For the majority of my language learning I’ve studied solo. Successful Self-Study is possible, which is exactly why I have a course with that exact title. However, sometimes, a language school abroad may be the way to go. Here’s everything you need to know before going to language school abroad.

WHY ATTEND A LANGUAGE SCHOOL ABROAD?

Firstly, you might be wondering, if self-study is so successful, why attend a language school? And why go all the way abroad to do so? There are a few reasons that make it worthwhile.

Being in the country is great motivation

It sometimes feels like you have to wait until you’ve reached a certain level in a language before you travel somewhere that speaks it. The problem with this approach is that this level is often unattainable in the time we’d like to reach it. This can lead us to lose motivation and sometimes stop studying altogether.

However, if we go to a country to learn a language, our motivation to learn is now! The language is there for us right outside the classroom door – we need it so we want to learn it.

Your teacher is a local

Your teacher likely lives in the area where you’re studying. This means that getting out there and hitting the best places becomes a lot easier.

The tastiest food, the coolest drinks, the most interesting places you’d never find in the guidebook. Your teacher is a fountain of local knowledge.

Concentrated boost to your ability

Is the time it takes to see results and progress in language learning is getting you down? Then the concentrated effort at language school could be the boost that you need.

You’ll come away with plenty of new stuff to review and improve your language ability.

Access to better resources

Your teacher and the language school know what’s up. They’ve taught the language for years. They’ve seen multiple students of different abilities. They know the best resources to get you learning like a pro.

Attending a language school abroad gives you better access to resources that can help you long term.

Give your travel purpose

It’s great when you’re able to travel – and even better if you’re getting the chance to travel somewhere that speaks the language you’ve been learning. Woohoo!

But sometimes, without a specific purpose, travel can end up being a little vague and empty.

By attending a language school abroad, you’re giving your travel a purpose.

Give yourself a reasons to start or keep studying before you go

It always helps to have language goals within reach. And, well, if you’ve got “Language School Abroad” written on your calendar, then you’re likely to have much more of a reason to keep studying before you head out there.

Renewed inspiration and motivation to keep going

But it’s not just about the boost in motivation to study before you attend language school. It’s also a huge inspiration when you return home. Yay!

QUESIONS TO ASK BEFORE YOU PICK A LANGUAGE SCHOOL

Will the teacher be able to differ from the program?

When I signed the contract for my language school, one of the conditions was that I understood my teacher would be sticking to the course program pretty strictly and not expected to teach stuff on random tangents.

With that in mind, if that’s not going to suit you, also be sure to ask the following question as well so you know if it’s relevant for you.

What can you expect to cover in the time at your language school?

It’s important you know what topics and level you’ll be studying during your time at the language school. That way, you can ensure that you’re giving yourself the best prep before you start.

Will you be taught solo or in a group?

The speed of your learning will be potentially drastically different if you’re being taught one on one or in a group.

If in a group, it’s also worth checking how big you can expect the group to be.

If in a group, what is the ability of other students?

Another question if you’re in group classes that will affect how quickly you progress.

It can be helpful to have mixed abilities in a class to support each other, but perhaps not as useful if your ability is a lot higher or lower than the majority of the group. No one wants to feel like they’re holding everyone back or not making the progress they know they can.

If in a group, how much time can you expect 1:1 in class with the teacher?

Will the teacher be going around the room and spending some time with students on an individual basis or staying firming at the front in front of the entire class?

It can be useful to know you’ll be allowed to ask the odd question or two on a one on one basis.

Will there be an exam?

What are you looking for from your language school? Something official to put on your CV or something much more casual?

If you’re after an accreditation of some kind, an exam could be a useful step in that direction.

Will you get a certificate or accreditation of some kind?

Even better, will you be given some form of physical evidence of your studies?

Does the school have any testimonials?

Just like reading 15 Amazon reviews before buying that book, you’ll want to know what previous students have to say about their experience at the language school.

Check the website first to see if they have shared testimonials publically there. If not, don’t be afriad to ask to see some previous student comments.

Will you be taught by the same teacher every session?

It is likely to work better if you’re fortunate enough to have the same teacher for the entirity of your time at the language school.

And if that’s not the case, can the language school ensure that teachers will be continuing where the previous teacher left off?

Does the school provide or have connections or recommendations for accommodation, transport or food?

The exact provisions of language schools vary.

For some, it’s purely the education that they provide. Whereas others include accommodation and/or food.

Find out what you can expect from this. Will the accommodation be shared or private? What about the bathroom? Will you be staying with a local family or with other students?

And as for food, can they cater to dietary requirements? Is it full or half board?

Perhaps the language school even organises additional trips to see more of the country too. If so, find out if these are included in the price or extra before committing to a language school.

My Experience with Language School Abroad

Before

When I first started learning Guarani in May 2017, I never expected to find a language school that taught it, let alone go to one myself.

There are a few reasons.

I wasn’t sure how long we’d have in the country, and therefore how much time I’d have to spend at a language school.

I didn’t know that there was even a language school out there that taught Guarani!

I’d never been to a language school.

However, as the time got closer to going to Paraguay and I started to think about how I wanted to spend my time there, I looking up on an off chance if there were a Guarani school there…and there was!

Due to the fact that it’s not a very popular language for foreigners to learn, I didn’t have much choice over which language school I picked. However, if you’re learning a language like Spanish or French and looking for a language school, that choice is likely a lot wider.

Before the lessons started, I got confirmation of my dates and that I’d pay when I attended on the first day.

During

Upon arrival, my teacher gave me a paper binder to keep my notes in, and a pen and pencil.

As I progressed through each unit of study with my tutor, the next unit was printed for me to add to my binder.

Altogether in the 20 hours of study I was there, we got to unit 9 – not too shabby!

This was a lot more than I was expecting as the most pleasant surprise on day one was to discover that I was actually alone in the class – one on one!

I’d assumed that I’d be in a group – at least a small one – and hadn’t thought to ask and confirm this in advance.

I think that if I had been in a group, my progress would have been a lot slower and we would have gotten through less content.

Although I would have loved to speak more during the lessons, I did love the content. It started from the very beginning with the alphabet, which at first, I sped through, but it didn’t take too long to get to new stuff. Also, it was a great refresher before diving into more advanced content, so I didn’t mind too much.

One thing that’s important is that if your language school doesn’t provide accommodation options, check how easy it is to get from your independently booked accommodation to your language school.

We had to get our accommodation booked before I confirmed the language school, as it wasn’t the only reason we were in town. It turned out that I had to catch a 30 minute to 1 hour bus to and from the school each day!

I actually really enjoyed this, and even heard people speaking Guarani on the bus one day. However, it did mean that I had no time to catch up and review my studies each day between lessons.

After

That said, on Friday after my last lesson, I was feeling a super inspired refreshing injection of interest towards learning the language. I headed to the bookstore recommended by a taxi driver earlier in the week and treated myself to a selection of Guarani books that I couldn’t find at home or online. Yay!

Overall, the language school was a great experience and I really loved my time there. There was a nun who was often in the classroom next to me. The week I was there was her last week of 6 weeks. She’d studied Guarani for 4 hours each morning and Spanish for 4 hours each afternoon and her Spanish was AMAZING for such a short time period of study.

It really made me wish I had another 5 weeks to stay at the language school!