Interview with Elisa Gazzola, Center Director of EC Montreal: “You not only improve your language skills but also grow as a person”

ELISA GAZZOLA, CENTER DIRECTOR OF EC MONTREAL

Why should a student choose your school?

I like to say that EC stands for Extra Care. We take extra care in every single thing we do at the school. Our teachers care so much about our students’ progress. They teach with so much energy and passion. They have truly been our heroes during this difficult year. They were able to transition to online learning with very little notice and were able to create dynamic and engaging lessons despite being socially distant. We make sure that every student gets a personlized experience inside and outside of the classroom. We celebrate our students’ progress and through the scheduled tutorials are able to go over the students’ strengths and give them support with their challenges. We celebrate every student’s birthday and random acts of kindness are common at EC Montreal!

In your opinion, which are the main benefits for a student to study abroad?

At EC Montreal we strongly believe that language and culture go hand in hand. By experiencing the culture, the destination and interacting with locals will you not only improve your language skills but also grow as a person. At EC Montreal we create many opportunities for our students to feel like they are part of the Montreal community through our volunteer opportunities, social events and homestay experiences.

How do you see the future of language tourism?

I strongly believe that full-immersion programmes are here to stay. Even during the pandemic, we were receiving so many inquiries from students abroad asking when they could finally travel to Montreal to participate in our English or French programmes. I do, however, believe that students can now begin their language adventure even before they leave their country through our virtual English and French programmes. Students taking virtual French lessons are placed in classes with students who are already here in Montreal, so not only are students getting a taste of the language but they are also getting a taste of the destination by meeting students who are enjoying the city and are more than happy to share their experiences and tips. Students can also keep their language skills fresh after they complete their full-immersion programme by continuing to take virtual lessons from home.

What types of courses do you think will be most in demand in the future? 

I strongly believe that programmes for younger clients will be more in demand in the future. Programmes like EC Montreal’s Young Achiever’s programme, where students not only have an opportunity to improve their language skills but are also introduced to different fields of study. There are so many shortages of available spots in universities around the world and students need to gain that competitive advantage to be considered admission. I also believe that blended learning platforms are here to stay. We have found through our virtual platforms, that there are so many attractive options available that suit everyone’s schedules, needs, comfort and budget.