54
SUMMER SCHOOL summer schools
FRIDAY MAY 20 2016
Summer school time Keeping your child safe and stimulated when regular class is over
W
hether they attend private or state school for the rest of the year, children in Cyprus can look forward to long summer holidays away from the classroom. Unfortunately, these close to three months of time off are often a challenging period for their parents. Due to work and other commitments, most parents or term-time caregivers usually just cannot take on full-time responsibility for their chilParents will also be able dren during the to go off to work confident times they would their children are safe, otherwise be at happy, and will have plenty school. This is mostly to tell them when the family because, unlike in meets up later in the day the past, mothers often also work now, and even grandparents, so often a God-send, are not always as available as they may once have been to help out with much-needed child care. Teens too Most teenagers can, perhaps, be left to their own devices for some of the time, but younger children definitely need to be provided with a safe, and even better, fun and constructive environment. Even older children, who can just as easily become bored, can also benefit greatly from spending
SUMMER school can be a great place for children to learn more in a fun environment
some well-organised time with their peers. This is an even bigger plus when the summer school they attend also helps them pick up a new language or other skill or further develop an existing talent. Some venues even help prepare them for the coming academic year or future exams. This is so much more useful than getting an overdose of beauty sleep and computer games. It’s also important to remember that there are only so many times even the most loving parents or other caregivers can come up with a mutually acceptable response to the frequent complaints from a child that they are bored. Also keep in mind that, if your children have spent part of the summer engaging in some kind of constructive activity, the time you will all be able to spend together as family will become
even more special and better appreciated by all. Quality choices Fortunately for every member of the family, there are plenty of summer school choices available around Cyprus. These have something to cater for every age group and provide lots of choices for how the children can spend their time. Sometimes finding the ideal place is easy. It could be right on your doorstep if your child’s usual school has a summer programme. This would have the benefit of keeping your little, or not-so-little one, in a familiar environment and around children and even staff they already know. If not, or perhaps if you or your children, would like to try somewhere new, there are a range of other summer
school options around in most towns. Additional benefits For the most part, these venues offer so much more than simply a safe environment in which to leave your child while you’re at work. They also bring your little ones into contact with people who are, usually, trained to provide them with professional care. A wide range of interests are catered for, from sports to theatre. This means that, as well as having the opportunity to make new friends, your child is certain to return to “ordinary” school in September an even better-rounded person than they were at the start of the holidays. Parents will also be able to go off to work confident their children are safe, happy, and will have plenty to tell them when the family meets up later in the day.
Join the 2016 Heritage summer experience!
T
he well-established and always very popular Heritage Summer School for 3-18 year olds will take place from Monday 27 June to Friday 29 July from 8.00am1.20pm, every weekday. The School is set in a stunning and easilyaccessible location in the hills along the main Limassol to Troodos road, and its extensive facilities include fully air-conditioned classrooms and Cafeteria, a state-of-the-art Multifunction Hall for indoor sports, drama and dance, and a Stadium area including a FIFA Star 1 full-size football pitch, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, cricket practice nets and running tracks. The educationally stimulating, fun and varied programme includes English, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Science, Computers, Art, Music, Drama, Sports, Games, Day Trips – and a fantastic opportunity to make new friends! The €110 per week fee includes all excursions, and the one-off €10 registration fee provides your child with a special Summer School T-shirt. You do not need to be an existing Heritage student to join Summer School, so everyone is welcome to share in this valuable
and rewarding experience over the summer holidays. Flexibility allows attendance for anywhere between one and five weeks, and for convenience there is also an optional daily bus service organised by the School, which serves various Limassol locations. For children who would additionally benefit from intensive one-to-one or small group teaching in specific subjects,to enrich and extend learning, and to help prepare for the new school year in September, targeted academic lessons in most subjects are offered at an extra fee. New this year, for students taking IGCSEs, AS and A Levels, special booster classes and clinics in the Sciences, Mathematics and ICT, and also IELTS are available. In the Heritage Summer School your children will remain in safe, professional care throughout,as it is run entirely by the School’s own qualified and highly-experienced permanent staff. With everything it has to offer, the Heritage Summer School is THE choice in Limassol. Registration is now also open at this thriving, top-quality and award-winning UK curriculum school for the 2016/17 academic year.
TLC Summer School: book now for 2016!
