Essays by students who have studied abroad. Topic Education abroad education abroad. When to learn English abroad effectively

“Foreign countries will help us,” Ostap Bender assured us. Indeed, learning English abroad is more fashionable than ever. But is it worth changing the comfort of your hometown, where the walls help, for a learning journey? Let's find it out in the article. You will learn how you can learn a language abroad for children and adults, what are the pros and cons of each of the methods. And our teachers will tell you about their own experience of pumping English abroad.

Pros and Cons of Studying English Abroad

Before considering the different ways to learn a language abroad, let's weigh the pros and cons of a study trip. First, we offer you several reasons to pack your bags to improve your knowledge.

1. Immersion in the language environment

2. Overcoming the language barrier

Everyone who has been abroad will remember how difficult it is to start speaking English. But it is the need to somehow communicate with others that will make you forget about shyness and fears. And let the first phrases be given with difficulty and stuttering - this will be the first step towards free oral speech.

3. Acquaintance with another country

Abroad, you will not only study, but also get acquainted with the culture of another country, and also see new interesting places. Of course, this is much more interesting and more motivating than sitting at home with a Blue Murphy.

4. Expanding the circle of acquaintances

On the trip, you will definitely meet new people. Make friends with them, exchange contacts, for example Skype, and when you arrive home continue to chat with them online. Thus, you can find yourself an interesting companion to practice speaking.

5. Acquaintance with different accents

When traveling, you will most likely be able to communicate in English with people of different nationalities. At first, you might not even understand their words because of the accent. Do not worry, gradually your ears will get used to it, and you will easily understand what the interlocutor wants to tell you. You will also make sure that your accent is not the worst version of English :-)

Now let's add a fly in the ointment to our barrel of honey: pay attention to the pitfalls that await you when studying abroad.

1. Miracle won't happen

Studying English abroad, although effective, is still not a guarantee that upon arrival you will speak as a native speaker or immediately pass the international exam for the highest score. Your success (as in any business) directly depends only on your own efforts. Knowledge will not appear in your head as if by magic. To get the most out of it, you will have to learn new words, repeat the phrases you hear, understand grammatical constructions, and so on.

2. From Pre-Intermediate and above

We do not recommend learning the language "from scratch" abroad: it is unrealistic to understand explanations in a language you do not know, and if they explain everything to you in Russian, the meaning of the trip is almost lost. We recommend educational trips to people with at least Pre-Intermediate level.

3. Avoid compatriots

Of course, it is always nice to have a person next to you who understands the native language and the peculiarities of the Russian national mentality. However, this may result in the fact that you will talk with a new friend in Russian, that is, you will "emerge" from the language environment, and the goal of the trip will not be achieved.

4. A blow to the wallet

Traveling abroad is not cheap anyway. Even if you choose a volunteer project, you still have to pay money for preparation of documents, insurance, meals, etc. Learning a language within the country is still cheaper, especially since you can study with a teacher from the UK or the USA right at home. For example, our school has.

5. Difficulties in translating acclimatization

No matter how trite it may sound, but not all people easily tolerate climate change, and poor health can interfere with your studies. So choose your country and time of year carefully for your trip. And also familiarize yourself with the traditions of the inhabitants of another country before traveling, then the culture shock will not be so strong.

How to learn English abroad for adults

Adults, of course, find it easier to find a suitable option for studying English abroad: you are an independent person and will not be confused even in case of unforeseen situations, so you can choose not only expensive and proven, but also more affordable and slightly riskier options.

Language school is expensive but safe

A language school abroad can be located in any country, including a non-English one. As a rule, you are given daily English lessons with native speakers in the first part of the day, and you can spend the second part on excursions or talking in English with your classmates. Usually schools provide meals and accommodation in a residence or family. They will also help you with obtaining a visa, insurance and other documents.

