15 June 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Summary: Broadcaster and comedian Hector Ó hEochagáin has launched this year’s Euro Languages College (ELC) summer residential language courses for second-level students across Ireland.
Commencing on July 5th next, Junior and Leaving Certificate courses in French, Spanish and German are provided in established boarding schools including Clongowes Wood in Clane, County Kildare, Villiers School in Limerick, Cistercian College Roscrea, County Tipperary, and Bandon Grammar School in Cork.
Hector, who is fluent in both Spanish and Irish, says that with foreign family holidays off the cards, the fun summer school option will help exam students catch up on missed learning caused by lockdown.
“Students can brush up on their language skills and exam texts, and have fun with friends at the same time. It’s like the Gaeltacht, only for global languages instead!”
Running until the end of August, individual courses last just under three weeks and involve over 40 hours of formal learning.
Costing around €80 a day for full tuition and board, a €100 discount is available with full payment on booking. Leaving certificate French at Clongowes costs €1,475 for the course commencing on July 5th, while all other French, Spanish and German courses in Cork, Limerick and Tipperary are €1,395. See https://www.elc.ie for full detail.
The learning opportunity is equivalent to half an academic year of school tuition, and has the advantage of being a totally immersive languages experience, according to Padraig Ryan, Managing Director of Euro Languages College (ELC).
“ELC is excellent value when compared to grinds costing up to €50 an hour. Courses are not confined to a classroom, but involve cultural, sporting and recreational activity too. This lowers anxiety, so young people learn in a relaxed way, experiencing the language fully”.
This year’s ELC courses are in full compliance with public health measures, assuming the same rigorous Covid-19 policies already operated by the boarding schools. This includes a compulsory PCR test ahead of arrival, and regular rapid antigen testing for students and teachers on-site, who also work in a ‘bubble’ or pod system with appropriate social distancing.
Classes take place 6 days a week for half of the day, with separate courses covering the Junior and Leaving Certificate exams.
Euro Languages College is a Galway-based business that has provided summer language courses for over 30 years in Ireland. Courses take place in established boarding schools countrywide that have spacious grounds and sporting facilities.
Places are still available at the following ELC venues: See https://elc.ie
5 July French – Clongowes Wood College (Senior only)
5 July Spanish – Cistercian College Roscrea (Senior and Junior)
12 July French – Bandon Grammar School (Senior and Junior)
26 July German – Cistercian College Roscrea (Senior and Junior)
2 August French – Bandon Grammar School (Senior and Junior)
2 August Spanish – Villiers School Limerick (Senior and Junior)