An Overview of Language Camps as a Global Industry
By Lara
Ravitch
Growth
in Language Camps
In recent years, the number of language
summer camps has grown in many countries. China, which did not have a culture
of youth summer camps, is creating one at a rapid pace. Many of these camps
have a language focus. South Korea has created a number of English Villages.
These are model towns that allow campers to practice interacting in the
language (Jeon, 2012). The United States has little need for English camps for
its residents. However, the government has funded foreign language camps to
make up for minimal offerings in schools (Startalk, 2019). At the same time,
English-speaking countries have created camps for international campers who
visit for a short time to boost their language skills (Jingyi and Mengfeng,
2017). Russia is not an exception to this trend. There was a strong culture of
youth camping built in the Soviet era. This culture meant that families quickly
became interested in camps as a place for learning English. A quick look at any
camp search web page shows that these number in the hundreds, if not thousands.
Why
Learn Language at Camp?
There
are many reasons for the popularity of language learning camps. Some of these
have to do with the general benefits of the camp experience, while others are
specific to language learning.
Benefits of Camp
According
to the American Camp Association (ACA, 2019), there are many benefits to
attending camp. This is true for any kind of camp, not only language camps. In particular, camp can help children in the
areas of self-identity, self-worth, leadership,
and self-respect. Camp can provide a safe environment that nurtures children
and youth. It allows them to improve their social skills with support from caring
adults. Campers also have the opportunity to meet peers who may be different
from their classmates in their school or local neighborhood. It also inspires a
respect and love for the natural world. Children can leave their screens and
relax in nature. Finally, camp helps students to stay healthy by providing them
with physical activity and outdoor experiences.
For
families who also want their children to study language, being able to combine
these experiences is quite valuable. They appreciate a different choice than
keeping their child at home to attend extra language classes in the city.
Opportunities for Immersion
Because
camps are isolated environments, they are ideal for using an immersion
approach. Immersion learning means that the target language is used all the
time, not just in language class. Immersive learning has a number of benefits
for language acquisition, such as strong reading and listening skills (Cummins,
1998) and the potential for increased cognitive ability (Lazaruk, 2007). Some
families do not have access to an immersion school or cannot travel abroad for
extended periods. For them, a language camp that uses immersion learning can be
a realistic way to access these advantages.
Experiential Education
Summer
camps are ideal for experiential education. Experiential learning is based on
active and reflective learning. In the
experiential language learning, students acquire language through the
experience of working together, rather than looking at pieces of the target
language (Knutson, 2003). Rather than sitting in classrooms studying the
language itself, campers can be using the language while boating, walking in
the woods, throwing water balloons, or building a campfire. Experiential
education has several benefits, including facilitating personal growth, helping
learners adapt to social change, accounting for differences in learning
ability, and responding to learner needs and teaching considerations (Kohonen,
2006). These unique features allow experiential language learning to provide
many best practices in language instruction. For example, there are many
opportunities for comprehensible input. Learners also have many chances
throughout the day for reflection. Learner speech is meaningful, and they get immediate
feedback through interaction.
Language
Camp Models
There are many ways to design language camps.
Some explicitly simulate life in an English-speaking country. Others teach
language during intensive class blocks but do not explicitly include it during
the rest of the day. Some keep campers divided strictly by language
proficiency. Others divide by age and then loosely into more or less advanced
groups. Some spend time focused on particular kinds of activities, such as
extreme sports or performing arts.
It is clear that language camps have become
an important part of the landscape for language learning for many reasons.
Whatever form they take, they provide unique advantages and challenges for both
learners and staff and an exciting adventure for all participants.
References
American Camp Association. (2019). Benefits of camp. Retrieved from https://www.acacamps.org/campers-families/because-camp/benefits-camp
American Camp Association. (2019). The long-lasting benefits of camp.
Retrieved from https://www.acacamps.org/resource-library/parents/long-lasting-benefits-camp
Cummins, J. (1998). Immersion education for the millennium: What we have
learned from 30 years of research on second language immersion. In M. R. Childs
& R. M. Bostwick (Eds.) Learning through two languages: Research and
practice. Second Katoh Gakuen International Symposium on Immersion and
Bilingual Education. (pp. 34-47). Katoh Gakuen, Japan.
Jeon, M. (2012). English immersion and educational inequality in South
Korea. Journal of Multilingual and
Multicultural Development, 33(4), 395-408
Jingyi, S., and Menfeng, Z. (2017). Summer camps: A dilemma for Chinese
parents. The Telegraph. Retrieved from https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/world/china-watch/society/overseas-summer-camps-for-chinese-children/
Kohonen, V. (2006). Experiential
language learning: Second language learning as cooperative learner education. In
P. Aramayo Prudencio, and M. A. L. Armenta Ortiz (Eds.), Foreign language English anthology (pp. 45-64). Mexico City: Secretary
of Public Education.
Knutson, S. (2003). Experiential learning in second-language classroom. TESL Canada Journal, 20(2), 52-64
Lazaruk, W. (2007). Linguistic, academic, and cognitive benefits of
French immersion. The Canadian Modern
Language Review, 63(5), 605-627.
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