Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know my child is ready for a Language Village experience?
A: You know your child better than anyone. So while there are individual needs to consider, a young person should be able to: provide their own personal care (dressing, showering, selecting clothes); move independently from place to place; live cooperatively with others in a cabin setting. For month-long villagers, a young person should have the emotional resilience to handle the demands of a rigorous academic program. For Voyageurs villagers, both physical and emotional resilience is necessary to be able to live in tents and enjoy a wilderness experience.
Q: How do I decide which session my child attends?
A: Consider the age and interest of your child. One-week sessions are called “exploratory sessions,” giving the villager an introduction to language learning. Two-week sessions, our most popular program, are for both first time and returning villagers. They are designed to provide a more in-depth immersion experience and new activities are offered every summer. All language speakers, from beginning to advanced (immersion school students and fluent speakers included), are challenged at their appropriate level. Four-week credit sessions can earn the villager high school or college credit and are intensive and innovative programs for older students.
Q: What language should my child choose?
A: With 15 languages to choose from, this can be a tough decision! Talk with your child about what interests he or she might have in learning another language or about another culture. Some children choose a language to learn more about their family’s heritage. Others base their choice on what language is offered at their school; in this way the Village experience can serve as an extension to classroom learning. Still other children opt for trying a second or third language, often supplementing what their school curriculum provides.
Q: How does my child learn the language when counselors don’t explain words in English?
A: Speaking the language to villagers, without using English, is a hallmark of immersion language learning. We use many learning techniques to help comprehension: gestures, pictures, pointing, facial expressions, actual objects, mime, repetition, examples and demonstrations, just to name a few. “Context” is important, meaning everything is grounded in daily life at the Villages to help language learners understand. We make deliberate use of routines and normal activity. But the staff will use English with villagers for health and safety reasons, and also at times in the cabin to make sure that everyone is feeling comfortable in the Village no matter what their language level. If your child is a beginner, you can rest assured that we will make it fun and understandable!
Q: We live in Canada. Does my child need a Canadian Passport?
A: Yes. Your child is required to have a valid, current Canadian passport to come to the United States.
