Planning a Group Language Course

A course at a language school is a great way to add value to a trip abroad for your language students. With Blue Stamp Travel, you have the flexibility to choose the right course format for your group – in this article, we explain different language course options that will suit groups of different sizes, ages and language learning stages.

Closed Groups

A “closed” group is reserved exclusively for your students. The number of lessons is entirely up to you, as is the choice of topics and skills you would like your students to cover. Whether you want to focus on speaking skills or a set text for an A-level exam, the language school will be able to offer lessons tailored to your requirements.

Advantages of closed groups:

Ideal for medium-size to larger groups
They work very well for short stays – you only pay for the specific number of lessons required
Specific topics and skills – focus on defined areas of the curriculum
Opportunities for learning outside the classroom – teachers can lead treasure hunts, market visits and other activities where students use the target language in the real world

Open Groups

“Open” classes at a language school are the regular classes that the school runs and are open for any student to enrol. These classes are grouped by CEFR language sub-level, e.g. A2.3 or B2.1, so they are tailored to a very specific proficiency range, with a goal of teaching the vocabulary and grammar needed to advance to the next CEFR level. The classes cover topics and vocabulary from daily life, current affairs and local culture, with speaking, listening, reading and writing all included. Typically, an intensive course in open groups will comprise around 20 lessons in morning sessions. Classes are generally available to students aged 16 and above.

Advantages of open groups:

Open classes are cheaper per hour than closed groups
Ideal for smaller groups (5–10 students), or groups with wider ability ranges
Studying in slightly larger teaching groups – typically 8–12 students – creates a more diverse and buzzy classroom atmosphere
The curriculum promotes broad, fundamental subject skills rather than a narrower focus on specification topics
The other students could be of any age between 16 and 96, and from anywhere in the world, making open classes a genuinely international experience.
Open classes allows you to include students from outside your A-level class but who still want an opportunity to boost their language skills, such as students taking the DELF qualification
Open classes work very well for trips that run Monday–Friday

Summer Camp Language Courses

For trips in the summer term, why not enquire about integrating your students into a summer camp language course? These classes are dedicated to students in the summer camp age range (e.g. 13–16 or 15–18), with teaching methods and content adapted to students’ needs and interests. Most language schools offer summer camps to match European schools’ summer holidays which start much earlier than UK schools, so this can be a great option if you are thinking of travelling in June or July.

Advantages of summer camp language groups:

Travel with mixed age groups, splitting your students across different summer camp classes – a great way to maximise group size
Genuinely international experience, learning alongside young people from around the world
Opportunities to join in summer camp activities in the afternoon

Maximising value from language courses:

Planning a trip that includes a language course can boost value and help manage trip costs in various ways:

Language lessons are often cheaper per hour than other activities, while having a clear structure and obvious educational benefit
Language schools give your group a welcoming base in your destination city
Your language school will be happy to arrange activities such as tours, treasure hunts or guided visits, often at lower cost than independent guides
Language schools love celebrating local culture and traditions through activities such as games, sports and music
Language schools have extensive networks of homestay hosts, which offer high levels of safeguarding while at prices that are often significantly lower than hostels or hotels