“My child thoroughly enjoyed TLC’s Summer School and will certainly be back for more!” Many have already booked their places for another popular, fun-packed five weeks of sports, arts and crafts, IT, science, visits, barbecues, and more. Children build self-esteem, social skills and self-confidence through our experienced English speaking staff. We guarantee your children will have such a great time, they’ll want summer to go on forever! Book early, as last year many left it too late! TLC’s Summer
School programme offers excellent value for money with discounts for multiple weeks. “I really enjoy coming to TLC Summer School because we do lots of fun things like art and sport and I enjoy making new friends.” On offer once again is the option of our established intensive English courses, complete with diplomas and for those who reach good levels, internationally recognised qualifications. Summer School is available from 27th June until 29th July for ages three to 18 years
To book, visit our website www.tlccyprus.com and complete an application form, email registrar@tlccyprus.com or call 00357 26910226. The TLC Summer School is approved by Social Welfare and the municipality. Swimming activities are supervised by qualified lifeguards.
Dynamic language learning Multi-level French classes for teens and adults at the Institut français de Chypre this summer
T
he Institut Français de Chypre organises each year summer French language courses for adults and teens. Its experience and expertise have become a guarantee of quality and set the standard today for French teaching. Why choose the Institut Français ? • 40 years’ experience of teaching French as a Foreign Language. • Creative classes thanks to our teaching methods •All our teachers are qualified and have much experience in their field. Their methods of teaching are dynamic and motivating, and they pay great attention to each student’s needs. They give the students the confidence necessary for them to succeed in their learning. • Practice: the best way to learn We strongly believe that you learn better when you actively
For adults The adult courses are for all levels, from beginners to advanced and are designed to develop language proficiency through the use of the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. • For intense study, we recommend you intensive courses from 1st to 29th June (24 hours of tuition). Monday to Thursday 7pm 8.30pm. • Language and Culture formula and Français en terrasse enable you to combine learning French and pleasure. participate in the lessons. In other words, you’ll be directly involved in class in order to learn in the best possible way. • Authentic sources and materials In order to guarantee a compelling and motivating learning experience, your teachers will work with you using authentic sources, such as newspapers, videos, the Internet and audio recordings. This will give you a better idea of the way that the French language is used in real life and to help you put it into practice. • A placement test and adjustment of your placement, if necessary.
• The Institute is an accredited DELF, DALF and TCF exa-mination centre and provides students with opportunities for official certification of their French language ability. A 95% success rate at the DELF examinations, proves the excellence of our teaching team and methods. • Speaking French opens up study opportunities at renowned French universities and business schools, ranked among the top higher education institutions in Europe and the world. • Some 20,000 students have already put their trust in us! • A wide choice of courses, flexible dates, prices that suit your needs.
For teens • Intensive French courses from
1st July to 29th July 2016 – 5% discount if the full tuition fee is paid before the 31st of May 2016. • New formula. French language immersion trip for juniors. A cultural immersion in Pedoulas from the 21st until the 24th of June. French Courses & Cultural Programme for total immersion. For each class, you can choose an optional Activity Pack, which allows your child to join the cultural activities and trips that are planned during their stay. Cultural workshops: theatre, songs etc. • For more information: contact@ifchypre.org – 22 459 333/5/4
Choosing a summer school What to look out for when deciding where to send your child
S
ometimes the many options out there make it hard to hone in on the perfect summer school for your child. The most basic concerns include suitability, convenience and budget, but there is also a lot more to making the decision, including what type of activities your child is interested in. The first thing to find out is how suitable a specific summer school is for your child. Does it cater for little ones of their age group and do the facilities and care provided fall in line with a child at their level of development? All children need to be properly supervised, but little ones, for example, need to have an especially close eye kept on them. Also, do the activities that are provided fit in with your child’s capabilities or are they too “babyish” or perhaps even too advanced for them? Next is convenience: is the summer school situated in a place you have easy enough access to from your home or workplace? And, perhaps even more importantly, does the length of the summer school day fit in with your needs as a family? Many summer schools, for example, take it for granted late afternoon supervision will not be necessary. When it comes to budget, there can be vast differences in prices, but it’s always best to dig a bit deeper than the bottom line. For example, does the quoted price include the price of meals or snacks? What about materials for activities or transport costs and venue entry fees for excursions? Some summer schools also require a down payment to keep a place open for your child. Many children are happy to kick around a football with their friends all day, but a lot of children need more structure and even the most
hardcore little football fan can benefit from engaging in a variety of other activities. Find out what pursuits your child will be able to look forward to at the summer school you are considering, from arts and crafts, to cooking and trips, to the swimming pool, cinema or theatre. Some summer schools are targeted to specific interests; perhaps the ideal for the aforementioned little football fan would be a place offering coaching in their favourite sport? Maybe the budding artist or thespian in the family would prefer a place that helps them develop their interests and creative talent further. Try to visit a place in advance and get a real feel for it, looking out for anything that may become a cause for concern such as too-easy access to an unsupervised swimming pool or busy road. Also, when you do make a decision, be sure to let the summer school know of any particular medical problems or dietary needs your child has. Also be certain they know how to get in touch with you or another caregiver if necessary. Find out what your child will need to take along with them and if anything is off limits. Many places, for instance, do not allow children to take along their own toys and video games or money.
