English Language Holiday Homestay
An English language holiday homestay is a great way to speed up your English learning, but they can feel intensive.
You’ve invested precious money and time to get a result: better English skills (whatever that looks like for you).
This blog is written to help you get the most out of your English language holiday homestay by sharing a few Blue Noun methods (we’re an ‘alternative’ to language holidays) designed to take the pressure off.
About Conversation Coaching
We are an English-language holiday provider in Perthshire, Scotland.
We don’t do classrooms.
With a Blue Noun holiday, your English improves through the many, varied conversations you have exploring Scotland.
It’s a tailor-made adventure in which we take you from place to place, to share our culture and have great conversations.
But it does make for a charged schedule, with some days having 4 or 5 introductions, visits, activities or events.
This blog shares how we keep it all calm, relaxed and enjoyable.
Curating Space
As a holiday curator, I know building in some natural pauses at points within the holiday is essential. (It’s ok having a busy day if it’s followed by a quiet one).
I also know the extent to which people resist the pauses.
You think, ‘I’ll work really hard this week (and get my money’s worth) and recover next week’ – this is NOT conducive to language learning.
How to be kind to yourself with your English habits (and inner voice) is one of the most important things you can work on* during your homestay.
(*With us, it won’t feel like work).
All English training should do this.
If not, this blog will help.
Relax (That’s an Order!)
To help our clients relax into the process, we’ve even written it into our (and your) aims…
Escape from Learning
Speaking English 8+ hours a day is tiring.
Your brain needs processing time and downtime to step into your English refreshed every day.
At Blue Noun, we have many tools to achieve this.
We change location (no classrooms!) and dedicate a lot of time to exploring (which takes your mind off English), deep conversations (so rich you feel compelled to join in) and moving from one context to another (a mini reset every time).
Slow Down to Learn More, not Less
I understand not using time that you’ve paid for feels icky, so I know that you wouldn’t want pauses that use up precious time.
My skill is finding pauses which enhance each of my client’s experiences, while permitting them to switch off and relax.
I find beautiful experiences outside of English.
Time not thinking about English (what to say and how to say it).
Time for processing all the information already gathered.
Time for lightly listening to conversations around you.
The Ingredients for a Successful English Holiday
The balance is different for everyone, but we know that our holidays attract culture lovers.
So we invite a local artist to share a skills workshop each English residency.
Artists workshops are great for relaxing into English.
Firstly, you get welcomed into their professional space (which is often filled with visual and tactile interest).
The artist’s passion for their subject reaches out. You can ride on it, using their wave of energy and excitement.
It’s NOT time out from English: it’s time out with English. (You need to listen, follow instructions, ask questions and express yourself).
Language is repeated around you but you listen and feel differently.
Make Art for a Quick Win
Quite simply, when you are thinking about your hands, and what you are making, you are not worrying about your English.
Other advantages of a craft workshop
You get a RESULT.
In the murky world of language progress, it’s a real win to get a tangible result. ‘I did that!’
You get a souvenir.
Part of Scotland’s story comes home with you.
You get admiration. Yes, for making an artwork, but it will help your brain relax with English.
English Language Holiday Homestays
Early on, setting up our language school we decided to use community hosts (rather than hosting ourselves), precisely because of how intensive it gets.
But we do know the process because we spend up to 12 hours a day with our clients!
We know how it feels to be on an intensive English residency in the UK, and how important it is to take some of the pressure off.
Enjoy your holiday!
Image Credits:
Paddling in the River Earn as part of a nature-guided walk, chilling out my student and I watching From Scotland With Love, an artistic collaboration between musician King Creosote and filmmaker Virgina Heath. All ‘classes’ were finished for the day (official, because the cat had found his way downstairs). 1st video: Intention Setting Workshop. 2nd video, Craft Workshop with artist June McEwan.
Outdoor guide Jen, mosaic making workshop and Meet the Makers: Planet Soap.
