Check the articles on the benefits of learning languages abroad

For N. Lewis inLanguage benefits the 16/11/2020

6 Factors to Consider When Choosing Which Language to Learn

We are often advised to learn a second language by our teachers, families, and peers. If you’ve never learned a language before, the usual recommendation is to focus on learning one first, just until you’re familiar with the language learning process. But if there are several that have caught your attention, how do you decide which one to choose? Compare the languages you’re interested in with the guide below to identify the one that may be better for you to focus on for now.

How Much Time Do You Have to Study?

If you don’t have much free time to dedicate to studying, then choose a language that is similar to your native tongue. It will take less time for you to become comfortable using a new language if it has linguistic features or vocabulary with which you’re already familiar. An excellent choice is something in the same language family or one that is closely related. Languages that are massively different to your native one will require more time and dedication from you to reach basic functionality, and it will take even longer to become fluent. For example, it would take native English speakers longer to learn Mandarin than French.

What Employment Opportunities Are There?

Some languages are more in demand than others, depending on your career goals. If there’s a specific industry you want to work in, you may find that the major employers based in a different country to your own. In this case, it would be beneficial for you to find out what languages these companies do most of their business activities in and which locations you would likely be working from if you joined them. Travel, hospitality, and international relations are some of the major industry sectors that seek to recruit multilingual individuals. For some roles, they offer it may even be a requirement to speak more than one language fluently, rather than just a bonus or advantage.

What Languages Are Used Where You Live?

Languages spoken in your local area are good ones to learn, especially if you don’t currently have any plans to travel the world at some point. It will be easier for you to find people to practice with and you’ll get more use out of the language in your day-to-day life.

Availability of Suitable Learning Resources

You need to be able to get hold of learning materials that can teach the language to you, such as pronunciation guides, video lectures, and phrase books. For popular languages, there will be lots of books and courses to choose from, but there might not be much choice for regional or smaller languages. If you’re learning a language for the first time, it is usually better to choose a language that has a large selection of learning resources. That way you can experiment with different learning materials to discover which ones you learn from best.

Access to Native Speakers and Materials

Thanks to the internet it is much easier nowadays to get hold of materials written in a language you are trying to learn, even if you don’t live near a dedicated bookstore or in a country that uses your target language. The general idea is that you want to seek out content initially written in the language you are learning so that you expose yourself to it as much as possible. Ideally, you should try to practice your speaking skills regularly with native speakers too, which is easier to arrange if you have friends or relatives that can help you with this. But again, the internet is an excellent resource for finding native speakers if you don’t know any.

Personal Interest

If you have a compelling reason to use your target language, then you are more likely to stay engaged in the language learning process and not give up when you hit a difficult patch. For example, you might want to be able to read an author’s novels in their original language or understand your favorite television shows without subtitles. Another common reason people decide to learn a specific language is that they are planning to travel through a region where the people speak it.

Ultimately which language you learn first is up to you, even if it doesn’t meet all the criteria above. If it’s the one you find most inspiring, then go for it!

Author: N. Lewis

Once you’ve decided which language would you like to start learning, the best option to learn it is to take an abroad language course. Discover the benefits of studying abroad and make your dreams come true with Ynsitu, your best website to compare through all the different types of courses, languages, schools, desitinations and acommodations!

For Alberto inLanguage benefits the 29/10/2020

7 ways to teach your children a foreign language

Learning a second language from an early age is an invaluable gift that will be useful for your children throughout their whole life. Not only does a second native-level language look good on the CV for every job your child will want to choose, but the benefits also start way before children are old enough to have to worry about applications!

Learning languages while the brain is still developing is beneficial for being able to recognize patterns and structures and will therefore help your child even in subjects that are not necessarily strictly language-related. Additionally, children who grow up bilingually tend to be more compassionate towards others and display a greater tolerance for other cultures as well as openness for new experiences. Employed with the confidence that comes with being able to communicate in two languages, your children will be less likely to shy away from challenges than their monolingual peers.