A successful year Little Gems look back at academic year’s highlights
T
he school year 2015/16 is coming to an end, and when Little Gems Montessori Nursery reflects upon its progress and development this past year, we feel rather proud! Little Gems is all about keeping standards high to provide the best care and early years’ education to our little gems. This means that we keep up with professional development continuously. Looking back at this school year, it all started in October by us attending the Montessori Europe (ME) Congress in Poland together with another 500 Montessorians worldwide. Not only did we attend the Congress, but became part of a group that was formed to ensure that standards and guidelines are in place for Montessori teachers and European nursery schools. This led to a follow-up meeting in Amsterdam this spring where we hope to work closely with the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE). MACTE is a global accreditor for Montessori teacher education programmes within colleges and universities and free standing institutions. In NovemberLittle Gems were put to another three tests so as to maintaining standards high, and to support teacher training. This time Little Gems staff, who are not only great individuals but also highly dedicated, passionate and professional early years teachers, prepared for accreditation, reaccreditation and centre approval by Montessori Centre International (MCI) and the Montessori Evaluation & Accreditation Board (MEAB). We thereby had a visit by the Director of Studies, Penny Johns (MCI), who was to
assess Little Gems for centre approval entitling us to teach and train adults wishing to become Montessori teachers. At the same time, her colleague, Jeremy Clarke (MEAB/MCI), came to accredit Little Gems -Larnaca, for the first time, and to reaccredit Little Gems – Nicosia, for the third time. It was with great pride we received our accreditation and centre approval in December last year where we met all criteria and passed all assessments with flying colours. Due to Little Gems’ diligent approach towards high quality and best practice, Montessorians in Bulgaria approached us. So, in March we set off as consultants to
give advice and share our knowledge and expertise with a newly-opened pre-school in Sofia. In April we attended MCI’s Professional Development Conference in London where we learnt more of recent research regarding children’s development, assessments, and training. Back in Cyprus we began to prepare for, and host, our 3rd International Workshop in May, where our attendees came from different parts of Europe to complete the practical part of their training. Our last event to attend this school year will take place in June where MCI and the
Montessori Schools Association (MSA) invite us to their annual MEAB School Leaders Conference in London. If you wish to learn more about Little Gems, why not join us for our summer school that runs throughout July, aimed towards children two to six years old? Discover the difference! For further information please call: 22 351319 (Nicosia) or 99 557661 (Larnaca). Email: littlegemsmontessori@gmail.com. Website: www.littlegemsmontessori.com.
