<p>So, I've been itching to acquire a good elementary base in Arabic this summer. I've researched Harvard SSP, Yale Summer, and Stanford Summer College. I don't want to go abroad, but I also want a laid-back, substantial social scene (e.g. less supervision, free time). Can anyone spare any insight? I'm hoping that I can find a program with an Arabic course and a respectable social scene.
Thanks!</p>
<p>Try johns hopkins pre-college program: they offer beginning arabic 1 & 2. They provide you with lots of free time and activities (bbq, 6 flags park, etc.) I'm going there this summer and I think its gonna be fun. BTW I think its cheaper than the other programs you mentioned.</p>
<p>That sounds great, except I was looking for a program with a town that is suitable for activity and access to outside of the campus (Cambridge is ideal, but are we allowed to spend time by ourselves in the Harvard SSP?). Also, how long is the JHU program? I am hoping for a 6-8 week program.</p>
<p>if you want time for activities and fun, you are only looking at a brief intro to Arabic course (the language is difficult and will require significant study to even get a start) if you could even find something like that.</p>
<p>you are not going to get a "good elementary base in Arabic" and have fun with a respectable social scene. You need to decide which you really want.</p>
<p>hsmomstef, I absolutely understand where you're coming from. What I meant was that, because I plan on taking intensive elementary Arabic, I will plan on engaging in about 3-5 hours of class a day, including a lab, and then about 1.5-2 auxiliary hours of studying per night. However, many programs contain their students on campus, don't provide their students with much freedom, and enforce a considerable majority of their students' scheduling to be based around pure work and no memorable social experience. Any more insight?</p>
<p>I would do some research and see which schools offer arabic during the summer (Univ of Chicago, JHU, Brown -- but I think it is advanced classes, harvard). really check out all the universities that offer classes. I know that my son was looking at arabic during the summer (but he was looking at arabic II classes) and we found quite a few.</p>
<p>then see which is the least restrictive. I don't think you are going to find exactly what you are looking for -- but you might come close. I think most of the summer programs have rules and don't let kids wander the city at will, just too much concern from parents.</p>
<p>jhu is 5 weeks</p>
<p>Thank you, very much hsmomstef! I hadn't seen the UChicago one, but now I am considering it in my pool of applications.
And the JHU program is beginning to sound increasingly appealing.
Does anyone have any more information?</p>
<p>check out concordia</a> language villages. i've never been, but it's supposed to be great for languages.</p>
<p>Andover Summer Session offers Elementary Arabic and has a lot of free time. Every Wednesday they take trips to top colleges in the area. (Harvard, Yale, Bostun University, etc.)</p>
<p>Does anyone have details about the UChicago Summer?</p>
<p>I have heard good things about the Arabic Concordia Village -- and the Andover Summer Session may be more what you are looking for. The U of Chicago is a great program -- but very intense. While you can visit Chicago and have fun, you will have significant homework each night. A good estimate for the amount of homework for a college class (especially a math/language/science/writing class -- the work intensive ones) is that for every hour you spend in the classroom you will spend 2-3 hours outside of class doing homework/assignments/studying/reading. </p>
<p>The University of Chicago program is fantastic -- I heard that from several people -- but it is intensive and you will not have alot of "fun time". If you notice -- the class meets all day (8:30am -- 3:00pm) and then you have homework. I am not trying to dissuade you -- but it is not what you originally wanted. Another consideration is what you are planning to do as far as studying Arabic next fall -- does your school offer it? If they do, what levels do they offer? The U of Chicago Program will be equivalent to at least a year of Arabic in high school. </p>
<p>I will check and see who else offers Arabic in the summer. did I already mention that Stanford does? </p>
<p>in case these haven't been mentioned: </p>
<p>Columbia <a href="http://www.ce.columbia.edu/summer/courses_listing_detail.cfm?PID=1&DeptID=80%5B/url%5D">http://www.ce.columbia.edu/summer/courses_listing_detail.cfm?PID=1&DeptID=80</a></p>
<p>Howard offered it last year and may again this year if the grant comes through <a href="http://www.howard.edu/newsroom/releases/2006/060406ForeignLanguageSummerInstituteStipend.htm%5B/url%5D">http://www.howard.edu/newsroom/releases/2006/060406ForeignLanguageSummerInstituteStipend.htm</a></p>
<p>also check out Beloit, Drew, Indiana University, University of Wisconsin/Madison University of Washington (all offered Arabic programs last summer)</p>
