Every summer for the past 50 years, the Summer Intensive Language Program (SILP) at the Monterey Institute of International Studies has offered foreign language students with an intensive and supportive environment that creates opportunities to gain a solid foundation or improve overall proficiency in a language.
In 2008 the Monterey Institute will be offering intensive instruction in the following languages: Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish.
The Summer Intensive Language Program provides a highly intensive language learning environment for motivated foreign language students. Beginning, intermediate and advanced level programs are comprised of 180 hours of study, 5 hours per day, from 9:00AM to 12:00PM and 1:00PM to 3:00pm with an hour for lunch between sessions. In addition to in-class study, students are assigned between 2 to 4 hours of homework every day to review and preview material covered in class. All of our language classes emphasize language acquisition in a cultural context and have a strong focus on communication. Many of our intermediate level programs are content-based, offering study of not only the language, but particular topics in the language.
To ensure that language learning continues outside of the classroom and apart from homework assignments, students have access to teaching assistants who can help with questions or will set up conversation tables to practice language acquired in classes.
We are also committed to helping SILP students experience their target language and culture by organizing a wide variety of extra-curricular activities that provide opportunities to ‘touch’ the culture and practice the language in an authentic setting.
The Monterey Institute of International Studies provides a truly international setting with students, faculty, and staff from around the world speaking many different languages. Our SILP instructors are extremely motivated and committed to their students and try, to the best of their knowledge and abilities, to instill an appreciation of language and culture in each and every student.
We believe that the true measure of our success lies in the number of students who continue studying their target language after they graduate from our summer program. SILP participants use the language skills acquired during their summer study in a number of ways: they return for additional study at the Monterey Institute, go abroad to deepen their understanding of language and culture in study abroad programs, use the language to advance in their professions or fulfill language requirements at their educational institutions. One thing all SILP students have in common is that they walk away with a new-found or deepened understanding of language and appreciation of culture.
In addition to our highly intense and very rewarding summer language programs, the Monterey area also offers many opportunities to relax and enjoy the beauties of nature. Carmel-by-the-Sea, Big Sur, Santa Cruz, as well as San Francisco are only a car ride away. For more information on local area attractions visit the Monterey County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau website at http://www.montereyinfo.org/.
For more information about each of the programs offered, please see the language program descriptions.
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