By on June 4th, 2015
ESL Students in Arizona Should Consider a Homestay
A homestay is different from traditional student housing in many ways, and when you are studying a language school, you can benefit immensely from choosing a homestay option.
For instance, international students of the Le Tutor Language or Scottsdale Community College in Arizona will be able to avoid some of the common pitfalls of traditional housing when they opt for a homestay.
What pitfalls?
As a prime example, if you have come to this school to study English and to become fluent in it, you may find yourself falling into your native tongue if you are surrounded by other international students – many of whom may be speaking your language or even from your country. It is human nature to speak in a way that allows you to communicate clearly, but being able to easily do so is a reason to avoid settings that would encourage that behavior.
However, when you opt for a homestay, you will be fully immersed in English or another language when you are at home, and this can only improve your learning experience. The best homestay arrangements are also going to benefit you substantially by encouraging you to engage in the daily life of the hosts and the community in which you find yourself located, and all of these things automatically strengthen language skills and comprehension.
Where to Find Homestay Options
So, where can students enrolled in a school such as the Scottsdale Community College find a way to enjoy the homestay arrangement during their weeks or months of study? At USH, Universal Student Housing, they have been working to create a flawless approach to matching students with ideal housing options for more than 15 years. They have partnerships with more than 125 schools and can even help groups of students find a home-like accommodation.
Keep in mind that the word homestay does not strictly mean a single student in a single-family home. It can mean more than one student in a home, it might mean blocks of excellent and furnished apartments, and it can even mean independent apartments too. The benefits of all such options are numerous, but when you are studying ESL, it is often a homestay that really boosts your results.
This can only encourage your language skills as you put them to use outside of the classroom and in a great many “real world” settings that few dormitory or classroom options provide.
Naturally, this doesn’t apply strictly to students at Le Tutor Language School, Scottsdale Community College, Arizona State University, but to students in any location with an emphasis on English as Second Language.
The San Francisco Institute of English, the American Academy of English, and many other locations in California, Arizona, or Florida have options for homestay partnerships with USH.
Remember too that many international students experience something known as “culture shock”, and yet the impact of this can be reduced greatly when you are able to choose a home setting that places you with people of a similar background or fluency in your native tongue.
No Fear With Homestay
While it might seem a lot more straightforward to book a dorm or another sort of student living arrangement, there is no need to fear homestay arrangements. In fact, you should consider them as one of the only opportunities for enjoying your housing experience. Besides find you a host family, USH will help you with your entire experience with everything from airport transportation to ongoing customer service. Rather than struggling to find your way in a foreign country, the homestay option lets you land at the airport, get in a shuttle or cab, and immediately go “home” to start your language studies.