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Parent & child courses in Europe
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Families looking to utilise their vacation time in a relaxing and enriching way could well find what they’re looking for on a Parent & Child language programme. Schools all over Europe specifically cater for adults who wish to study alongside their child or children.
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Parent & child courses may not be mainstays of the market but according to many providers, they are certainly on the rise. “I think there is potential for this programme to grow,” states Carol Gardezi from Cork English College in Ireland, “as it gives families the chance to combine a family holiday with language learning.”
Some schools point out that they have regularly provided family accommodation so that accompanied children can study while parents are free to sightsee and sunbathe, but a surge in agent requests has ultimately led schools to implement language programmes that cater for both parent and child.
Caroline Castillo from Clubclass Residential Language School in Malta notes that they launched their own unique model last year. “In 2008, we decided to come up with this programme due to the demand we had from our agents,” she says, adding, “since Clubclass is a residential school, it was easy for us to come up with a such a programme, since we offer accommodation situated within the same building as the school.”
Meanwhile, Paul Fenech at Magister Academy in Malta notes that they have specifically catered for families since the early 1990s. “We are the pioneers of family courses in Malta,” he says. “We started in 1990 offering facilities for a child day care centre… as numbers increased we opened a wing of the school for children. They were not only looked after but they were introduced to English through play and music,” he regales.
Course delivery varies, from “simultaneous one-to-one classes”, as described by Emmett Lawlor from Regent Home Tuition in the UK, to separate tuition at a language school, either in the same classroom style or, as at Magister, with tuition tailored to age. “We can organise a class for parents/children together as a closed group,” relates Sid Brown from St Brelade’s College in Jersey, “but we recommend that they learn separately. The class material will be better suited to their age group and besides, they will have fun interacting with their peers.”
With parent and child learning independently of one another, providers ensure that timetables are synchronised so that free time can be spent together, even if the child might be less than happy about this! At Gateway International School of English in Malta, Charles Sammut notes that their children’s course is, “tailor-made so as to match with the parent’s tuition schedule.”
Schools report a Western European influence in booking patterns, while provision is centred in typical holiday destinations such as Malta, Jersey and Ireland. Lisa Bartsch from Slaney Language Centre in Ireland notes, “Family courses are extremely popular in Spain, but we also receive quite a few bookings from Italy, France, Germany and Switzerland.” She adds that the early success of their family language course prompted them to add more start dates in 2009. “We started four years ago with only one course in July and now we offer four courses – one at Easter, two in July and one in August.” |
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Contact any advertiser in the this issue now
The following language schools, associations and accommodation providers advertised in the latest edition of Language Travel Magazine. If you would like more information on any of these advertisers, tick the relevant boxes, fill out your details and send.
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