If you are ready to raise an understanding, intelligent, and curious child, here are seven tips to help you get started:

1) Start As Early As Possible

The earlier you start teaching your child a foreign language, the easier it will be for them to reach a high level of fluency. You might have noticed that it is much harder for you to learn a second language as an adult as it was when you were still in school. This is because the language center of the brain of a child is still developing, so it can more easily incorporate the structure and grammar of a foreign language into its understanding of the world. It is best when you start teaching your child a foreign language at the same time as it starts learning to communicate in its native language. Being raised bilingually has a lot of benefits both with regards to the child’s personality development and its professional success in adulthood.

2) Connect with Native Speakers

If you are fluent in a foreign language yourself, this is of course the ideal starting point for raising your child bilingually. Even if you are not bilingual yourself, there are a lot of ways you can support contact with native speakers. You can hire a foreign nanny or au pair and encourage them to talk to your child in their native language. Other than that, you can invite foreign children and their parents over for playdates or maybe even establish a language learning group with a bunch of families from your child’s kindergarten. In this way, not only will your children learn a new language, but they can also form friendships that can last for a long time.

3) Offer Encouragement and Motivation

Learning a second language requires a lot of motivation, support and patience from parents. Be aware that your child is undergoing highly complex mental processes and do not expect fluency too quickly. Trust in the benefits of praise and encouragement rather than in strict rules and punishment. Children that grow and learn in a supportive and safe atmosphere are proven to not only become more confident people but also better learners when it comes to any subject in school or other activities.

4) Immerse your Child in Media in the Target Language

Present your child with child-oriented books and movies in the language you are teaching. You will notice especially good progress when you use books or movies the children already know to encourage them to immerse themselves in the target language. With a story that your child already is familiar with it will be easier to figure out what is happening. Thus, children can immediately connect with well-loved characters and follow the plot without getting frustrated or confused. It is excellent both for child development and for the connection between parents and children to read books out loud on a regular basis – make it a tradition to incorporate a number of foreign language children’s books into your reading sessions!

It is also always a good idea to play songs in a foreign language – even when they are just background music, your children will subconsciously learn a lot about pronunciation and intonation.

5) Play Games in the Target Language

Children learn best when they are not even aware that they are learning. This is why teaching with the help of games is always a great idea. You can order board games in the target language If your children enjoy board games, you can order them online in different languages, most well-known games have been translated into a variety of languages.

But you do not have to spend a lot of money on games, you can just as easily integrate the second language in your child’s indoor and outdoor games with its friends or siblings – make it a challenge for the children to only use their second language when playing hide and seek, hopscotch, or doing crafts.

6) Utilize Language Learning Software

There is a lot of language learning software on the market that has been developed specifically to help children learn. Virtual games and quizzes will keep your children engaging with content in their target language, which is especially practical for parents that are on a busy schedule and cannot always talk to their children. Because of its often game-like approaches, software like this will have your children forgetting that they are even studying.

7) Look for Outside Resources

More and more parents are discovering the benefits of raising bilingual children, and due to this demand, there are a lot of resources to support you in reaching this goal. Consider sending your child to a bilingual school or kindergarten or letting it join a bilingual extra-curricular activity. A lot of schools offer drama classes in foreign languages, foreign language choirs, or conversation groups.

Once your children have achieved a certain level of fluency, simply speaking their second language at home might not be enough for them. Ynsitu offers access to many quality courses abroad which will help your children learn to work on their language skills, broaden their horizons, and make new experiences.

For Laura inLanguage benefits the 26/10/2020

The Best Countries To Learn Spanish Abroad

Do you want to learn Spanish? Going abroad is the best way to do so! Go abroad to a Spanish-speaking country, immerse yourself in that culture and language. You will gain more than you ever would from an online course. Traveling to a Spanish-speaking country, and enrolling for a language course in that country, would be very beneficial to you. You will receive a wide array of experience, knowledge, and hands-on-practice in learning a new language. There is no better way to learn a new language than going abroad and doing it there!

