Should language teachers take their students on mandatory field trips?

[True2marie]

I am a firm believer that learning the street slang is important to being fluent in a new language. In my opinion, classroom studies only aren't enough. With this in mind, do you believe language teachers should take their students on mandatory field trips? (They'd be field trips into a community in which the subject begin taught is the native language of the residents.)

[astuka]

While this is a great idea, one big concern (and one reason this really doesn't happen) is money. The schools nor the teachers have enough money to just go somewhere where they speak that language (unless it's in at least a 30 miles radius, and even then it would be hard). I'm not sure if it works that way in other places, but that's primarily how it works here.

[Firelily99]

If the schools can afford it then by all means get them into situations that they can be immersed in their new language.  Sitting in a classroom can only take a student so far, its hearing it spoken by native speakers and learning the nuances and accenting that makes the experience more fun.

[Kotro]

I honestly don't know what kind of learning the children would have from an excursion a couple of hours long. Bigger field trips (as in days) would definitely be best, but the costs are prohibitive for most schools if there isn't a language community living nearby.

[Trellum]

Field trips sound like a really great idea actually!  But as other posters mentioned... money is a big concern most of the time.  This shouldn't be a concern for all those wealthy school out there tho, but there is NO way your average public school will have the means to do it... unless they think of a way to save some cash for that trip (as a team project for the whole class; everyone cooperates with some money each week).  That's the only way I think this could work. Otherwise, nope. 

[lizbeth19hph]

I believe it is also very helpful to be exposed to the environment where the language is used. Some students really go abroad to immerse themselves with the language's culture. This can help them speak the language freely and at the same time learn and enjoy their travel.

[marmunmrhundun]

I don't think teachers who teach languages should take there students on field trips. However I think it is a great idea, but I don't think it mandatory or nothing like that. It would probably teach them a few things, helping them to learn especially if it related to the culture of that language.

[Miya]

While field trips are nice, I don't think they help much unless you're actually traveling to the country as a class.

[Peninha]

Field trips are always great in my opinion, the question is, where would the teachers take their students? If the teachers can find a community where natives are speaking that language and that is willing to receive students, great, but I think this is something rare to happen or difficult at least.

[Hedonologist]

In my experience of language field trips, I find that the students very rarely engage in conversation in the target language. Sure they may be immersed to a degree and work out what some of the signs mean, but mostly students just talk amongst themselves in the native language as much as possible.

[Lin]

I am a firm believer that learning the street slang is important to being fluent in a new language. In my opinion, classroom studies only aren't enough. With this in mind, do you believe language teachers should take their students on mandatory field trips? (They'd be field trips into a community in which the subject begin taught is the native language of the residents.)

Definitely...compulsory....mandatory...have to do it. I firmly believe the above statement. In order for students to excel and remember what they learn, they have to interact and have hands-on experience in the field of study. Language is learnt through interaction, so...let the students interact on field trips with native speakers.

[Lin]

In my experience of language field trips, I find that the students very rarely engage in conversation in the target language. Sure they may be immersed to a degree and work out what some of the signs mean, but mostly students just talk amongst themselves in the native language as much as possible.

That is so....true. It's bad though. Students always seem to have to be prompted or coerced. I don't like this. What may work though, is hooking up the boys with native girl speakers, and the girls with native boy speakers. Attraction and chemistry will do the rest.

[Lin]

Field trips are always great in my opinion, the question is, where would the teachers take their students? If the teachers can find a community where natives are speaking that language and that is willing to receive students, great, but I think this is something rare to happen or difficult at least.

  Yea, it is difficult to garner the resources, but something has to be done. If it's even to get a small group of native speakers who live within your mother country, and ask them to gather themselves together at a particular meeting place where you would bring your students to interact with them. Yes, this again will require money for paying the speakers and transporting the students, etc. But it is worth it.

[caparica007]

In my experience of language field trips, I find that the students very rarely engage in conversation in the target language. Sure they may be immersed to a degree and work out what some of the signs mean, but mostly students just talk amongst themselves in the native language as much as possible.

This would be a waste of resources no doubt, being able to organize such a trip and then students don't take advantage of it. Can you please share the location of the field trip and why didn't the interaction in the goal language happened?

[Hedonologist]

This would be a waste of resources no doubt, being able to organize such a trip and then students don't take advantage of it. Can you please share the location of the field trip and why didn't the interaction in the goal language happened?

It was a field trip from England to Germany. The students did engage in some level of interaction with natives, but almost all the time the students simply associated with their friends and conversed in English. Some of these field trips do indeed seem wasteful from a learning perspective.

[amandak]

I think field trips where students are immersed with native speakers is crucial in language learning. I had about 2 years of German lessons before I did a 3 week exchange program in Germany, and I can guarantee that I learned more in those three weeks than I did in classes. By being immersed in the culture and language, you're forced to speak it and listen to it, there's no cheating like in class, and it forces you to use what you know and more in situations that require you to speak.