Less is More in Language Schools Abroad

Most people start out very ambitious when planning to study a language abroad. It's certainly good to be an ambitious student. It's another thing when the language school comes off as being ambitious. This usually indicates that the school is motivated for one thing-money.

While all language schools want to earn money-they are, after all, businesses-overly-ambitious schools appear to give the student more, but, actually, the student may be doing more but learning less.

How do you know if a language school is overambitious? Sometimes you don't find out until you've paid the tuition and enter the classroom in the country you've chosen to learn in. But ask questions beforehand and you might be able to avoid the following problems:

1. Tired Teachers-Most language schools run from around 9 AM to 2:30 PM. Almost all are finished-even with private lessons-by 4 PM. Watch out for a language school that offers late afternoon or evening hours. It's not a convenience for the student; it's a moneymaker for the school. Schools that have lessons that run until 7 PM are using teachers who have been working since 9 AM. These teachers are exhausted. The school stretches them to the limit and by the time they get to your evening class, they are already wiped out by having taught three or four classes before yours. These schools make money by offering more classes and using fewer teachers to teach them.

2. Late Classes-Most often you don't find out your schedule or teacher until you arrive at the language school. So it you find out that your lessons start at 1:30 PM and go until 7 PM, imagine what that will be like if you were expecting morning classes. Most students make studying abroad part of a holiday. And most students plan on taking their classes in the morning or early afternoon and then taking off to go to the beach (as in Malta where I teach) or to go sight seeing. At a former school where I taught, many students had a full day of sun and fun in the morning and then had to face a full afternoon of classes. By the time they found out, nothing could-or would-be done even after they protested. All this turmoil might have been avoided if the students had inquired beforehand about what their schedule would be like before they arrived in Malta.

3. Over-Filled Classes-If your class runneth over with students, you are being ripped off by your language school. Good schools have a maximum of eight students per class-especially for students in the higher levels of English. These are considered intensive classes. Schools may offer--at the most--less intensive general classes of 12 to 15 students. If your school doesn't have enough room for you in a class, the school should start another class for you with a teacher--even if you're the only student for a few days. If your school tries to push you in as one more student, remind them of the limit they promised on their website.

Your best bet is to find all this out before you sign up with a language school abroad. Call and specifically ask the following:

1. Do you have afternoon or evening classes?
2. If your class is filled, can I still get into it?
3. Can I stay with the same teacher in the morning and evening classes?

If the answer to these questions is yes, then you say no to the school and find a better one that thinks a little about its students--and not just its profits.

Ilene Springer lives and teaches EFL in Malta and is author of An-American-in-Malta.com.