Around the World in 25 days The French-Cypriot School of Nicosia offers kids an immersive summer language experience
C
alling all travellers, adventurers and explorers of all kind! Or even if you’re simply curious! Come aboard and take a fascinating journey through the World in 25 days, following in Phileas Fogg and Passepartout’s steps... Let’s have fun and brush up on your French skills at the French-Cypriot School’s summer school! The French-Cypriot School of Nicosia is holding an action-packed, fun-filled Summer School to keep your children happily occupied and learning new and exciting things during the long, hot, summer holidays, with the added bonus of improving their French at the same time. Knowledge of French is not a prerequisite and Greek and/or English are also spoken by all staff. The Summer School programme is open to children from age 3 to 12. Through creative and imaginary play, they will travel all together through different continents around the world to meet interesting and exciting people . The children will also enjoy a wide range ofactivities, includingarts and crafts, sports, scientific experiments, cooking, song and dance and French storytelling, and the many activities on offer will be used to introduce and reinforce the learning of the French language
in a pleasant and relaxed environment. There will be qualified, responsible, enthusiastic staff supervising and supporting the children and organising the activities, as well as helping them with their French. The programme will run for five weeks in total and children can be at the school from 7.30am to 4pm, although dates and times are, of course, flexible. The activities will be in French, although Greek and English are also widely spoken and there will be full support for non-French speakers. It is not necessary to have any prior knowledge of French to attend the Summer School. The aim is to develop
their French language skills through the many activities on offer, as well as providing them with an appealing and friendly environment where they can make new friends and share their interests while having fun. The price per week is €90, from 7.30am to 4pm, including an afternoon child-care service. Attractive discounts are granted for large families. For further information or to book a place in the programme please call 22665318 or 96874011,or/and go to www. efcn.info or to www.facebook.com/pages/ Ecole-Franco-Chypriote-de-Nicosie or eteeuropeen-cyprus.e-monsite.com
Learning is fun ISOP facilities lead pleasure to summer studies
T
he International School of Paphos will, again, be holding its popular Summer School this year for children aged four to 16. There will be an Infant Programme (ages 4-5), Primary Programme (ages 6-12) and a Secondary Programme (ages 13-16). The Summer School is led by well-qualified staff who provide a safe and secure environment in which students can experience a wide range of learning activities. Some members of our team are also trained in First Aid. The school has outstanding facilities for sport that include a swimming pool, a well-equipped Sports Hall and a wide range of indoor and outdoor courts and pitches so that staff can offer football, basketball, team games and swimming. Central to the aims of the ISOP Summer School is the provision of opportunities for students of all cultures and backgrounds to work in harmony together and make new friends. Tuition is in Eng-
lish, so students for whom English is not the first language, will have the chance to learn vocabulary and practice their skills with others. The staff ensure that the message ‘learning is fun’ is key to the success of the programme. The Summer School is about enabling students to enjoy an exciting and stimulating programme and to learn to work and play together. Summer School also provides a valuable opportunity for children who may be considering joining the school to gain first-hand knowledge of the school, its staff and facilities. The school is very happy to welcome back students who have attended the Summer School for several years, often coming from as far afield as Russia and Europe and extend a warm welcome to those joining for the first time. The International School of Paphos founded in 1987, is a fully recognised private school catering for children
from Kindergarten to A-Level. It provides the best foundation for a quality education which encourages the achievement of the full potential of the individual child. Its well-rounded programme is delivered in an inspirational environment by well-qualified and caring teachers and support staff. While it is modelled on the English National Curriculum, the programme is especially enhanced to suit the needs of the Cypriot community as well as those of its multi-cultural student intake. Its facilities include fully air-conditioned, spacious, well-resourced class-
rooms, a performing arts studio and a library, science and IT laboratories, music rooms and art rooms, all equipped with interactive whiteboards and internet facilities. Its outstanding sports facilities include an astro-turf football pitch, basketball, volleyball and tennis courts, as well as a heated indoor swimming pool and indoor gym. The playgrounds are enhanced with artificial grass and coloured stamped concrete surfaces, lending a friendly, parklike appearance to the school’s spacious campus.
L.I.T.C. English Language & ICT Summer School 2016
T
he L.I.T.C. English Language & ICT summer school has been operating every summer for the past decade by the L.I.T.C. Russian-English Private School. Our summer school welcomes students aged 6-17, mainly from Cyprus and Eastern European countries. Three hours of intensive English lessons and a one-hour ICT class in English are taught daily. The summer school will be operating from 6 June until 12 August, Monday – Friday, from 9am-1pm. During their first day of summer school children are assessed and are placed in one of the five groups according to their level. L.I.T.C. summer school has a weekly fee and you may enrol at any time, for as many
weeks as you like. Classes are taught by highly-qualified and experienced ICT and English Language teachers who are native speakers of the language. Upon completion of the course, a certificate is issued. During recess, children have the chance to practice their table tennis skills and at the end of every summer school, the L.I.T.C. Table Tennis Championship is organised to reveal the best player of the season; all the participants are awarded with medals. Transport, hot meals or snacks are offered upon request. Excursions around Limassol are organised periodically. Tel. 25 343376, admin@litcschool.com 340-342, AgiouAndreou str., 3035, Limassol - Cyprus
A Stimulating Summer Activities Programme The American Academy Nicosia – a diverse programme for children aged 3 to 13 ... in the heart of Nicosia Who we are…
math skills, solve problems and share learning with others through play.
