— 1 Nov 2022, 09:29:00 by Nigel English
Our Château team are doing just that! In Autumn 2023, our experienced animateur team is taking over the beautiful Dearne Valley residential centre in the South Yorkshire countryside to deliver our tried and tested French language immersion programme.
As French language immersion specialists, we know how valuable this kind of experience is. Our friends at Voyager School Travel share this fundamental belief and as founder Nigel English explains: “We believe that immersion is the most effective way to learn a language."
"While a trip to France may be best for language learning, we believe that we can replicate our tried and tested immersion experience here in the UK. This gives everyone the opportunity for high quality language learning without the overseas travel."
Ideal for a year 5 or 6 residential with added educational value, or a French refresher for year 7s, this UK-based experience eliminates some of the logistical elements of travelling to France while retaining the educational benefits of our unique language learning programme.
In our survey of MFL teachers, three quarters of respondents said they would be interested in the idea of a language immersion experience in the UK. Paramount to a UK-based language programme, they said, was an authentic experience with French-native instructors, which is where we excel.
With the benefit of years of practice with school groups, our native French team will give students the same French school trip experience as our France-based programmes. As they do at Château de la Baudonnière, our animateurs will lead the super-fun activities such as archery, kayaking and climbing as well as mealtimes, workbooks and downtime - all in French. The only difference is that your group will be in Yorkshire!
We have been providing immersion programmes in France since 1997 and see firsthand the progress students make in their confidence, fluency and understanding of the language after only one week at our centres. Our French immersion trips are unique in the way that we have our own team of trained and experienced French-native animateurs to engage students and encourage dialogue and discussion in a meaningful, supportive and fun environment.
We're serious about the educational outcomes of your trip and our team will coax the best out of even the shyest of your French learners. By using their French in a 'real-world' setting students quickly see the benefits of learning a second language and, after just a few hours on our programme, will delight in the experience of understanding, and being understood in, a different language.
Based on our hugely popular language immersion programme at our centres in Normandy, we are offering three- and five-day 'French school trips' in the UK where we will engage your students in an-action packed itinerary of activities and tasks.
To ensure that each student gets individual attention and opportunity to communicate fully, groups size kept to a maximum of 12 and teachers take a back seat as our animateurs take over from morning until night. Our unique programme is conducted wholly in French and begins the moment you arrive with a range of indoor and outdoor adventurous activities, water sports, games, a quiz, bread-making, meals and initiative exercises.
As a residential, this programme is a great opportunity to offer the traditional residential school trip with the added value of French language immersion. Not only will students have the opportunity to develop resilience, make friends and try lots of new activities, they work on their French fluency and confidence in a fun and encouraging setting. The perfect combination of a UK residential and French school trip!
Our 2023 French immersion UK pop up will be held at the former Earth Centre, in South Yorkshire. A stunning site on the banks of the River Don, Dearne Valley provides a purpose-built school activity facility within easy reach of the A1(M). Student accommodation is dormitory style and close by are the party leader en-suite bedrooms and private lounge.
We have limited availability for September 2023 so email our UK team today to secure your place: carole@the-chateau.com
