In order to best take advantage of this interactive experience, you will need a reliable internet connection and a computer with access to a microphone, speakers and webcam; headphones are recommended but not required. Use of Chromebooks are not recommended as you cannot access all the features of the Virtual Village platform. High school credit villagers will access Google Classroom to submit assignments. As a program of Concordia College, we are coordinating our efforts with the college so that all virtual platforms will have the necessary and appropriate security features to protect the privacy of users, including compliance with FERPA and COPPA.

Just like in the residential programs at the Language Villages, the Virtual Village experience aims to be as immersive as possible. Instruction will be in the language you are learning. We will share some helpful strategies for learning in a virtual immersion environment at the beginning of the session. In the event that there are significant technical or other unforeseen issues, English may be used sparingly to get us back on track.

You can sign up for these sessions one week at a time. Sessions will focus on basic patterns of language appropriate for different proficiency levels and will draw on real-life, culturally authentic situations (walking in the woods, creating arts and crafts, etc.).

One-week sessions will provide approximately two hours per day of virtual instruction and one hour per day of offline activity for five days, Monday-Friday, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Central. The Village staff will provide you with a detailed schedule of meeting times at the beginning of the session, but please make sure that you are available for synchronous programming between these hours. The exact timing of the two hours is not set; we will make every effort to accommodate requests for specific timings from those in different time zones.

The focus in the one-week session is primarily on understanding and engaging in conversations in fun and captivating ways. You will participate in cultural experiences and activities and projects such as artwork and cooking. While you may spend some time reading and writing in your Village language, the primary goal is to develop confidence in speaking the language you’re learning.

Yes, we encourage you to try another language or continue in the same language! Typically, the activities offered in a Virtual Village vary from week to week.

Your virtual session counselors will be a mix of classroom teachers, native speakers and college students or recent graduates with significant experience abroad. Many counselors were also villagers for many years.

Adult Class programs are focused on developing your language skills through formal instruction, held for one hour twice per week. Adult Conversation programs are focused on developing your language skills through informal conversational practice, held for one hour one day each week. Schedules are determined by the program leader, and participants are placed in groups based on proficiency.

Not at all! Parents/guardians do not need to have any previous experience with language learning and are not expected to provide language support at home. They do, however, need to provide encouragement and a good environment for learning, ensure regular attendance and purchase any necessary supplies prior to the first meeting day. A supply list will be provided in advance. Additionally, parents/guardians will need to sign a consent form for participation in the program and agree together to an appropriate code of conduct that we will have in place.