Homestays provide valuable language learning experience

If you have ever tried learning a language then you will have, at some point, heard someone saying that the best way to do this is to visit the country where that language is spoken.

This is exactly what Stephan Fiedel, area manager for international supermarket chain Netto in Germany, did when he booked a one-week full immersion language course staying with a host family/teacher in Birmingham.

Stephan had little interest in learning English at school and he admits he was more excited by learning Russian, however a trip to visit a German friend in Malaysia several years ago sparked a renewed interest in language learning:

"I was site seeing in Kuala Lumpur one day when an English speaking tourist approached me and started speaking to me. I couldn't understand what he was saying to me but I guessed from his hand gestures that he wanted me to watch his shopping bags whilst he went to the toilet!" Stephan explains.

It was this embarrassing incident which spurred Stephan into action and on his return to Germany he booked some English lessons. He persevered with the lessons and in December 2010, with a week of annual leave still left to take, he took the bold step of booking an immersion course in the UK.

He contacted Live and Learn Homestays, a Birmingham-based company run by entrepreneur Lorna Allen and was sent detailed information about his host and teacher Sharon, together with pictures of her home where he would be staying for duration of his visit.

Stephan enjoyed 20 hours of private language tuition, 24 hour learner support and even went to a football match with Sharon's grown-up sons! Stephan summed up the value of homestays for language learning, saying:

"Sharon and her sons were very welcoming and treated me as part of the family. I particularly liked that they included me in family discussions at mealtimes. You wouldn't get this valuable learning experience if you attended an English course at college."