Speak English with Ease
A Blue Noun holiday shares Scotland in many ways, from vast landscapes to tiny details, the common link in all our language holiday activities is a sense of exploration and great conversations.
Discover who you are in English.
When you find that person, English flows.
The Beauty of Mosaic
This blog is about one recent activity: a workshop with mosaic artist Katy Galbraith.
Katy welcomed us into her studio and showed us the techniques and tools she uses to shape bits of tiles and broken crockery into something new and wonderful.
You might not think you want to come to Scotland and spend a morning examining a broken cup, but the experience is a fabulous way to relax into English
This blog shares the pedagogy behind it. (A big word for something that feels so natural).
What You Need to Know
As a small, independent language school, we can shape a language holiday around your interests and professional language needs.
As culture lovers, we regularly invite local Scottish artists to meet and chat with our English holiday guests.
(We don’t use the term language learner, you are an English user, whatever your level.)
Who is it for?
Our guests travel to Scotland from all countries around the world for a holiday to improve in English.
At first glance, the few things in common are they:
Don't want to sit in a classroom
Are brave enough to get on a plane and surrender to an immersive language experience
We are conscious of the courage this takes.
Are professionals in their field
From academics to watchmakers, they are professionally excellent, seeking better English for professional or personal reasons.
Don't have time to waste
They are highly motivated, using precious free time to take a holiday to improve in English.
They are also almost always:
A lot better at English than they realise
Needing to Relax into English
Our clients typically come to us wanting to make the MOST progress in the SHORTEST time.
While deeply aware that our clients sign up for a holiday to improve their English because it is a stress point, we know this mindset is counterproductive.
It piles on the pressure and adds to the stress that English represents.
For long-term results, we need to shed the stress by creating spaces for them to be in English (rather than ‘doing English’).
Fill Your Heart With English, not Your Head with Words
Our holidays to improve English tackle mindset around language as much as correcting mistakes or grammar.
If English is a stress point, you’ll feel tense, your brain will understand ‘danger’ and you’ll be coping not flowing and that’s not a creative, spontaneous way to be. In this state, you can’t share your work naturally, or test ideas, or benefit much from any exchange.
That feeling of ‘I should have said ____’ hits you hours later (notice it’s when you began relaxing in bed).
More English lessons are not the answer.
Relaxing and having fun English conversations will unlock existing English skills.
Listening to the rhythms and cadence of conversation will awaken a real interest in growing your language every day, opening up a future of English progress (that can certainly include more English lessons when you feel them a fun challenge, not a chore.)
Find Your Place in English
The ratio balancing active learning and absorbing/feeling/being is different for everyone, but one good way for everyone to slow down and love being in English is by taking a craft or skills workshop (even beginners!).
A craft workshop is not 'time out' from English
You still need to hear and interpret instructions, ask questions and language will flow all around you.
A craft workshop is time WITH English
You listen/feel differently.
You feel at home in English.
The Beauty of an Artist’s Studio
Firstly, you get welcomed into a new professional space which is often of great visual and tactile interest, foreign smells and odd systems.
It’s a place designed for dreaming, for ideas to flow, and for you to lean into a process in which your inner voice surrenders to a deeper subconscious.
It’s a place where you have no authority. Whatever your importance in your professional life, you need to learn how the tools work, and what the materials will and won’t do with an open mind.
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 tangible, lovely RESULT!
In the murky world of language progress, it’s a real win to get a clear result. ‘I did that!’
You get a souvenir.
Part of Scotland’s story comes home with you in your bag,
You get admiration!
Yes, it’s for making the artwork, but it WILL help your brain build confidence and positive associations with English.
Why Take a Mosaic Workshop
In a mosaic workshop, you get to listen to the stories of the broken crockery and feel reverent to its links to the past.
You get to make something that celebrates tiny details, dimming our disposable culture for a few hours.
Crafts feel aligned, stimulating and somehow pure (how we want English to feel).
You can’t rush the process
You need to slow down to make a mosaic, scan broken shapes for beauty interest and potential and often, the process doesn’t work the way you envisioned, so you need to improvise and test and give up on being perfect.
You bond with the people around you.
They share the same quest.
You listen with interest to their inspiration and share your own (over a cuppa).
It’s a thoroughly pleasant way to spend a morning.
A huge thanks to Katy Galbraith for sharing her work and skills, and helping us use these strange tools to make something beautiful.
Visit Katy’s website to find her work for sale and commission options.
What’s Next?
On that day, we followed our ceramic workshop with a trip to the Falls of Dochart Smokehouse for a cheese & salmon platter, and a play in the long, powerful waterfall looking for gold (still occasionally found in this river).
Slowing down for arts and crafts can make every detail and taste feel special.
The day was rounded off with a guided meditation Lhamo Grace.
When you feel good in English, speaking English with ease follows.
Let’s Talk!
Book a video chat to meet the teaching team and ask any questions you have about our holidays.
Further Information
Artists & makers: September is Creative Takeover at Blue Noun.
Join our Mini Artist Residency or our Design Week English Immersion.
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