Don’t know where to start? Don’t worry, because Ynsitu is there for you! It’s a website where you can choose which country you want to go. Ynsitu will do the rest. We will provide you with the best places to stay and the best Spanish course you could take, all according to your convenience. Go through this article and send an application to Ynsitu.

Do you live in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, or Asia? Then the best countries you could go to learn Spanish is in South America.

Here are four cities which are the best for learning Spanish in South America:

Argentina

Buenos Aires

Take your tango and Spanish-speaking skills to the next level by studying Spanish in Buenos Aires. This city is often called the “Paris of South America.” You will find a host of other travelers and many language teachers who would be more than happy to teach you Spanish.

The economy in Buenos Aires is so friendly that you can stay at a place that does not cross your budget.

There are so many Spanish language schools and courses for you to pick. Finding a place that suits your need will not be hard for you in this city at all.

Obviously, you will not spend all your time in the classroom, will you? The city is a thriving hotspot for music, food, and art. This is the best way for you to immerse yourself in the culture and learn the Spanish language.

Cordoba

Cordoba is a city to the north-west of Buenos Aires. It is smaller and more intimate than Buenos Aires. The city is located in the foothills of Sierra Chicas on a river, yet the sot of living and course fees is lower than in Buenos Aires.

This historical city is the best place for you to learn Spanish. It is a hub thriving with students from all over the world. It also has a thriving nightlife. You could visit numerous clubs, restaurants, and cute little coffee shops. The large student population gives the city a very dynamic cultural and social life.

As a language student, you can enjoy the movies, art exhibits, and the folk performances that happen in Cordoba. This city is packed with museums, galleries, and theaters. A great opportunity for you to go there, make local friends, immerse yourself, and learn Spanish in this bustling city.

Columbia

Bogota

Bogota is the country’s capital. It is a historic city flooded with cultural diversity. The Spanish accent in this city is also very easy for you to pick up!

The expenses are pretty low in Bogota. You will enjoy your stay in this city because of the amazing climate. You can go around the city and visit historical and cultural sites. Buses are very cheap here, and well-connected across the city. Stay in Bogota and learn Spanish from scratch or refine your skills. Immerse yourself and gain some exciting experiences!

Medellin

This city is surrounded by mountains. At night, while practicing your Spanish, you can witness the beautiful sparkling lights.

You can also take a break and go sight-seeing. You can go to El Penon and do some hiking there. From the top, you can see beautiful views, including a very beautiful lake. You could also visit the Columbian town called Gautape. It is a colorful town and a good place for you to interact with the people and refine your Spanish-speaking skills. Also called the “City of Eternal Spring,” this city has the best climate for your study.

During the weekend, you can take a break and visit vibrant nightclubs and bars. Medellin was also named as the “Most Innovative City” in 2013. Visit historical architecture and learn the history of this city while learning and perfecting your Spanish!

Do you live in Europe, or the western parts of Asia? If you do, Spain is a county that is close to you, the best country for you to learn Spanish!

The Spanish that you will learn in Spain is different from the Spanish in South America, but once you learn it, you will be understood in all Spanish-speaking countries.

Salamanca

Here is a very valid reason you should go to Salamanca to learn Spanish. The people here speak Spanish with a classic Castilian accent, which is most easily understood in Spain.

Salamanca is also an important university city where thousands of international students study. It is a young, tolerant, and safe city where you will find like-minded students to enjoy academics and leisure activities too.

You can find Spanish-speaking schools very easily in this city. The city has a high number of Spanish-speaking schools, 16% of the county’s total market goes into teaching Spanish.

Salamanca is cheaper than bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, even though there are lesser things to do.

Granada

Do you want a more challenging experience to learn Spanish? Then Granada is the city for you! People in Granada speak Andalusian Spanish, and the dialect has noticeable differences from Castilian Spanish. People here speak with a strong accent, so you probably would want to learn Spanish here only after you have already mastered the basics.

