French? German? Arabic? If you do - even just a little - you'll get far more out of your travels than the typical tongue-tied Brit abroad. And if you don't... well here's how you can. Carl Wilkinson reports on classes for beginners upwards. Why not add a little flamenco tuition to complement that Spanish course?
Remember when learning a new language meant sitting in a stuffy British classoom, poring over dry text books and mugging up on grammar with a teacher who was more interested in your mastery of the subjunctive tense than whether you were actually pronouncing the language in a way its native speakers could ever understand? Well, relax. Our four-page guide to learning languages - whether its the ever popular Spanish, French or Italian or the fast-emerging Russian, Japanese and Arabic - concentrates on learning in situ, among native speakers. And having some fun while you're at it!
Beginners
The more time you spend in the country, the greater the benefit. Students should
try to stay with a host family, as this can double the language improvement
in any given time and give a greater understanding of dialect and idiom. It's
also the cheapest way of learning a language, as meals and accommodation are
included and reasonably priced and you have the added benefit of building lasting
friendships with native speakers. Any course shorter than two weeks is barely
worth the effort. The first morning will be taken up with an initial test and
the effects of the following daily classes will not be felt or consolidated
in such a short space of time. Most language courses for beginners start on
the first Monday of the month. Some languages are worth preparing for before
you travel. If you're planning to learn Russian or Arabic, it's worth getting
to grips with the alphabet before you head off. Continue
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