Experience as a teacher: 9 years

Experience at Englex: 6 months

Studying in the UK has always been considered very prestigious, and British diplomas and certificates are recognized throughout the world. Studying in the UK gives people a tremendous opportunity not only to improve their English, but also to gain a rewarding experience of life in a different culture. This will allow in the future to choose among the most promising job offers in any country in the world. And a new circle of friends will help establish relationships with the most talented, motivated and wealthy people from different countries, because it is these students who strive for the best - education in the UK.

If long-term studies are not for you, take short-term courses during your holidays or vacations. In addition to the invaluable baggage of knowledge, skills and abilities, you will receive a certificate that will help you impress employers. It's also a great chance to travel around Foggy Albion: Edinburgh, Birmingham, York, Liverpool, Oxford, Cambridge, Brighton, Stonehenge ... and London, of course! "If you are tired of London, you are tired of life," said the famous English poet Samuel Johnson.

In my experience, the most popular study trips in the UK are 18-21 days long. During this time, children / students are taught in a British school, usually 4 lessons a day. And also various entertainment events are organized for them: visits to attractions, stadiums, matches, parks, attractions, museums, other cities, etc. Students live with families, which makes it possible to get acquainted with the life of the British, find new friends from different countries. In addition to practicing English, for children it is a great experience of solving non-standard life situations and staying outside the comfort zone. Everyone is happy with such internships. Many go there (or to a new school) every year.

Recently, a student of mine (29 years old) traveled to the USA for a month using the same scheme. He lived and studied in Los Angeles. After training, I appreciated his progress, he began to speak faster and more confidently. Now he is also teaching me new American English slang phrases that he learned there. It is interesting!

Volunteering is cheap and cheerful

Volunteering is voluntary assistance to nature, animals or those in need. Volunteer groups are staffed with people from all over the world, and their language of communication is English. Therefore, on such a trip, willy-nilly, you will speak a lot and often in English. Volunteer groups can work in any country in the world. You choose the duration of the program (usually from 2 weeks to a year), the country of residence and the job you want to do.

Experience as a teacher: 10 years

Experience at Englex: Seven months

I started taking part in volunteer projects as a student. Usually it was work in sports and health camps for children, which gave a huge experience, not only from a professional point of view.

After graduating from university, I left for the USA, where I was lucky to meet a wonderful family and their friends who not only traveled to Africa and worked with local children, but also took part in American projects in their hometown. At first I worked in a kindergarten with preschool children. These were extracurricular activities of an entertainment nature, organizing holidays, helping educators during excursions, hiking and other events. The kindergarten and then the school were for immigrant children, so it was doubly interesting. Different cultures, different customs, demeanor merge in one team, although there was a big problem in communication. Therefore, we explained ourselves as best we could. Among the volunteers, there were also students from South Africa, Brazilians, Germans, Koreans, Mexicans. Often traditional cultural events were organized for the children: parents brought food, we did small concerts. Of course, we also represented our countries at these events.

Volunteering is a great opportunity to try yourself in different professions and find out what you enjoy doing. In addition to school projects, there were fairs for which we prepared traditional Russian food and made small souvenirs. On holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, I took part in a local organization, distributing food and belongings to people in need, and we also delivered food to the elderly who were left alone on the holiday.

This work took up to 5 hours a day, but brought a lot of pleasure. This gave me the opportunity to see a lot of interesting things and travel, visit museums, exhibitions, parks, observatories, storage facilities, where in ordinary life I would hardly get. With children, we went to the salt lakes of Utah, where they showed us how to collect salt. We were in the mountains for small excavations, at the thermal springs in the Arok park, in the dinosaur museums and the open-air village of old settlements, and many other places.

I have not stopped my volunteer work while living in Ireland, where I worked with a local sports organization working with children with disabilities. Basically, it was helping teachers during trips, after classes, since each such child requires attention. Of course, sometimes even after a couple of hours of work you feel like a squeezed lemon, but then when you meet these kids in the city and they hug you, and their parents say their thanks, you feel that even a couple of hours a day gives a huge result!