Granada is a city that is filled with ancient structures built as far back as the 1200s. You will be able to visit historical chapels, mosques from the Arabic dynasty, and museums. You can also go to the huge and enchanted castles and write about your experience in Spanish! The Alhambra is such a palace that is also an enclosed town, brimming with beautiful scenery all around.

Madrid

Madrid is the capital and multicultural city of Spain. Around 130,000 students of Spanish visit Madrid each year. You have an amazing collection of Spanish schools to choose from. Each of the 179 municipalities in Madrid has eye-catching destinations to visit. There are numerous UNESCO Work Heritage Sites also.

Madrid is a city that is pure art. Avant-garde artists from around the world have chosen Madrid as their Backdrop. You can also see the masterpieces of artists like Goya and Picasso himself!

Bored and tired of studying? Madrid has a booming nightlife. It has the largest leisure offering in Europe, and maybe you could go a whole night sight-seeing the city.

Barcelona

Barcelona is the second-largest city in Spain in terms of population. Ninety-eight percent of the people here speak Spanish either as their first language or their second language. Barcelona also gives you the unique opportunity of learning Catalan along with Spanish.

Even though Catalan is a prominent language spoken in Barcelona, you will find street signs, radio stations, and even television channels that are in Spanish. What better way to immerse yourself in the language?

Barcelona is a beautiful country with countless tourist attractions, a unique culture, and a pleasant climate. It is also well-connected by a modern Tram system, metro, and taxi services.

Barcelona has been named the “City of Literature” since 2015 by UNESCO Creative Cities Network. You could also visit the Gothic quarter of Barcelona, home to architecture from Medieval times. In addition to this, there are numerous World Heritage sites, and the Sagrada Familia is such a site that must visit. Make sure to practice your Spanish while you ask for directions and interact with the people in the city.

The longer you stay in a country to learn Spanish, the better it will be for you! You would want to stay for at least three months. This is because it will give you so much more exposure than doing a Spanish course online. You will gain a solid foundation in the language in theory, but mostly in actual practice. You will also gain the confidence to interact and make friends with Spanish-speaking people. Going abroad is a totally different experience, something that you are likely never to forget.

Ynsitu is the best website for you to select the country that you want to go to learn Spanish. Go through this article, do some research about the best countries that you select, and apply to Ynsitu. Your journey begins here!

Once you have decided what country is the best for you, it is the time to know what is the best acommodation option! Click here to know more.

For Joel inLanguage benefits the 21/10/2020

Teaching English as a Foreign Language: The Stages of a Good Lesson

Knowing and implementing the basic stages of a good foreign language lesson can make the difference between a lesson that is fun and rewarding, and one that you’ll quickly want to forget. Of course, not every lesson will run as perfectly as you hoped but by planning it around these five basic stages you give your students the maximum opportunity to learn. In addition, you’ll find that both you and your students enjoy the time you spend in class.

The warmer

A warmer is simply a five minute game or fun activity to begin the lesson. It relaxes the class and prepares them for the lesson to come as well as giving latecomers a chance to take their seats! “Categories” is a simple, fun warmer that should be in every language teacher’s repertoire.

To conduct this warmer divide the class into three or four groups and tell everyone the category, for example, “Animals.” Each group has to, in turn, tell you the name of an animal. Any group that cannot think of an animal within 5 seconds, is out and the game continues without them. Continue until only one group, the winners, remain. Give this group one point and move on to another category.

The presentation

Your presentation of a new language point is one of the most important stages of the lesson. It is here that you introduce the students to a language point by presenting it to them in an appropriate context. For example, if you are teaching the present perfect continuous tense, you may present this language by showing the class a picture of an unhappy man who has very red, peeling skin.

You can now ask the class a series of questions such as, “What can you see?” “Is he happy?” “Why isn’t he happy?” You are trying to prompt the students, or more likely one student, to produce the sentence, “He has been sunbathing.” Be encouraging and positive throughout this process. When a student eventually produces the correct sentence ask him or her to repeat it aloud for the class.

