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Original poster

Language schools abroad for 12 year old

87 replies

toothpicklover · 16/08/2021 15:18

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.

OP posts:
Bizjustgotreal · 16/08/2021 16:39

Honestly? You're wasting your time and money sending him to France to learn French.

Contact your local Confucious Institute and get him lessons. They used to offer scholarships for summer schools for people that took the HSK exam. I spent a month in Shanghai with free accomodation and daily language classes and excursions when I was 18. This may still be the case.

I taught English abroad as an adult and can tell you he will speak his own language at the language camp abroad if he isn't interested in it.

dingue · 16/08/2021 16:41

@Nothapppy

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.
Yes, 1-2 weeks with a French family will very rapidly advance his language. Then you return the favour. Plus a wonderful insight into the food, culture etc. They will likely take him for day trips out etc, plus he will be involved in their day to day lives rather than just in a classroom. Unaccompanied travel fine on planes. I think when aged 14 they can do 6-month immersion with a French family...
Bizjustgotreal · 16/08/2021 16:41

As for the GCSE - ask his school about him taking the mandarin GCSE instead. Its about a2 level on the language framework so not that difficult at all. The content on Duolingo Chinese probably covers it.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

12 year olds General education
drivinmecrazy · 16/08/2021 16:44

I doubt he'd be embarrassed to show off his advanced skills in a GCSE class!!
Both DDs spoke their language quite competently when in Spain but when it came to grammar and tenses they were learning at a similar pace.
To be honest learning the language the way my DDs did has only benefited DD1 at degree level because she understands the idionims and subtleties which enriches her writing. At GCSE level there isn't the requirement or reward to show these skills.
Most important is to encourage a love of any language that might take them somewhere else linguistically.
The way we learn another language is to pull it apart and identify tenses and verbs in a way we don't our own. This is the skill that really matters and is most valuable. They are skills that can be applied in varying degrees when picking up another language.

itsgettingwierd · 16/08/2021 16:46

If he's really keen on languages why not look at foreign language schools in the UK?

If he's natural at language he could apply for scholarship and then apply for bursary if needed.

Geamhradh · 16/08/2021 16:48

@TheGenealogist

Usually kids doing this are older - post 16.
No they aren't. Most language organizations will take 7 upwards. OP- OISE are very reputable, as are EF. Study holidays are nothing much to do with how much actual language a child will pick up, but an immersion in the culture and, hopefully, the igniting of a passion for the language as a result. (it's called the Affective Dimension- if you don't like it, you'll never be good at it) Depending on the airline, you'll have to pay for unaccompanied minors (usually under 14s) They'll be checked in etc also by the language organization at the other end.
LucyFox · 16/08/2021 16:51

The unaccompanied flight will not be a problem – people have been doing that for years. The biggest problem will be whether anybody can be arranged to meet the child at the airport the other end – they will not let a child wander out through the airport to catch a train alone etc

Hoppinggreen · 16/08/2021 16:57

@toothpicklover

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.
What does he think?
Oldtimer2020 · 16/08/2021 17:00

Reading this thread with interest. I have a 14 yr old about to start GCSE Spanish and with Covid, he missed the school trip to Spain. Does anyone know of any similar Spanish schools? Was thinking of trying to organise something for next Summer? Thanks

Bizjustgotreal · 16/08/2021 17:01

Also - and sorry to bang the drum here too much, but Mandarin is a fair bit easier than French.

There are no tenses, no genders, no plural. It's very context based. The difficulty comes from the phonology and the Chinese characters, which are easy enough when you get used to it. Pinyin is fixed in its pronunciation so 'ci' will always be pronounced the same at all times - same can't be said for French or English.

I flew there unaccompanied aged 17 I believe.

Nothapppy · 16/08/2021 17:09

Of course he's not wasting his time with French. They're our nearest neighbours, and many French people don't speak much English. It's useful in parts of Africa too.

Bizjustgotreal · 16/08/2021 17:11

@Nothapppy

Of course he's not wasting his time with French. They're our nearest neighbours, and many French people don't speak much English. It's useful in parts of Africa too.
I agree it's very useful!

But it's a waste of money and time to force a kid to learn a language they have no interest in. I'm speaking as one of the poor souls that had had to teach these poor kids.

ClaudiaWankleman · 16/08/2021 17:12

Contact your local Confucious Institute and get him lessons. They used to offer scholarships for summer schools for people that took the HSK exam. I spent a month in Shanghai with free accomodation and daily language classes and excursions when I was 18. This may still be the case.

I second the Confucius Institute. I have had a lot of contact with them as a young adult and adult and the teaching and learning opportunities are of a high standard, and prices are very reasonable. Many Chinese immigrants use them to teach their children as well as non-Chinese.

I wouldn't particularly agree with the poster above who thinks it is easier than French though. There is a long way to go before you are able to speak confidently and intelligibly, whereas in many European languages you come out of the blocks able to make yourself understood in some capacity.

