What would an English language immersion camp look like in Russia? Lara Ravitch and her team are on a mission to find out. Through an exchange with Forest Camp in Zadonsk, Russia, the staff of Lesnoe Ozero are working to improve the cultural experience for language immersion campers on both sides of the world.
Myths abound about how, for adults, it’s “too late” to learn a second language. Kari Berit outlines how, with the right environment and mindset, adult learners can indeed be successful language learners.
Here are good reads from around the globe that have caught our attention for the month of June.
What does it mean when learners make funny “mistakes” in their new language? Valerie “Magna” Borey suggests that language play and humor reveal developing insights into the communicative process and give learners a chance to share these insights with others.
Everyday problems and challenges provide valuable chances for language learners. Mundane, unpredictable interactions like asking for more bread, dealing with incorrect change, or issuing an invitation to play are all opportunities to take language instruction out of the classroom and ‘into the wild’ of real life in another country. Heidi Hamilton discusses how learning ‘in the wild’ can benefit all language learners, from young Concordia villagers to adult international migrant communities.