<p>Another great one to check out would be George Washington University. <a href="http://www.gwu.edu/summer/scholars/2006.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.gwu.edu/summer/scholars/2006.pdf</a></p>
<p>Several colleges offer Arabic -- but are very competitive to get in to and only accept high school grads (Middlebury, Georgetown).</p>
<p>There are also some government grants that are in the process of approval -- but there should be some summer programs in Arabic that haven't been advertised yet: <a href="http://www.nflc.org/projects/current_projects/startalk/%5B/url%5D">http://www.nflc.org/projects/current_projects/startalk/</a></p>
<p>If you live in DC -- this could be an option. <a href="http://www.naaponline.org/dc/arabic/catalog.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.naaponline.org/dc/arabic/catalog.asp</a></p>
<p>Last year, the University of Iowa had a short program for high school kids. I don't know if they are doing it again. <a href="http://www.clas.uiowa.edu/news/2006/06/16linguistics.shtml%5B/url%5D">http://www.clas.uiowa.edu/news/2006/06/16linguistics.shtml</a></p>
<p>There is really alot out there -- this is just a few of the links that I collected for my son (I didn't include any study abroad -- there are tons)</p>
<p>Wow! hsmomstef, you have been my complete savior! What have you heard about the Brown four-week minicourses? I am seriously considering their "Intro to Arabic", and I plan on seeing a tutor after the program. Maybe with a four week intro course, I could be introduced moderately.
Does anyone have any more suggestions, insights or commentary of the Brown Mini Courses?</p>
<p>My son will be attending Brown (he is not taking Arabic, though). I have heard the Brown courses are good and the program is a blast -- lot of freedom, though. </p>
<p>A tutor can work -- but my son tried a tutor for Mandarin and it was difficult to really learn that way (not enough interaction or time in class).</p>
<p>There is also an online Arabic program that is well recommended -- and if you couple that with a tutor, it might be a good plan. another option is to see if any school or college in the area will offer Arabic. My son took it at Colorado College (we live next door). He could also have taken it in the evening at the University of Colorado. </p>
<p>You want to make your plans to continue studying before you go in the summer, or you can get discouraged. </p>
<p>I don't know what grade you are -- but a term studying abroad is really the best method.</p>
<p>That sounds fantastic-- I am slowly edging towards Brown by the minute. Being a sophomore, I am approaching the most pressing year of high school, and I think that a four-week program will suit me best, since a seven-eight week program might not provide me adequate recooperation for a long, hard year. I may sample the tutor thing, but if not, is it best to sample a local community college?
Thank you again!</p>
<p>vote -- I took a look at the Brown course. I agree -- it sounds great. Just enough time for an intro without it being overload. If you are a sophomore, I really wouldn't recommend one of the intensive courses.</p>
<p>Start looking around for arabic classes -- local community college would be best. Remember that language classes at the college level are more intense than high school classes. They are usually worth 4 or 5 college credits and one semester at college is usually equal to more than a year at the high school level.</p>
<p>I would recommend the community college route over the tutor -- that is based on past experience in both Arabic and Mandarin.</p>
<p>Awesome.
Thank you very much!</p>
<p>HSMom--I was interested in your comments about how the tutor doesn't work. How many hours per week would you recommend? Did you use CD's or any listening component in addition to the tutoring? My daughter goes to a chinese school (she's 12) one day per week, but I'm the only parent that can't help her with her homework (we speak only English) and she complains about the immersion method. She would prefer only a tutor so she can ask questions. I'm kind of looking ahead to next year as to the best way to continue. She is interested in Arabic --looking for tutors as they won't let her in at the CC until she is 16 (even for continuing ed courses--which they offer) We just started a CD for the car (Behind the Wheel) for French, and we like it , and were thinking of possibily purchasing some other languages. It seems to hold your interest. Thanks for the input!!!</p>
<p>Concordia Language Villages only offered two week summer immersion in arabic last year but this year they are offering a four week session. The kids who choose to go to a 4 week language immersion camp are interesting and fun. The Arabic program that's four weeks long is for students entering 9th to 12th, July 2 - 28, 2007, $3,215
They have so many languages to choose from.</p>
<p>Middlebury College will offer its famous summer language immersions , in a totally fun summer camp setting, beginning 2008 -not this summer :( for middle and high school students.</p>
<p>You can call or find the language schools on their website. <a href="http://www.middlebury.edu%5B/url%5D">www.middlebury.edu</a></p>