The American Academy Nicosia is a private English Language school located in the heart of Nicosia. The Academy provides Pre-School & Kindergarten, Primary and Secondary level education following the British Curriculum. The school operates as a non-for-profit organisation ensuring maximum investment in educational development together with attractive levels of school fees.
Optional English Lessons This year’s programme also offers optional English lessons that will run daily from 8.10 - 9am. English lessons are available at an extra fee and will be suitable for students starting Primary and Secondary School in September 2016.
Good Value…
Our Mission…. The American Academy Nicosia is dedicated to providing high quality education for each student. It remains committed to supporting each family through careful and considerate pricing and effective partnership. Its success is measured in continuing to see its students grow in excellence, knowledge and wisdom, becoming citizens with high values of honour and respect for themselves, for others and for the world around them.
Our Summer Activities Programme… The Academy has prepared another fun-packed Summer Activities Programme designed to provide a stimulating and purposeful holiday programme for children aged 3 to 13 running from 21st June until 29th July 2016. This year’s programme, once again includes a wide range of activities. For young people wanting to develop their creative gifts, we include Arts & Crafts, Creative Workshops, Cooking and Baking, Music & Singing, Musical Theatre, Playdough and Sand play. Our sports and adventure activities this year include Archery (over 8 years old), Ball Games/ Football, Capoeira (traditional Brazilian training combining acrobatics and dance), CrossFit, Futsal / Basketball, Hip Hop Dance / Zumba, Martial
Arts, Olympic Gymnastics, Volleyball /Badminton Indoor Rock Climbing, Park Adventures &Treasure Hunts and Outdoor Games & Contests. There are also Swimming Lessons, Water Polo and Paddling Pool Games for those who enjoy water sports. We are also pleased to include a range of activities to develop innovation and skills in technology. These include Indoor Games / Board Games, Computers, Educational Robotics, and MasterKids Workshops, The school opens at 7.15am to provide supervision until 8.00am when this rich programme of activities begins. When activities are concluded at 1pm, further supervision is in place until 2.30pm. The programme is led by well-qualified staff and instructors, fluent in both the English and Greek languages, providing a safe and caring environment for the children.
Extended Day Programme… The Academy has introduced its Extended Day Programme for working parents/guardians who appreciate further care for their children until later in the afternoon. This programme is designed to offer a range of stimulating and creative learning opportunities for children. This service is provided during our school year for Academy students, but also runs during our Summer Activities Programme for all participants. The Extended Day Programme will be continuing its services during the summer, so that parents signing up for the Summer Activities Programme can also join the Extended Day Programme which will provide supervised care until 5:00pm. Taking part in the Extended Day Programme will help children to think creatively, explore and investigate, improve their reading, writing and
At the American Academy Nicosia all fees are set carefully to make our high-quality education and our caring environment accessible to all our students. Our Summer Activities Programme offers sibling discounts and other package discounts for groups. Registration is now open. The limited places will be provided on a “first come, first served basis”. If you are interested in attending our Summer Activities Programme and/or Extended Day Programme contact our school using 22 664266 or via email info@aan.ac.cy Do not forget to Like us on our Facebook page where you can also be kept up to date with all that is happening in our school community. www. facebook.com/TheAmericanAcademyNicosia The American Academy Nicosia 3A Michael Parides Street, Ayios Andreas, 1095 Nicosia Tel: +357 22 664 266 / Fax:+357 22 669 290 aan.ac.cy
62
FRIDAY MAY 20 2016
SUMMER SCHOOLS
The language of summer (school) Opportunity to warm up and improve linguistic skills
S
ummer is a great time to brush up on your language skills whatever your age, but children in particular can benefit and may even attend a summer school that puts emphasis on new languages. The pluses to being bilingual have been well-documented in many studies over the years. Some include the significant advantage that “bilingual patients developed Many studies have found that bilinguals dementia four-anda-half years later are better at multithan the monolintasking while gual ones”. This was the outcome of bilingualism has a research lead by also been found University of Edinto make you more burgh professor Dr open-minded and Thomas Bak.