Produce a new picture highlighting the same structure and start the process once again. Continue until you are confident that most of the class can produce this language reasonably well. You might choose at this point to highlight the grammar involved on a whiteboard.

The practice

It is now time to consolidate the language you presented. One oft-used practice exercise is the gap-fill. Put the students into pairs and issue them a number of pictures illustrating the language point you are teaching and accompanied by appropriate sentences but with one or more words missing. If you are teaching the present continuous tense, for example, a picture of a dog barking might be accompanied by the sentence, “A dog is barking loudly,” but with one word omitted. Students work in their pairs to complete their sentences. Circulate as the groups work, giving help and encouragement where it is necessary. When most of the groups have finished stop the activity and ask each group to read some of their sentences to the class.

The production

This is an opportunity for your students to use the language they have been learning, in a less controlled situation. Just one example of a production activity that you can use for the past simple tense is to divide the class into groups of three or four. Issue each group with a set of index cards. On each card should be a prompt, appropriate to the language level of your students, that encourages past simple usage.

For example, “Tell the group about a time you were really scared.” Encourage other members of each group to ask questions of the student who is speaking. Note mistakes, as well as examples of good sentences, to write on the board once the activity is finished. You can then encourage the class to correct grammatically incorrect sentences themselves and correctly identify good sentences.

The cooler

The cooler is very similar to the warmer – a five or ten minute activity to relax everyone after a hard lesson’s work. It also ensures that everyone leaves the class with a smile on his or her face looking forwards to the next class. “Twenty Questions” is a fun game which practices question forms. One student thinks of a famous person and the class have twenty Yes/ No questions to find out who it is. For example, “Is this person a man?” “Is this person over 40 years old?” and so on.

While not every lesson need follow the stages outlined above exactly, they are an extremely valuable default. Knowing these basic stages of a foreign language lesson, and implementing these stages on a regular basis, is essential to effectively teach a foreign language class.

Autor: Joel

From Ynsitu, you will have access to a series of language courses abroad where you can highly improve your level, don’t miss out!

For H.K Nunzio inLanguage benefits the 19/10/2020

Learning a Language Abroad: Five Reasons to Study Spanish in Buenos Aires

If you’re deciding where to study Spanish, don’t overlook Buenos Aires, Argentina. Here are five reasons why Buenos Aires is a great place to study abroad.

Take Classes with Argentine Students

Buenos Aires has many universities, so you can take courses from many different departments including literature, history, economics, politics, and culture of Latin America and the Caribbean. Studying abroad in Buenos Aires will not only hone your Spanish language skills, but it will enable you to combine studying relevant issues in Argentina with real world experience. You won’t just learn about the Madres de la Plaza de Mayo—you’ll meet the women who worked tirelessly to find information about their missing children. You won’t just study the economic issues in Buenos Aires—you’ll understand the first time that you receive hard candies instead of real change.

Learn a Different Kind of Spanish

If you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires and you travel to other Spanish-speaking countries, don’t be surprised if people can guess right away where your accent comes from. Argentines speak differently based on the region that they are from, much like the United States. In Buenos Aires, the pronunciation is a little different (“ll” or “y” makes the “sh” sound, for example), and they use the “voseo” form (which means they use “vos” instead of “tu”). You’ll still be able to understand and be understood regardless of how you learned Spanish. Why is this a reason to study abroad in Buenos Aires? You’ll be a more flexible Spanish speaker. Voseo is used in Central America, parts of Mexico, and the Philippines.

Develop a Sense of Cultural Sensitivity

You’ll learn that not every Argentine dances tango, that public transportation will sometimes come to a standstill because there’s another demonstration in the street, that the people who offer to clean the mustard off your shirt are the same ones who squirted it and intend to rob you, and that stoplights are merely a suggestion. Everyone’s study abroad experience in Buenos Aires is different, but you’ll learn more about the world outside your own country, and hopefully more about yourself.

