Out There is based upon the Communicative Method, which most study abroad schools use around the world, but it uses a redesigned lesson plan format that is used in every single session. This new format means that real practice of the target language happens minutes after the language has been taught.
Jason, the founder, explains Out There to someone who had learned fluent Thai on a course with similar underlying principles of creating memorable 'happenings' linked to meaning.
However, the course is also Constructivist in nature and includes elements of psycholinguistic research and the application of practical memory enhancing techniques that lead to improved ‘memory mapping’.
All of this helps learners to remember the target language better and to feel much more confident.
What makes Languages Out There different from other courses is the way in which students first learn, and then use, their knowledge in such a way that it ‘sticks' with them.
psycholinguistic and constructivist teaching theories
active learning theories
the communicative method of teaching language
'11 commandments for motivating language learners' by Dornyei and Csizer
Jane Willis' work on task-based learning
To these we added our own instincts, a large amount of common sense, and a simple desire to Get Out There and Teach.
Here is a brief summary of the benefits of our expertly structured classes, every class:
has a clear and achievable linguistic aim
teaches you a small, manageable chunk of the language
gives you the opportunity to use that knowledge immediately
helps you to get the right accent and pronunciation every time
So, Languages Out There is especially valuable if:
you have been learning a language at home and it just won’t stick
you lack the confidence to speak to native speakers
you have ‘passive’ knowledge from school or elsewhere and you want to turn it into ‘active’ knowledge