sensitive to others
Brain training The research also concluded that “bilingual switching between different sounds, words, concepts, grammatical structures and social norms constituted a form of natural brain training, which was likely to be more effective than any artificial brain training programme”. Bilingualism has also been found to enhance a child’s working memory as shown by a research conducted at the University of Granada under the supervision of Ellen Bialystok. The “working memory includes the structures and processes associated with the storage and processing of information over short periods of time.” In their article ‘Being Bilingual Makes You Smarter,’ meanwhile the social network Verbalisti, writes that “the bilingual experience improves the brain’s so-called executive function — a command system that directs the attention processes that we use for planning, solving problems and performing various other men-
SUMMER can be the perfect time for your child to start a new language
tally demanding tasks.” Many studies have found that bilinguals are better at multi-tasking while bilingualism has also been found to make you more open-minded and sensitive to others. Better focused Judy Willis MD, a neurologist, teacher and author has found that bilingual children are less easily distracted, noting “compared to monolinguals, the bilingual children develop greater attention focus, distraction resistance, decision-making judgment and responsiveness to feedback”. She also says: “Research supports encouraging parents to retain use of their native language in the home” in her article, Neuroscience and the Bilingual Brain. If you grow up as a bilingual you are often also bicultural. In his article Advantages of Being Bicultural, Professor François Grosjean lists the benefits as “having a greater number of social networks, being aware of cultural differences, taking part in the life of two or more cultures, being an intermediary between cultures” as well as having “greater creativity
and professional success”. Brain power Did you know learning a new language also increases the size of your brain? The discovery was made by Swedish scientists using brain scans to monitor what happens when someone learns a second language. The recent study was part of a growing body of research using brain imaging technologies to better understand the cognitive benefits of language learning. Tools like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electrophysiology, among others, can now reveal what is happening in our brains when we hear, understand and produce second languages. The Swedish study showed specific parts of the brains of the language students developed in size, whereas the brain structures of the control group remained unchanged. Also, learners whose brains grew in the hippocampus and areas of the cerebral cortex related to language learning had better language skills than other learners for whom the motor region of the cerebral cortex developed more.
Fresh interests
Some children have no problem trying a new activity, while others are just never quite up for it. Sending them to summer school can be the perfect way to get them out of their comfort zone in safe surroundings. Many children do not see new experiences in a positive light and, younger ones in particular, may have just got used to primary school as the academic year comes to an end. Doing something unfamiliar or uncomfortable means not knowing what the outcome will be and that it may very well result in failure. It means a child might not be “good” at a new activity and this puts many of them off. However, most adults have come to realise many of the best things in life have come from stepping outside our comfort zones–trying new activities, learning new skills, and having different experiences. Pushing ourselves just a little bit is how we learn and grow. Of course, we want our children to become just as experienced and diversified. When considering how to encourage your children to try something new, keep in mind children need a strong sense of autonomy–a realisation of their basic skills and capabilities in taking care of themselves. When encouraging children to try new things, experts suggest it’s usually good to start with small challenges. Build up confidence with the small things and they’ll be ready to tackle bigger “new things” in time. Teach them how to choose their own clothes, get themselves dressed, start their own baths or showers, make their own simple meals and snacks, fix things, build things, clean things. Children also need a sense of confidence. It’s not heaps of superficial praise from a parent that builds a child’s confidence, but regular encouraging words that draw out a child’s own thoughts on the experience. Children need a sense of security, but they must also know that they can survive life’s challenges and hardships. You can set a powerful example of resilience by trying new things together with your child. Take a new class together. Try a new activity. Go somewhere you’ve never been, or do something you’ve never done before…together.
A summer time of skill-building
TEENS and adults can use the summer to expand their abilities
Although fun and relaxation are an important part of summer, it can also be a great time to brush up on existing skills or learn a new one - whatever your age. Some summer schools are focused on particular activities such as art or sports or even learning a new language while most provide a variety of activities through their daily programmes. So, if your child or teenager has displayed an interest in creative pursuits or athletics, for example, summer could be the perfect time to develop these skills further.
Some summer schools provide an opportunity to be immersed in a new language and culture or provide access to improving other skills such as how to make the most of computer technology. Also, it’s worth keeping in mind that it’s not only the very young that can benefit from the opportunity to expand their horizons during the summer. In addition to, and sometimes in cooperation with, summer schools, many organisations offer specialised seasonal programmes. These give par-
ticipants of all ages, including teens and adults, the opportunity to learn something new. There are numerous benefits to adult education. For one, it can provide us with the knowledge, skills and confidence we need to make life changing decisions or take us further in our career. Making the conscious decision to participate in training courses that develop a specific set of skills or to study a particular subject of interest also has a number of benefits that we often don’t even immediately realise.