It’s approaching that time of the year again when teenagers from Spain, France and China start streaming into Guelph, taking up temporary residence and getting down to the business of learning the English language.
Canada Linc English, a private company that has been running English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction for teenagers from abroad for about 25 years, has had a Guelph component of the program throughout that quarter century. Five cities across Canada are part of the Canada Linc English network.
Margaret Burnett has managed the programs locally since 1992, welcoming nearly 2,000 students to Guelph over that time. There are 75 students coming in July from Spain and France, and Chinese students will arrive in August.
Burnett is currently arranging billets for some of the teens and invites any local residents with a spare room to take part. There is a $700 honorarium for the service. Students stay for roughly a month.
The programs are rooted in ESL, Burnett said, but also have a huge tourism and recreation component. Spanish, French and Chinese families send their teenagers to Canada for the summer holidays, where they learn the language and immerse themselves in local cultural, history, attractions and fun.
Canada Linc English partners in the foreign countries recruit the students, and the University of Guelph offers the learning environment for the English classes. Outside of the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. classroom there is always lots for the young visitors to do. They participate in a number of cultural and sports activities.
“They just love Guelph,” Burnett said. “We are fortunate to be able to rent space at the university, so they have this beautiful campus to hang out on, which is a real attraction for them.”
Many strong ties with billeting families have been forged over the years. Some local families take in the teen visitors year after year, and some teens make repeat visits. There is always a need for new billets.
The program schedule can accommodate working families. Families are asked to provide a bedroom and meals, and to involve the youth in family life.
“The whole program is a lot of fun, and that’s basically what it’s meant to be – a good summer vacation with some educational components,” Burnett added.
Families interested in learning more about billeting one of the visitors can contact Burnett at 519-766-8973 or by email at [email protected]. A per-week honorarium is paid to each host family to cover expenses. More info at: http://www.facebook.com/ CLEGuelph .
“We have a lot of them coming this year, about 75 teenagers in July alone, which is a big group,” Burnett said. “When you’re looking for accommodations for that many it can be a challenge. A few more homes would be really handy, just to be on the safe side. I am actively recruiting people to host.”
