Most of us at Cactus speak more than one language fluently. Although we generally studied languages at school and beyond, part of the reason we work at Cactus is that we relate completely to the idea of going to the country in order to enrich and enhance our language ability. Having a sufficient language level to speak with some confidence is an empowering, uplifting thing, but possessing this skill does not necessarily require years and years of university study.

Many people who take a language course abroad with Cactus combine annual leave with a couple of weeks of unpaid leave to get a whole month in overseas. The progress they make is beyond their dreams, and their skills then translate into new job roles or opportunities to travel more in their careers.

Chris Moore, Director of Studies here at Cactus, looks at some of the advantages of taking a longer language course abroad.

Language Courses - Layered Learning

Once you have studied for a couple of weeks, you’ll start encountering new language for a second or third time, in new and different contexts. This ‘recycling’ is vital for the memory to take on and absorb new information. Soon, such learning will become embedded and part of the language resources you naturally draw on when listening to people or saying something yourself. You will start building up layers of language, each of which will compliment each other, thus making increasing sense of what seems terribly complex at first. The more you learn, the more layers you put down, and the deeper your understanding of language will be.

Language Courses - Accelerated Learning

Most course books are designed to take around 80-100 hours’ study, during which time you’ll cover enough grammar, vocabulary and skills work to take you up to the next level, for example from elementary to lower intermediate. In most schools running part time courses, it will take an academic year to cover one book. One great advantage of taking a longer course in a country in which the language is spoken is that you will cover such work much more quickly. In fact, on many full-time courses, you will cover the hours required in just 4-5 weeks. Just think of how much progress you could make in 12 weeks or more!

Language Courses - Intensive Learning

By living in the country, you experience the language from the moment you wake up to the moment you go to bed. It’s everywhere you look – from the words you read on your cornflakes packet, to the billboards in the streets, to the conversations you hear in bars and cafes. By being exposed to such massive chunks of language, the brain naturally gets to work deciphering meanings and patterns, imposing order on the chaos, both consciously and unconsciously. The longer you stay in the country, the more effectively this will happen. Furthermore, you will notice language you have learnt in the classroom cropping up more and more outside. It can be a lot to take on, and may prove exhausting. However, the learning benefit is enormous.

Language Courses - Cultural Learning

Another great advantage of learning abroad for a longer period of time is that you will gain invaluable insights into the culture and lives of the people you meet and make friends with. This will include not only the people of the country you’re staying in, but also those on the same course as you. You may gain new perspectives on concepts such as time, food, money, family, and friendships that you can take away and that will impact you, perhaps for the rest of your life. Language is key to doing this, and the more you have, the wider your horizons will be.

Taking a short course is a great thing to do, especially when it comes to getting a taste for a language, and incorporating it into a fun, fulfilling holiday. But if it’s a fuller language learning experience you’re after, you should certainly consider taking one of the many longer courses offered by our partner schools. It’s a greater investment in terms of time and money, but well worth it.

Which Courses Can I Take For A Longer Duration?

Most courses on our website are available for longer periods up to at least 12 weeks. The longer you stay, the cheaper it gets too, with both the school and Cactus offering special discounts. Cactus also offers Academic Year Programmes on some courses at exceptional value. See individual courses for details.

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