Program Description

Choate Rosemary Hall

International Summer Programs
China, France, and Spain


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For More Information, Contact
International Summer Programs
Choate Rosemary Hall
333 Christian Street
Wallingford, Connecticut 06492
203-697-2365
http://www.crhsummerabroad.org
E-mail: summer@choate.edu

Type of Program: Academic and cultural enrichment
Participants: Coeducational; students must have completed grade 9
Program Dates: Five to six weeks, typically beginning the third Monday in June
Heads of Program: Carol Chen-Lin, Beijing; Nancy Burress and Louis Bao, La Coruña, Spain; Carl Hermey and Elizabeth Jannot, Paris

Location

Choate Rosemary Hall Summer Programs Abroad offer students the opportunity to spend an exciting summer in a faraway place, immersed in the language and culture of China, France, or Spain. All programs begin with an on-campus orientation in Wallingford, Connecticut.
China program students reside in a college dormitory for the first part of the program, followed by a homestay with Chinese families. French program students live with Parisian families, either singly or with a roommate. Students going to Spain live with families in La Coruña, a picturesque ocean city on the northern coast. These students are always placed one to a family.

Background and Philosophy

The goal of the programs is to help students develop fluency in the written and spoken language in a secure, structured, and caring environment. Students enhance their language skills for school—and for life!

Program Offerings

All three programs immerse students in the culture of the host country, helping them to increase their skill level—sometimes dramatically—in four essential areas: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Students who clearly demonstrate progress and proficiency in the major language skills at the end of the program abroad may be eligible for higher placement in their home schools. A detailed written report is sent home to parents at the end of the program. A copy of the report, along with appropriate supporting materials, is sent to the student’s school upon request. Choate Rosemary Hall students have the opportunity to accelerate as much as one year in language study, as determined by their degree of improvement.

Enrollment

Participants must have completed grade 9 before the start of the program. Two years study of French or Spanish is the usual requirement, but exceptions may be made for strong students who have completed only one year. The China program welcomes students who would like to begin their study of Chinese. All participants are expected to show sufficient maturity and the self-discipline to avoid inappropriate behavior.

Daily Schedule

In the European programs, students take 3 hours of classes each morning. In Paris, four courses—French language, French literature, art history, and French history—comprise the academic program, along with an independent research project on an artistic or cultural topic, which each student carries out using the libraries, galleries, or museums of Paris. Afternoons are devoted to exploring the historic and artistic treasures of the city. These visits are thematically linked to the morning art history class and are led by two Parisian teachers. Free time in the city precedes dinner with the French family; homework for the next day follows dinner.
In the China program, students attend four hour-long classes each weekday. The curriculum for beginning and intermediate students includes grammar, conversation, and writing. Advanced students take the same course load plus newspaper reading and literature. Twice each week, students participate in afternoon activities such as calligraphy, painting, and dancing and have an opportunity to attend such cultural events as the Beijing Opera.
In Spain, students are divided into three distinct levels: primary, intermediate, and advanced. Students at the first two levels study grammar, art history and architecture, and Spanish history. Instead of grammar, the advanced students take Spanish literature. One or two afternoons per week, the group visits local points of interest. Saturdays are the occasion of day trips to more distant attractions. Most weekdays, after the main meal in the early afternoon, students may head for the beach. They return home for curfew and supper at 9 p.m.

Extra Opportunities and Activities

In Paris, either at the beginning or partway through the summer, students spend three days in the Loire Valley, touring well-known châteaux and exploring the cities of Tours and Amboise. En route back to Paris, they visit the Chartres cathedral or the château of Vaux-le-Vicomte. Additional excursions have included Versailles and Monet’s house and gardens at Giverny.
In Spain, at the end of the homestay, the group from Santander joins the students from La Coruña, and the combined group travels from the Northwest back to Madrid. Stops include Santiago de Compostela, Salamanca, Segovia, Toledo, and finally Madrid. The last afternoon in the capital provides a few hours of free time in which students may go shopping or return to the Museo del Prado. The final elegant dinner on the last evening of the program is always a memorable occasion.
On weekends, students in China visit historical sites and local points of interest such as the Great Wall, the Ming Tomb, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace. The highlight of this program, at the end of the academic session, is a six-day excursion. Past itineraries have included Shanghai, Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Xi’an. This is an experience of a lifetime for students who are eager to explore the Chinese language and culture.

Facilities

The program in Spain rents space in modern, private schools close to the beach. Classroom facilities in Paris are located in the Sixth Arrondissement, not far from Saint Germain. Both facilities have spacious classrooms that are equipped for audiovisual presentations.
The host for the China program, the Beijing Chinese Language Institute, is widely recognized for its strong faculty and students. The school is located between the fourth and fifth ring road of Beijing, with convenient access to all parts of the city via subway, bus, and taxi.
All of Choate’s programs abroad take place in modern cities with modern medical facilities. All participants are required to offer proof of medical insurance with coverage abroad or to purchase such insurance through Choate for the duration of the program.

Staff

A teacher from the Choate language department accompanies the group to Spain. The American teacher stays in regular contact with the host families. Nancy Burress, a senior member of the Spanish faculty at Choate, administers the program in the U.S., and Louis Bao oversees the staffing and the in-country operations of the program in Spain.
Carl W. Hermey, a senior member of Choate’s French faculty, administers the Paris program in the U.S., and Elizabeth Jannot, a longtime resident of France, leads the program in Paris. At least 1 other Choate French teacher accompanies the group to Paris. All classes are taught in French by a team of native speakers whose combined experience with Choate students totals more than forty years.
The China program is organized, led, and directed by Dr. Carol S. Chen-Lin, a senior member of Choate Rosemary Hall’s language faculty and an experienced teacher of Chinese. In China, Yue Hui oversees the teacher training and host family arrangements. Classes are taught by experienced native speakers who are trained to teach Chinese as a second language.

Costs

Programs cost approximately $7499. This includes airfare, transportation abroad, tuition, all meals and lodging, books, and entrance fees for group activities. Expenses not included in the fee are a passport, transportation to the Choate campus, transportation after return to the U.S., and personal expenses such as telephone calls and spending money. Expenses are based on the exchange rate effective September 1, 2008. Prices are subject to equitable adjustment should there be a significant change in the rate of exchange or in the airfare prior to the start of the program.

Application Timetable

All candidates must submit an application, the $75 application fee, an official transcript, and teacher recommendations. Since the number of candidates for these programs exceeds the available spaces, early applications are recommended. Some applications are received in early fall before the desired summer of entry. Last minute applicants, if accepted, are placed in families and classes in accordance with availability.