Work & Travel USA - affordable and interesting

Work & Travel USA is a special student exchange program that allows them to live and work in the USA for some time, interacting with native English speakers on a daily basis. Requirements for knowledge of English are not high. As a rule, students are offered low-skilled jobs: waiters, salesmen, camp counselors, lifeguards, etc. When contacting the company that sends students for this program, you can choose the type of work.

Programs for children

Are you a responsible parent looking for an English study abroad program for your child? Then the mini-review that we have given below will be useful to you.

FLEX - exciting, but far and long

FLEX is an exchange program for high school students. The organizer and sponsor is the US Government, which pays all expenses of the participants. After passing the competition, schoolchildren are sent to the United States for one academic year, where they study in regular schools with their American peers. At the moment, the program has been suspended in Russia for 2 years, but recruitment is expected to resume for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Experience as a teacher: 7 years

Experience at Englex: 3 years

Children's language camp - useful and fun

Children's language camps offer to spend from one week of vacation or more, learning English. They exist both in our country and abroad. We will focus on foreign options, because it is native speakers who teach there, and the child has less chances of finding a talkative compatriot and chatting all the holidays in Russian.

We've only listed the main pros and cons of each of the popular ways to learn English abroad, but perhaps you also have something to say about this. Maybe you tried to study at a language school or went to Europe as a volunteer? Please share your experience in the comments to this article.

Among English learners, it is generally accepted that the most effective way to learn it is to travel abroad, that is, to immerse yourself in the language environment. And some people generally believe that this is the only way to start speaking and thinking in English. But is it really so?

In this article, you will find out when learning English abroad for adults is really effective and when it is not. You will understand all the pros and cons of this way of learning a language and determine if this option is right for you.

Where did the assertion come from that learning English abroad is more effective?

Why do some people think learning English abroad is the most effective option?

Let's remember how we all learned the language at school: in the classroom, we analyzed the rules, did written exercises, read, taught and translated texts. The same thing happened in many language courses and in classes with a tutor.

As a standard, speaking practice was given at best 10-15% of the class time, and theory took the lion's share of training: 85-90% of the time... The lessons themselves were quite rare: 1-2 times for 90 minutes.

As a result, at best, many of us understood the rules and knew English words, but could not speak English.

What happens when we study English abroad? When a person gets to an English-speaking country, he gets what he lacked in Russia - speaking practice... As a result, the person quickly begins to speak plain English. Now he can speak it in class, on the street, in shops, in restaurants, etc.

Naturally for someone who has never tried to speak at home and who has never had speaking practice, this will be a huge breakthrough. After that, many of our compatriots, who came, for example, from Malta, for example, told all friends that the language environment is the most effective method of learning, since they finally got the result!

However, studying English abroad is not always as effective as it seems at first glance. There are some things to consider if you really want to get a good learning outcome.

When is it effective to learn English abroad?

In order to get the most out of studying abroad, you need to consider the following points:

1. Your level of English must be at least pre intermediate

You must understand that language schools are taught entirely in English. Nobody will switch to Russian to explain the rule to you. If you have a zero level, then you simply will not understand anything.

Imagine that you went to China and everyone around you speaks in an unfamiliar language, which is also used for training. Can you speak Chinese if you have no idea about this language?

The same is in English: you will not be able to understand what they will explain to you, and you will not have the opportunity to ask something in Russian. The effectiveness of such training will not be high.

If you already have basic knowledge (preferably at a pre-intermediate level), you will be able to understand what is being said in class.

Related article: English with a native speaker or a Russian-speaking teacher?

2. The duration of your studies should be from a month or more

Every person has a different purpose in English. Depending on your goal, you will need to spend a different amount of training time to achieve it. Also, the duration of the training depends on your knowledge and speaking skills.