The Food

If the words empanada, choripan, lomito, bife de chorizo, or dulce de leche don’t mean much to you, they certainly will! Buenos Aires is not known for its spicy food, but they have cuts of meat that will make you salivate just thinking about them. You can go to a traditional restaurant and get juicy steak, sausage, intestines, and more cooked to perfection. Don’t forget to add some chimchurri, which is a garlic and oil sauce. There is also gourmet ice cream on just about every street, with tropical fruit flavors and rich chocolate flavors alike.

The Price Tag

Buenos Aires is a very industrialized city, but you’ll still pay about a quarter for the subway, a few dollars for lunch, and tuition at Argentine universities is much cheaper than in the United States. If finances are a concern but you still want to learn Spanish, for example, Buenos Aires has the feel of a European city with the living cost of a South American city. You won’t just watch Argentine tango on the streets for free—you’ll have to opportunity to see a show and take lessons at an affordable price.

If you are committed to academic success but also have a keen sense of cultural curiosity, don’t confine your learning to textbooks. Buenos Aires is an interactive city with a rich culture and history. Studying in Buenos Aires is an experience you’ll never forget.

Author: H.K. Nunzio

Search and compare different courses and make your dreams come true through Ynsitu!

We show you too what is the best type of accommodation to live your adventure.

For marketing inLanguage benefits the 09/10/2020

13 benefits of studying abroad

If you have the possibility to study abroad, don’t hesitate to do so even if you think you do not have enough language level. It’s one of the best experiences you can have and at the same time, you enrich yourself as a person and benefit your future.

In case you haven’t decided yet to take the step to start your course abroad, in this blog we present 13 benefits of studying abroad and that can help you to decide it:

1) Learn and master a language: Studying abroad will make you able to speak a certain language fluently. Not only you’ll learn it in class, but you’ll practice and develop it every time you communicate with others. In this way, your language skills will be exceptionally increased.

2) Gain independence: Leaving your comfort zone, not living with your family, will make you more independent. You’ll need it to be able to manage and organize yourself and you’ll learn to defend yourself.

3) More maturity: This experience will involve somehow changing in your lifestyle. You’ll gain maturity by starting to do things for yourself and valuing your day-to-day life and you’ll appreciate more the cost of things.

4) Personal growth: You’ll develop new skills and improve others quickly. Your self-esteem will also be increased, as you’ll be more confident in handling the language and getting to know and interact with new people without any problems.

5) Boost your career: You’ll be eligible for a better job future and have more experience. Today, competitiveness is very high, so it can serve as a differentiating factor from the rest and this will be able to open doors for you to achieve your professional goals.

6) Improve CV: Studying abroad will certainly make your resume stand out from the crowd. Mastering more than one language, acquiring certain skills, or showing that you’re a flexible person will increase interest in hiring you.

7) New international friendships: This experience gives you the unique opportunity to meet people from different countries and cultures, which will help you to be able to relate and enrich yourself as a person. They’ll be people whose friendship you can always take with you.

8) Increase network of contacts: As with friendships, it gives you the opportunity to engage with many people and open your sights. You will be able to meet interesting people for your personal and professional future.

9) New culture and gastronomy: Being anywhere let you discover new cultures and cuisines that will allow you to enjoy unique moments and above all, to learn and cultivate yourself. Furthermore, when you got home, you’ll be the star of the kitchen by teaching yours the endless number of recipes learned.

10) Benefit from other education systems: You will be able to learn and study in a different and even a fun way. You’ll discover new methodologies and ways to gain experience and knowledge.

11) Flexibility: There’re many different ways to study abroad. Therefore, you’ll be able to find specific learning courses that you’re looking for that may not exist in your country.

12) Way to continue training and travel at the same time: You will have the opportunity to learn while traveling and discovering different places. In addition, in your free time you can do sightseeing and get to know amazing places.

13) Possibility to get a job abroad: You can find work outside more easily by having the experience of having lived abroad and possessing an adequate level of language.

Without a doubt, there’re many advantages that it offers to study abroad, look no further than to decide, so don’t think about it anymore and start a new adventure! Search and compare different courses and make your dreams come true through Ynsitu.