Gap Year Language Courses

Spending your gap year learning a new language can be a really enjoyable experience. You can book beginners and advanced level classes from top rated language schools around the world. Some of the most popular languages to study include: French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, English and Japanese.

Best Language Courses Abroad

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Top Rated Language Schools

These schools are highly rated and offer short and long term language courses for beginners and advanced levels:

Learn a Foreign Language on Your Gap Year

If you are searching for a fulfilling gap year activity that gives you the chance to develop new skills, why not learn a new language while abroad? By doing so, you will be able to get a deeper insight into the places you’re visiting and interact better with the locals.

Studies have also shown that learning a second language has a number of psychological benefits, and can improve memory, listening skills, attention, and even sharpen your first language skills.

In a broader sense, learning a second language helps you expand your own world-view. The way we define ideas with words shapes our understanding of them, and being able to access new variety in definitions gives you a more rounded understanding.

Whether you’re going on a career break to escape the rat race or taking some time out after university, heading overseas for language lessons is a great way to immerse yourself in another country’s culture.

Although you can be learn a language in your home country, by incorporating such lessons into your gap year plans you will be taught by native speakers and can apply the theory you have learnt in the classroom to real life.

As a general rule, the best way to get to grips with a new language is to constantly practice speaking and reading it. Choosing to learn a language abroad will certainly encourage you to do this and as you gradually pick up new words and phrases, you will be able to experience life as one of the locals, seeing a side to the country that most tourists do not in the process.

Benefiting from expert tuition, you will find you are able to learn a language at a pace that suits you and can get one-on-one support if there is anything in particular you would like to know or an area you are struggling with.

While you will receive intensive training during the week, do not fall into the trap of thinking that when that day’s lesson is over you will stop learning.

Many schools run special excursions and activities designed to encourage you to use your newly-acquired language skills. These include anything from sightseeing excursions and trips to local markets to salsa classes and watching Spanish films, so you should find the learning process to be fun and full of variety.

You’ll also usually be living with a host family during your studies, so there will be plenty of opportunity to hone your conversational skills long after your daily lesson has ended. Of course, as you will be staying with local people you can avoid the tourist crowds and get a better appreciation of what life in a country is really like for its residents.

For an educational – yet exciting experience – learning a new language is something that you should be sure to consider.

Language Courses FAQ

Top Reasons to Study a Language Overseas
By learning a language abroad, you will get an insight into the life and culture of your destination, make new friends and get to see new places. Language schools offer a personalized service to support your learning process. Courses are designed to respond to the students’ needs and to encourage the speaking, listening and writing skills. Extra curriculum actives are also arranged including sightseeing, activities and day trips. Courses really are a lot of fun and a great way to make new friends.

Best Languages to Learn and Destinations to Go
So, which countries are best for those looking to take foreign language classes?

Deciding where is the best country or location to study a language is difficult and it depends on what tongue you are keen to learn and your own personal preference. There are though lots of popular destinations which attract thousnds of international students every year including France, Spain, Peru, China, Japan, UK, USA, Mexico, Costa Rica, Argentina, South Korea and Portugal.

For gap year travellers eager to pick up Spanish, there are perhaps few better places than Spain or Latin America. You could study French on a gap year in France, or learn Portuguese in Portugal or Brazil, Mandarin in China, Japanese in Japan, German in Germany – just to name a few of the most popular options.

Cost
Classroom and private courses are available and prices vary depends on the language school, duration and location.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart” – Nelson Mandela