Will there be a result in 1-2 weeks? It will be, if you have a small level of knowledge: you will start to speak and think in English, you will become better at understanding speech. But it will be plain English. You must understand this and not build the illusion that after the trip you will speak as a carrier.

If you know English at a good level and you can already speak it, then you will not notice a special result in 1-2 weeks. To achieve a visible result, you will need a longer training: from a month or more. But in this case, you will improve your English significantly!

3. It is necessary to exclude communication with Russian-speaking people

As I wrote above, the main advantage of studying abroad is that you have the opportunity to speak English everywhere. Thus, you are completely immersed in the language.

If, after class, you communicate with Russian-speaking students, then the effectiveness of your training drops significantly. Communicate only in English. After all, this is what you are going for. Communication will help you learn to think in it faster.

Although learning English in an environment is effective, it, like other types of learning, has its positive and negative sides. Let's consider them.

Pros of Studying English Abroad

Studying English abroad will give you certain advantages over studying in Moscow (or in another city in our country):

1. You will speak English all the time.

You will speak English both during and after class. English will be everywhere, you will be completely immersed in the environment.

2. The language barrier will disappear very quickly.

When there is only English around you, you simply cannot help but speak. You will have to communicate with different people, and you will quickly get rid of the fear of communication. Your language barrier will collapse.

3. Communication with people from different countries.

In a foreign school, people from all over the world will study with you. You will not only study together, but also spend your free time. By communicating with people from all over the world, you will learn about their culture, countries and enrich your horizons. Plus you will make friends from different countries. This will enrich your life experience.

4. It's fun and interesting.

You will not only learn, but also have fun. Traveling is always fun. And studying at a foreign school is a great way to change the environment and have fun and usefully.

Cons of studying English abroad

But this method also has significant disadvantages. It is because of them that not all people can afford this method of learning:

1. High cost of training

For all the pleasures described above, you will have to pay. Studying in language schools abroad is not a cheap pleasure. And the price will be very different from the price of any courses in Russia. In addition to paying for tuition, you will need to pay for housing, food and other "pocket expenses". In general, the cost of courses abroad will cost 4 or more times more than studying in Russia.

2. The need for a long absence

Not everyone can afford to quit all business and go abroad for a month or more. All adults have jobs, and unless you work remotely, you can hardly afford to be away for such a long time.

Also, many have a family and children whom they will not be able to leave to learn English.

Study English abroad or in Moscow?

Of course, if you have the opportunity to go abroad for 1-6 months and study English there, then she should use it... It will be very effective!

You will not only speak English and learn to think, but you will also enrich your life experience, get a lot of impressions and make friends all over the world. The main thing after returning is to maintain the obtained level of English.

If you do not have such an opportunity, you do not need to be upset. Why? Because 90-95% of people who speak English have learned it in Russia without studying abroad!

The main thing that the language environment gives us is great speaking practice, that is, the ability to communicate everywhere in English. Earlier, as I wrote at the beginning of the article, everyone studied according to the classical method, where this practice was almost nonexistent.

Now it is easy to find conversational courses in Moscow or in another city where speaking practice makes up most of the training time (80%, for example, like ours). The main thing is that there is a lot of this practice, the methodology is effective, and the classes themselves take place as often as possible (3-5 times a week). Such training will allow you to train your “speaking” skill without leaving and start communicating in English.

So if you cannot afford to study a language abroad, this does not mean that you will never speak it.

Yes, the learning process will be a little slower than taking English courses abroad, since after class you will return to your native language. But with enough practice and the right teaching method, you will be able to speak English in a short time in Russia.

What education abroad can give

Cutting-edge scientific developments and technology startups, work in the best companies and the opportunity to travel around the world - education abroad opens many new doors. And that's why.