Geamhradh · 16/08/2021 17:12

@LucyFox

The unaccompanied flight will not be a problem – people have been doing that for years. The biggest problem will be whether anybody can be arranged to meet the child at the airport the other end – they will not let a child wander out through the airport to catch a train alone etc
Reputable organizations collect the students day or night. If they aren't going to be met by a designated courier working for the organization, they aren't reputable.
Geamhradh · 16/08/2021 17:15

@Oldtimer2020

Reading this thread with interest. I have a 14 yr old about to start GCSE Spanish and with Covid, he missed the school trip to Spain. Does anyone know of any similar Spanish schools? Was thinking of trying to organise something for next Summer? Thanks
Don Quijote is one of the most reputable, but again, EF and Inlingua (among others) have schools all over Spain. Pretty cheap compared to the UK equivalent too. The Cervantes Institute probably has a list of recognised schools similar to the British Council accredited ones in the UK.
Bizjustgotreal · 16/08/2021 17:19

@ClaudiaWankleman

Contact your local Confucious Institute and get him lessons. They used to offer scholarships for summer schools for people that took the HSK exam. I spent a month in Shanghai with free accomodation and daily language classes and excursions when I was 18. This may still be the case.

I second the Confucius Institute. I have had a lot of contact with them as a young adult and adult and the teaching and learning opportunities are of a high standard, and prices are very reasonable. Many Chinese immigrants use them to teach their children as well as non-Chinese.

I wouldn't particularly agree with the poster above who thinks it is easier than French though. There is a long way to go before you are able to speak confidently and intelligibly, whereas in many European languages you come out of the blocks able to make yourself understood in some capacity.

I started learning as a teenager living in China at the time, which may be why I think it's easier than French. Saying that though, I still stand by it as it is nowhere near as inflected as European languages. The only advantage in the European languages for beginners are cognates. The vocabulary needed for simple conversations can be learnt very quickly.
Bizjustgotreal · 16/08/2021 17:22

You can also get some online lessons at a very reasonable price for any language on italki - I've used it for years and thoroughly recommend.

Nothapppy · 16/08/2021 17:23

I honestly wouldn't use a language school. He'll be with other children who speak French badly and will probably speak English to him. Go for a full immersion.

Geamhradh · 16/08/2021 17:26

@Oldtimer2020
acreditacion.cervantes.es/centros_espana.htm
Those are the accredited language schools in Spain. I imagine they will have been rigorously inspected as the BC accredited ones are here in the UK.
I have sent students to Inlingua and Don Quijote in the past.

Original poster
toothpicklover · 16/08/2021 17:27

@Hoppinggreen he has really enjoyed learning Spanish at his primary school and has wanted to learn Chinese for the past 3-4 years but there are no classes in my area that I can get him to. His senior school only teaches French and German and although language schools might not be perfect, I feel they will help him with the language and will also be a great way to spend a few weeks of the summer holidays rather than being stuck on a screen while I'm out working. He wants to learn other languages.

To answer some of the other questions, exchanges are not really possible for me. I work full-time with long days and work extra early shifts at weekends sometimes. I simply do not have the time to have an exchange student.

I don't think him learning French is a waste of time when it will be one of his GCSE's. I don't think learning any language is a waste of time tbh and I wish I'd had the opportunity to do this. If language schools were a waste of money there would have all gone bankrupt years ago.

I have just looked at the CFI but it seems geared towards older students. There is not one near where I live anyway unfortunately.

OP posts:
Geamhradh · 16/08/2021 17:28

@Nothapppy

I honestly wouldn't use a language school. He'll be with other children who speak French badly and will probably speak English to him. Go for a full immersion.
Any decent language school will only have a certain % of each nationality so the students are obliged to speak the L2 to each other.
Happy36 · 16/08/2021 17:28

Really difficult with Brexit (if your child has British passport). Ask the schools what their requirements are.

NautaOcts · 16/08/2021 17:31

Sorry I haven’t got experience of it but just to say that 13 is a totally normal age for this.

We were a host family for a summer Language school here and had 3 lovely 13 yr old Italians stay with us.

DH and his siblings did it as young teens both in England and in france and it has stood them in really good stead with their languages. It’s not just dry language lessons it’s being immersed in the culture and doing sight seeing trips etc.

Busy77 · 16/08/2021 17:36

https://info.brillantmont.ch/international-boarding-school-switzerland-classroom-learning?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvYzmrPy18gIVmttCh1IlgY4EAAYASAAEgLjAvDD_BwE

I went to this one when I was 14 - it says summer camp 10-17 year olds. It was a very long time ago but I enjoyed it!

Geamhradh · 16/08/2021 17:37

@Happy36

Really difficult with Brexit (if your child has British passport). Ask the schools what their requirements are.
A kid going to Paris for a month is fine. What Brexit has affected is recruitment within the UK.