THE
KEYS
YOU SEEK
IN JUST
5 DAYS
YOU WILL :
ENHANCE
YOUR COMPREHENSION
IMPROVE YOUR PRONUNCIATION
ELIMINATE THAT FEELING OF NOT
PROGRESSING
ACQUIRE
A MASTER KEY
SPEAK WITH
PLEASURE
NEGOTIATE
WITH EASE
|
Look
Before You Leap Into a Language
You May Have to Put Your Money
Where Your Mouth Is
------------------------------------------------------------------
These are excerpts from an article by reporter Brandon
Mitchener on intensive and full-immersion foreign language training.
The article appeared in the Wall Street Journal Europe Edition,
Friday-Saturday, June 27-28, 1997.
------------------------------------------------------------------
LESSON
ONE: Look at language classes like any other investment. After
shopping around for a two-week crash course, David Ecklund, a
47-year-old American sales executive living in Brussels, thought he was
lucky to get into a group course that a local school was running for
another U.S. multinational. It was cheaper than places out of town and
so, says Mr. Ecklund, "I figured I’d stay in Brussels."
He got what he paid for. Instead of building the
little he had learned of the language at high school, Mr. Ecklund got an
intensive exercise in frustration. "In a classroom environment with
seven to 10 people," he says, "you learn at the pace of the
slowest student." Even worse, he was so put off by the experience
he gave up entirely on learning the language for three years.
MONEY MATTERS
Whether you pay for language classes yourself, like Mr. Ecklund, or your
company pays for them, there’s nothing more frustrating than wasting
time and money on language lessons - especially in a class that’s
supposed to be "intensive." But even one-on-one instruction
can be a waste if you choose the wrong school. And with prices for
intensive and full-immersion classes ranging from $20 to $100 an hour -
not to mention the possibility of losing income from having to take time
off from work or using vacation time - it pays to choose carefully.
(Intensive refers to morning classes with afternoons off, while
full-immersion programs pretty much involve round-the-clock attention.)
First off, decide what kind of return you want on your time and money
and choose a school - or combination of schools - that maximizes the
potential reward while minimizing the chance of wasting time and money.
Many language schools don’t offer refunds. The most important criteria
for a successful intensive or full-immersion experience are small class
sizes and professional teachers as well as preparation, follow-up and
realistic expectations on the part of the student.
(…)
On his second try, Mr. Ecklund found just
what he was looking for: a full-immersion program at DIALOGUE, that both
helped him with his pronunciation and grammar and adapted itself to his
interests - including vocabulary geared to his logistics business. Mr.
Ecklund is commercial director of Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc., a
unit of Caterpillar Inc.
The key to Mr. Ecklund’s satisfaction, in his view, was the one-on-one
philosophy of the school, DIALOGUE, which offers indi-vidualized courses
ranging from 20 hours of
instruction a week to a more extensive 40 hours a week.
Mr. Ecklund is convinced that the school, which is run out of the home
of the teachers and includes full board and round-the-clock attention,
is a bargain. "If you go to group classes, you might save money,
but you’ll probably spend the same amount over time because it’ll
take you much longer," he says.
In fact, people who have taken a full-immersion plunge say group classes
should be limited to five students, especially if you’re beyond the
absolute-beginner level. The more numerous or more advanced the
students, the more likely the ability level will vary wildly.
Small Is Beautiful
A reason to opt for
one-on-one instruction, or at least go to a school that offers
one-on-one lessons, is the opportunity to work on specialized vocabulary
and cultural issues that wouldn’t be part of a traditional curriculum.
Of course, schools like DIALOGUE have their price. (…) But considering
the degree of individual attention they provide, students who attend
them have a better shot at satisfaction.
|
THE
ADVANTAGE
1 WEEK OF DIALOGUE
=
1 YEAR OF STUDY ELSEWHERE
NO
CLASSES - ONE-TO-ONE
INSTRUCTION ONLY
EXCELLENT VALUE
SPECTACULAR
PROGRESS
TOTAL
IMMERSION THROUGHOUT THE
WEEK
THE DIALOGUE
NATURAL APPROACH |