Has anyone’s child done a language immersion holiday?

[ThomasRichard]

DS has been learning French at school and is very enthusiastic at the idea of going to stay with a French family for a week on a language immersion holiday. He’ll be 9 next year and I thought he’d balk at the idea of being abroad without us but he says that’s the best bit (thanks kid ). I’ve looked online and there are quite a few providers of this sort of experience for children as young as 6. Has anyone’s child done it? Which provider did you use and would you recommend them? What did your DC think?

My DDs did this when 12 or 13 for two weeks and again for a week when 15. We have had several children come to us as well. These were school exchange so some time with her friends at school but even then it was not an easy experience especially with families who spoke no English at all. Sounds great for learning experience but is very tough at that age. A lot depends on the family you end up with. We have have very good and not so good. Personally not so sure I would do this at the age of 9 and I doubt your DS fully appreciates what is means in practice.

Yes, I doubt he knows exactly how he’d feel but nothing ventured, nothing gained... He’s a pretty resilient kid and if it was truly horrendous I’d go and get him.

Another thought is child protection. I don't know about these agencies but they would make me nervous. Our school does over 10 exchanges every year with kids 12/13 up to 18. There is obviously always a child projection risk but they take it very seriously are very careful to try to minimise the risks. For example one way exchanges are not allowed - i.e. will only send one our kids if one coming back the other way at some point. Teachers from our school who they know well and trust obviously there and will see them every day to voice any concerns and be a short distance away on the end of a phone at any time. Again not sure I would want a 9 year old in a foreign country with strangers, no friends around, no trusted teachers around (we have enough problems just in the UK with young children at boarding schools.) Probably fine of course in almost all cases but I don't really get the rush.

I dont think he will benefit in the same way as he would once he is at senior school. his french may well improve a bit when he's there (if he's there for long enough) but in all likelihood he won't then use it enough to keep it all up. Once he's at secondary school he'll be having lessons more regularly.

Plus you don't of course know which language his school will do in year 7. My DSs both did french and spanish since reception (TBH hasn't given them any real advantage over the children who have started languages from scratch in year 7). One now does spanish only but the other does German

I'm going on a homestay with my 12 yo dd to stay with a French mum and daughter the same age. I would be a bit worried about child protection, so thought this would be a good compromise.

Bit of a different angle but I sent all three of mine to children's clubs in hotels in Germany and France from the age of 4. All three did languages at uni!

I would wait until secondary school and (if brexit doesn't make it impossible) have a look for organisations that do school exchanges, rather than just holidays.

My daughter did a short exchange with a school in Madrid when she was 13, but it was organised though her school.

@NanFlanders I’d love to hear how your mum-and-daughter homestay went if you wouldn’t mind updating? Hope it went well.

my school language exhange when I was 13 or 14 was probably the worst 2 weeks of my life. I was very excited (and a bit nervous) before hand. the family were lovely although my exchange partner wasn't but I felt so out of my depth and hated it. It put me off speaking the language completely.

agree you don't know for sure what language he will end up doing at secondary school and I would also agree with the suggestions of going with him and just exposing him to the language more. make him order food, buy stuff in shops, go to kids clubs etc