At ALOS we have often talked about the advantages that language trips bring to your learning and to improving a language. It is quite an experience and well worth living through, especially during your school years, at around 14 to 20. But what if you could live it without leaving home, with a virtual language trip?
With us you can organise your stay abroad for as long as you like and through whichever format suits you best to study the language you want. But not everyone can afford an experience like that, whether because of availability or time. Is there a way of living something similar without leaving home? Virtual language trips are an original, entertaining and highly practical option. A virtual language trip is an online educational experience that immerses students in the language and culture of a specific country without having to travel there physically. These experiences offer an exciting alternative for anyone looking to improve their language skills in an authentic, contextual way, but without travelling. In other words, experiencing what it would be like to be abroad for a while: a country’s culture, relationships with other people, honing a language…
How can I go on a virtual language trip?
Choose your destination. Students can select whichever virtual destination interests them most. Online platforms offer a range of options, from cosmopolitan cities to rural villages, each with its own dialect and cultural features. Virtual immersion. Those same interactive platforms let you immerse yourself in everyday situations, such as shopping in a local market, taking part in conversations in virtual cafés or even attending specific cultural events. These are events held over the internet, simulating everyday situations that would normally take place in person. Local teachers. Virtual language trips often include online classes taught by native-speaker teachers. These classes provide personalised instruction and allow students to practise the language authentically, simulating what going to class in your physical destination would be like.
Some platforms
Babbel
The Babbel platform offers “virtual trips” that let students practise their chosen language by simulating everyday situations. For example, a virtual trip to Paris might include lessons on how to order food in French and visit the city’s landmarks.
FluentU
FluentU uses real videos, such as adverts, television programmes and interviews, to immerse students in the language and the culture. Users can play with the content according to their interests and levels, simulating everyday life.
The advantages of this format
Accessibility
It removes geographical barriers, allowing students to access international experiences without having to travel.
Flexibility
Virtual trips fit around students’ timetables, offering the flexibility to learn any time and anywhere.
Any destination
Students can explore a wide range of destinations, from modern cities to rural regions, to gain a full understanding of linguistic and cultural diversity. If you have been thinking about a language trip for some time but your availability is limited, a virtual option is the perfect alternative for living the experience of being away from home… comfortably from your sofa. And remember that at ALOS we can help you improve your language through the methodology and timetable that suit you best. What is more, we can help you organise whichever in-person language trip you want.