EVC Spring 2026_magazine_AWdigital - Flipbook - Page 38
The ultimate
language adventure
Niall Abbott from Visions in Education explains why a fully immersive
tour is the best way for students to improve their language skills –
and what you need to know to make it a success
Immersive language tours are more than just
overseas visits – they put languages at the centre
of every activity. Students attend daily lessons at
a local language school, where only the target
language is spoken. They spend their afternoons
on guided walking tours, in cookery lessons or
dance classes, all delivered in the local language.
They even stay with a family, where meals and
daily activities carry on as normal in the host
language. It’s full immersion, and that’s the key
to boosting the students’ confidence in speaking
their chosen language.
Progress not perfection
Students will have varying levels of ability and
confidence, so I’d recommend liaising with the
Director of Teaching at the local language school
in advance. Your tour operator can help with
this. On our tours, lessons are delivered in closed
groups. If there is more than one age group or
language level, we’ll split the group into smaller
classes for more targeted support – everyone
should come home with a sense of achievement.
The secret to successful homestays
Staying with a local family gives students
the opportunity to take part in informal daily
interactions such as over breakfast or an evening
meal. A good language school will have a fulltime accommodation officer whose role is to
visit, select and train host families. They’ll use
their experience to place students with the
correct family, get feedback from students and
deal with any issues that may arise.
As tour operators, we take safeguarding very
seriously. We use the same host families
year after year, so they’re experienced in
accommodating school groups from the UK
and all have the local equivalent of DBS checks.
We place students in pairs, sharing a twin room,
which also means they can travel to and from
school together.
For some students, a hotel or hostel may
be more suitable than a homestay, so ask
your tour operator if they can arrange other
accommodation options.
Our adviser says...…
Tour operators will usually be responsible
for arranging activities, travel and
accommodation, but you still need to do
your due diligence. Make sure you know
what safety and safeguarding measures
are in place and be clear on expectations.
How are host families vetted and
which organisation is responsible
for these checks?
Are hosts aware of their practical,
supervision and safeguarding
responsibilities?
Establish a code of conduct for
students.
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What is the plan for
remotely supervising
students throughout
the stay (in-person visits
and check-in calls)?
Is there a contingency plan to move
students at short notice if needed?
Share relevant student medical,
wellbeing and learning needs with
your tour operator so they can take
this into account when planning
activities and accommodation.
Check that hosts are aware of these.
