My name is Amber. I have been a Roeland language camp enthusiast since I was 12. When you ask me about my French language skills, I have to say it started with uncertainty, even a bit of fear, but I came to adopt a heartfelt passion for language and for guiding children at camp. In this blog I gladly share my experiences, both as a participant and as a teacher.
My first language adventure: an exhilarating start
The first time I went on a language vacation, I was 12. I was quite nervous before the start: Would I be able to manage speaking French for two consecutive weeks? Luckily, my worries disappeared quite fast. The teachers were patient and explained everything from A to Z, even with gesturing if necessary. I was so excited that I asked right away if I could also go to the camp the next summer. Roeland camps turned out to be the perfect way to discover and explore another language and culture in a pleasant manner.
Participant first, a teacher later
Because of my pleasant experience at camp and my love for languages, I decided to sign up for the ‘Head of Animation for youths’ course. It felt fantastic to become a part of a zealous next generation, and this time as a teacher. The gratitude of the children, and the enthusiasm they show for the activities we invent for them feels most rewarding.
Watching the children make progress
The progress the children make is the most rewarding aspect. When the week kicks off, they are still a bit shy, and most of them barely dare to speak French. But as the days go by, you can notice how quickly their confidence grows. Some of the children never speak a word in French before they come to us, but at the end of the week you can have a real conversation with them. It’s amazing to watch their development from up close.
Educational language labs and fun & games
A language camp you won’t forget consists in my opinion of educational language labs, mixed with a variety of sports and fun games. The great part of a language lab is that it doesn’t resemble a traditional lesson at school at all. We teach novel words and grammar through playful games, and we rehearse that knowledge later on with a notebook. If you can learn a language like that, it really sticks.
Digging ditches together
This year I was lucky enough to guide two of the camps for children aged 9 to 12. The location made this summer exceptionally special: we stayed somewhere close to the sea. This proximity to water gave us the opportunity to organize a choice of beach games. And the funniest of all turned out to be ‘Digging Ditches”.
For this game we divided the children in two teams. Their task was a simple but nevertheless challenging one: which team would be the first to dig a ditch from the shoreline to a dedicated endpoint and win? Sounds easy, right? But to make it really interesting, a couple of extra difficulties were introduced. The ditches had to follow a mapped out route, and the children had to dig deep holes and build sandcastles along the trajectory as well. Cooperation and strategy had to come into play to prevent the trenches from collapsing, and to stop the water from flowing beyond the endpoint.
And it became even more challenging, because the children had to perform all the digging with their hands. Certainly doable, but there was also the possibility of ‘earning’ a tool to ease their task, like a little shovel or a bucket. How? By competing with the teachers via little assignments. If the children won, a useful tool could help them on their way to victory.
That game was a tremendous success. How great it was to watch the children enthusiastically combine their forces, to see how they solved problems with creative solutions. The water closed up the dug holes, or did not flow into the trenches as planned but the children didn’t give up: they encouraged each other and kept implementing improvements. It was fantastic to see their faces gleam with satisfaction and pride when they finally completed the mission.
On to the next Roeland summer
It is simply great to be a volunteer at our language camps. The children’s enthusiasm feels energizing, and the satisfaction you get from seeing them progress is priceless. I eagerly await next summer when I will definitely sign up for one or more camps!
Amber
Teacher Junior French Oostende
