Parlez-vous français?

Beyond the oft-repeated French phrase, Janna was able to improve her French conversation skills, gain more confidence speaking in her second language, and pick up all sorts of colloquialisms she hadn't been exposed to in the classroom. While the language component of camp was beneficial, the main focus of her summer at an overnight language camp was sailing, playing sports and making new friends.

For this Anglophone, Montreal native, living in a cabin in which the majority of the girls spoke only French proved to be extremely valuable. "I learn French in school and I am more or less bilingual, but I am not totally comfortable speaking French outside of school," says the 15-year-old of her experience last summer at Camp Wilvaken, near Magog, Quebec.

Like Wilvaken, many language camps provide a traditional summer camp experience, with the added benefit of immersion in a second language. "We consider ourselves a bilingual camp, where French- and English-speaking children live, play and learn together," says the camp's director, Maya Willis. "Our days alternate between the two languages, giving all kids the chance to learn while playing sports, eating meals, and learning new activities such as sailing."

The longer the campers are at camp, the better chance they will have of improving their conversation skills. Wilvaken also offers a special language program that goes beyond typical activities and interaction in order to focus on vocabulary development and conversation skills. "We suggest to parents that if your child doesn't speak or understand any French or English then it's best to sign them up for the language component," Willis says. 

Language camps are quite popular in Quebec, and similar camps can be found across the country. Kids are like sponges and will learn a lot simply by being immersed in a new language, according to Yves Dubois, director of the Quebec Camping Association. So while language instruction is great for the classroom, the best way to learn at camp is to spend time chatting and playing using the new language. If you want the best experience, choose a camp that not only focuses on language, but also offers programs that your child is interested in and loves to do. "Kids will be more likely to excel in language education if they're playing and having fun while learning," he says.

Photo: YMCA Wanakita Family Camps (by Peter Redman)