The weather is getting warmer, and the flowers are in blossom, which means summer is just around the corner and intensive courses will start.
So why should one dedicate approximately 85 hours of their summer to the study of the English language?
Here are the top five reasons:
5. Meet new people. This may seem like a rather weak reason to sign up for an intensive language course; however, it does have its purpose in language learning. If you practice speaking in English with people you already know, the exchange may seem artificial because you already know them and their answers. With new people, you have an authentic exchange of information in the language that you are learning, and this is what it will be like when you speak with others in the real world.
4. Revise what you’ve learned. Whether you have just finished a language course or you studied years ago, taking a summer intensive course will help you review and consolidate all your knowledge. Some people may want to make the foundation of their knowledge a bit stronger before moving on to the next level. Others may want to brush off the dust on the English that they know but haven’t used in years. Either way, a summer intensive can help you achieve that in a relatively short amount of time.
3. Focus. When studying a language during an academic year, students always have other classes that require their attention. Professionals or other people who participate in a year-long course also have other obligations which may take their focus away from language learning. As it is the summer, intensive courses will give you the opportunity to concentrate just on English, which will help you make leaps in your learning.
2. Recognition. Students can receive accreditation for a level. Teachers may earn accreditation or points. Along with the previous three reasons, a summer intensive course could be a good investment if it will help fulfil a requirement in your studies or work.
1. Immersion. As travel is still an uncertainty, a summer intensive English course is a way of immersing yourself in the language without boarding a plane. As students are required to attend approximately 4 hours of class each day in addition to revising materials and completing assignments, this will be an experience where you will be, as we say in English, sleeping, breathing, and eating English. In turn, you will see a rapid increase in your knowledge and skills.
If you would like more information on our Summer Intensive Courses, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Servei d’Idiomes at Umanresa.
Nancy Lee, Head of the School of Modern Languages