to home and become fluent in that language first

I will look up BA thank you.

I think you'll be surprised at how much you learn from him.
It's appalling how bad languages are approached in U.K.
I remember the first time we took my eldest to Heathrow for her first unaccompanied flight. We signed all the paper work and they took her into a pen or enclosure to wait.
I stood there determined not to leave her until she went through. She was so embarrassed and told me to go home.
We sat in the car park until we saw her flight leave two hours later, sobbing my heart out all the time.
She was ready I was not!!!
It's like anything, it's a Learning curve. Now my DC are fearless travellers and happy and confident to go anywhere by themselves.
This was 11 years ago but I'm sure the same is true of today!!

I'm not sure 2-3 weeks is enough to really immerse but should have some impact.

I'm tri-lingual (although as I don't immerse myself enough in the other two languages I speak them less fluently now). What really helps me is listening to music, radio, television and reading too. Plus even trying to think to myself and talk to myself in the other languages which sounds weird lol!

He'd learn far more on a language exchange, and it's far cheaper too. 12 is a good age for an exchange. Try Lingoo. My DCs have done lots of exchanges.

I wouldn’t bother with one he will be doing at school. He won’t be ‘advanced’ and pushed to learn more he will be bored and probably a bit embarrassed to show off his superior skills. What about Italian or Spanish and then he can do French at school?

The other thing would be a camp in this country for intensive mandarin or Japanese or something, I’m pretty sure they exist - www.ertheo.com/en/language-camp-uk