1. High level of training

The best schools and universities in the world operate in the USA, Europe and some Asian countries. Diplomas from most Russian universities say little to a foreign employer - unlike a diploma from the Sorbonne, Cambridge, or MIT. There are also lesser-known educational institutions with an excellent reputation: Louisiana State University has the best courses in the world in financial audit and the oil industry, and the University of Massachusetts Boston has one of the top business schools. Some subjects can be studied at the university level already at school. Private schools employ the best teachers: at St. Johnsbury Academy, for example, 70% of teachers have degrees from Brown, Harvard, Dartmouth and Johns Hopkins.

2. Affordable internships and excellent career prospects

Education abroad is the first step towards building a vibrant international career. Foreign universities cooperate with the world's leading companies: from Washington State University you can go for internships at Boeing, Microsoft and Amazon.com, and from Goldsmiths University of London - to Yahoo! and the BBC. Students of the Les Roches Institute receive an average of 3 internship invitations per semester and, after graduation, easily find work in the best companies in the industry. Graduates of the Italian Polimoda Institute in 88% of cases find work within six months after graduation - and not just anywhere, but in Dior, Cavalli and Giorgio Armani.

Robotics Classes, Florida International University

3. Specialties that are (almost) not taught in Russia

Business education, game design and multimedia, alternative energy and neurobiology - these areas are still underdeveloped or not developed at all in Russian universities. In terms of laboratory equipment and proximity to the cutting edge of science, foreign universities are far ahead of ours. For example, UMass Lowell University, which is part of MIT, has unique scientific programs in engineering in plastic and meteorology, France's L'Institut Superieur des Arts Appliques is engaged in the creation of multimedia and digital art, and students of The University of Illinois in Chicago conduct experiments in bioengineering.

4. Education for life

If in Russia schoolchildren and students master a lot of theoretical knowledge, in the USA and European countries there is a different approach. Here the main goal of education is benefit, not erudition, status or diploma. Everyone pays attention not only to the grades, but also to how you are going to apply your knowledge. Students of Hult International Business School already during their studies create projects for the socio-economic development of regions - the winner of the competition receives $ 1 million to implement their ideas. And one of the students at the University of Central Florida recently founded the Limbitless Solutions project and is now creating bionic prostheses for disabled children right at the university.

5. Flexible system for choosing a specialty

In the high school of an American school, students can create their own curriculum and prepare in advance for admission. You can study programming, statistics, business, painting and much more: the child has everything to try his hand at a variety of activities. For example, British Lincoln Academy students conduct marine research, digital media and engineering projects. Even after entering the university, you can change your specialty in any year of study - or just listen to the most interesting courses at neighboring faculties.

Education abroad is needed not only for building a successful career. It teaches you not to be afraid of failure, to correctly prioritize and look at the world wider.

Provides you with 18 reasons why you should study abroad.

18. This is one of the best ways to explore a new place and culture. A tourist who has arrived in another country on a two-week vacation will never be able to feel this place as much as a person staying there for a long time.

17. Forced to take care of yourself in a foreign country, you will learn to be confident, independent and self-sufficient

16. Having received an education abroad, you will immediately improve your resume, because at interviews when applying for a job
the employer tries to choose people who studied in another country

15. You will be able to study new disciplines that are not available at your home university

14. You will make friends. Of the hundreds of new people you meet, some may become your lifelong friends.

13. Perhaps while studying abroad, you will meet the love of your life.

12. You can learn new languages \u200b\u200bwith minimal effort. It is much easier to learn a language by using it during
talking with your friends

11. There is a chance to make new contacts that will help you in the future in your career.

10. You will discover a lot of new things in local cuisine. And, perhaps, some national dishes will become your favorites

9. You will be able to learn much better about yourself in a new environment (your strengths and weaknesses)

8. After you get the experience of living in a foreign country, you will have no fear of building your career in another country.

