If you want to encourage your teenager to go alone to stay with an exchange partner or with a mate?

[Beetroot]

Will they learn more if they they go alone? Even if they would prefer to go with a mate? and is there research to support this?

I don't know of any research, but I know when I was young I did a 3 week exchange to France on my own & my French improved hugely. A year later a friend bottled out of going on her own & I went along too. She spoke virtually no French (used me as interpreter) & I didn't feel I learned as much either as a lot of the time we did our thing together & in English. It was a good holiday though. From a linguistic perspective it's better alone I think, from a cultural perspective maybe not so important.

In my own experience - my own exchange (staying with family) versus DCs - (staying with a family but spending time with English friends in the school group) - my French vastly improved by not having English speaking friends around, DCs enjoyed the experience but scarcely learnt any new French.

alone, i went to germany when i was 13 and was very shy but settled in ok after a day or so. is she going with a group? we used to meet up with the school group every other day or so.

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this will be something arranged privately through a mate in France.

My 13 year old boy would prefer to take his mate.

Alone

well it is easier & far less nervewracking going with a mate. I suppose it depends on your ds's personality as to whether the benefits of being alone outweigh the disadvantages. Unless he's very shy & introverted I'd recommend going alone, but a lot depends on whether the primary objective is to learn a language or to have fun.

ggg

DS2 is being a bit stubborn and wants to bring his mate as he thinks he will have nothing to do as The family only have older kids etc etc.......

ggg - looking good for a visit from me if he comes

My dd is on a french exchange atm.
She has been on a few before and always speaks more french on her own.

I have just had a text from her.She got there yesterday evening and her partner took her out clubbing and she got in at 5am

Don't know about research, but I'd certainly encourage them to go alone to learn more. It makes it simpler to arrange too!

Is he going this year? I would like ds1 to go next summer or the year after to either France or Germany or both.

IME you learn more if go alone - tough to start with tho.

We are hoping he iwll go to stay with the family of the girl who came to stay with us for a uyear. She is 2 years iolder than him though. We were hoping that he will go for 3 weeks in July

He really wants to take a mate though
and is digging his heels in

bugger

ds1 on the otherhand is going to Greece for three weeks ot sgtay with my borhter and work in his hotel

three weeks is a long time if he doesn't feel he particularly gets on with her, and a 13-yr-old boy and a 15-yr-old girl - I kind-of see his point.

Is the mate with him a possibility? Can you find a mate who is only free to go over for one week?

lol at you agreeing with my dh Roisin
He does know the girl, they do get on well but I guess she is a year older now.

He cxan come to me.

GGG

ggg have you changed your mobile number/