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Language plus sports in the USA
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Combining language tuition with sports instruction makes for a unique language learning experience. Students interested in studying in the USA can learn to surf in Hawaii or sail in Boston. Nicola Hancox explores this relatively underdeveloped sector of the market.
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Students coming to California are particularly interested in combining their studies with typical Californian sports and activities,” observes Matthias Mueller at California School of Languages (CSL) in Santa Monica, CA.
Having launched an English plus surfing programme at their San Diego school in 2007 and at their Santa Monica campus just last year, Mueller notes that both were born out of direct student enquiries. “Such demand was always expressed by the students directly and we decided to cater to them and also push those programmes with our international agents,” he says, explaining that students benefit from two two-hour surf lessons and 17 hours of language tuition per week.
As a relatively untapped sector of the market – most of the language schools canvassed for this article noted that they introduced sport combination courses only just recently – this dynamic certainly lends itself to a school’s portfolio.
Linda Galas from IH Portland in Portland, OR, notes that they launched their English plus golf, English plus soccer and English plus horse riding courses in a bid to spice up their activities and social programming. “We wanted to offer something more unique, instead of the typical English plus sightseeing course,” she notes. Available during the summer season or as part of a closed group package, students can also opt to enrol on an English plus skiing course, available by special request during the winter season, Galas adds.
Meanwhile, students at the Academia Language School in Honolulu, HI, can learn how to surf, kite surf, windsurf or kayak. According to Brandon Miura at the school, these add-ons were a natural choice given Hawaii’s affiliation with surfing. “It made sense for us to combine our English lessons and these popular sports to increase our school’s appeal,” he explains. However, demand is, as yet, still modest. “We do see an interest in the English plus sports courses, but it is not a huge part of our programming,” he says.
Elsewhere, Teresa Neale from Converse International School of Languages (CISL) in San Diego, CA, notes that their surf option – offered in conjunction with a local surf school – attracts a younger audience while their golfing option – which utilises the Coronado Municipal Golf Course – is perhaps more suited to older clientele. For an additional US$450 (on top of the basic cost of a standard or intensive language course) students can benefit from six lessons per week, each comprising of one-to-two hours worth of sports tuition.
However, the English Language Centre – which has campuses in both Boston and Los Angeles – has taken interest led-learning to a whole new level by offering Yoga and Dance options (available in Boston only). In addition to their regular English classes, students can participate in an “unlimited number of group yoga lessons”, says their brochure, or take an afternoon class in a wide range of dance disciplines including hip-hop, salsa or swing. “ELS is proud to offer a series of programmes designed to allow students the opportunity to study in the semi-intensive English programme in the morning as well as doing something fun and exciting in the afternoon,” states the school.
Eimear Harrison from Rennert International in New York, NY, volunteers that their English plus dance course is “hugely popular”. She explains, “This programme is designed for the English student who has a passion for dance and also wants to experience all that New York City has to offer.” Since it was introduced 10 years ago, the school has added two more dance programmes including Steps on Broadway – where international students mix with students from the New York City Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera. “We also offer Latin Dance at one of the city’s oldest schools for Salsa, Rhumba, Swing and the Cha Cha,” adds Harrison.
Indeed, providers show a willingness to cater for alternative sports wherever possible and Mueller at CSL notes that in 2010 the school plans to launch an English plus fitness programme. “[It] will be a mix of fitness and a personal trainer will take you for a long work-out along Santa Monica beach or to the famous Muscle Beach in Venice,” he says. This type of programming could have limitations where its target market is concerned, however. Mueller notes that in his experience, these types of courses are acutely popular with short-term students who can afford to study in a semi-intensive environment and that longer-term students generally prefer to handle their own social agenda. “Academic long-term students come with different goals and might consider the occasional activity programme during their studies, but tend to organise them independently,” he says.
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