7. Studying abroad shouldn't be as expensive as you imagine. If you use all bonuses
for international students and scholarships in order to cover your expenses, you will find that being abroad for a semester will not lead you to bankruptcy

6. Touching upon financial issues, it can be added that you can use your free time in order to find a part-time job for your further travel

5. You will have many opportunities to visit famous tourist spots

4. You will be able to greatly improve your communication skills, since you will constantly need to meet new people

3. A good way to find out who your real friend is from your home country. Do they continue to communicate with you when you are this far.

2. This is a good opportunity to start your travel blog.

1. Once you have adapted to your new environment, you can safely invite your family or friends and show them your "new home"

We're going to study. The main pros and cons of studying abroad

The fact that the level of education in Russia leaves much to be desired is an indisputable fact for many of us - domestic universities are losing positions in international rankings, bribery is flourishing in a number of educational institutions, and diplomas of Russian institutions are not quoted everywhere. Against this sad background, more and more applicants are considering the possibility of studying abroad, but not many can afford it and not always for financial reasons. In order for yesterday's students to have an idea of \u200b\u200bwhat awaits them in foreign educational institutions, AiF.ru, with the support of the WeStudy.In project, decided to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of education abroad.

Pros of education abroad:

1. Status and prestige

A graduate with a "crust" of a foreign university, applying for a solid vacancy in a well-known company with a worldwide reputation, in most cases has a better chance of getting this position than a graduate of a Russian university.

2. Unusual experience

The teaching methodology in most foreign universities differs in many respects from the Russian one. For many young people, education abroad will be an unusual and interesting practice.

3. Improving the language

Without knowledge of a foreign language today, nowhere, and it's no secret that the easiest way to learn a language is by communicating with native speakers. While studying at a foreign educational institution, students communicate daily with teachers and peers, improving and honing their knowledge of the language.

4. Working with the latest equipment

The technical equipment of many Russian universities is seriously inferior to foreign ones. In foreign educational institutions, you can work in the latest laboratories and on the best equipment.

5. Practice

Attracting students for internships in large, prestigious companies in Russia is a rather rare phenomenon, while Western firms are actively using this practice. As a student of a foreign university, you will have a good chance of completing an internship at a world famous organization and staying there, showing good results.

6. Communication

Getting an education abroad is perfect for extroverts who cannot live without communication and new acquaintances. Abroad, you can make friends with students from different countries and get acquainted with the culture of different nations.

7. Independence

Education in another country, with its own traditions and mentality, is certainly more independent - as practice shows, children living separately from their parents grow up faster. Agree that it is much easier for an independent person to adapt to any situation and solve various problems. This quality will undoubtedly come in handy in the future.

You can choose a training program on the WeStudy.In project

Cons of studying abroad

1. Financial question

Prices for training in foreign universities are still higher than in Russian educational institutions. Add to this the rent for housing (not all institutions provide a hostel for students) and the cost of flights to and from Russia.

2. Visa bureaucracy

Not all foreign educational institutions are ready to deal with the issue of obtaining visas for Russians, so this problem falls on the shoulders of the students themselves, who sometimes have to travel home every six months to renew their documents.

3. The language barrier

If you want to study abroad, but your knowledge of a foreign language is lame, it is best to improve it. Otherwise, you may face a lack of understanding of the educational process, which will quickly lead to chronic academic failure.

4. Difficulties with documents

In order to go to study abroad, it is not enough just desire and financial capabilities - parents and applicants will have a long "red tape" with the translation of Russian education documents

5. Difficulties with adaptation

Living in another state for almost all yesterday's schoolchildren is an unexpected adventure, but do not forget about the process of adaptation to a new place of residence and a new education system. This process can last from several weeks to several months, so psychologists do not recommend conservatives to study abroad.

6. Strict discipline

In foreign universities, a special discipline is built in which all violations are punished, and bribery is completely absent. If a student does not appear in class, even for valid reasons, the teachers do not make any concessions. Needless to say, how are truants treated? Russian students are often not ready for such a discipline and often get used to it during more than one session.