Discover the Benefits of Experiential Learning with English in Action

Imagine touring Toronto’s top landmarks: the CN Tower, the Royal Ontario Museum, Graffiti Alley and many more. At the world-famous Ripley’s Aquarium you can pet manta rays, walk under the shark tunnel and marvel at clouds of colorful jellyfish…and yes, this is all part of your English lesson! So how does exploring Toronto help you improve your English?

 

What is Experiential Learning?

Educational theorist David A. Kolb believes that in the ideal learning process, new ideas are reinforced by new experiences. This encourages the learner to think and observe, then act on the new concepts. Making the learning experience active rather than passive helps students learn faster and retain information better.  Our English in Action course puts this theory of experiential learning into practice by combining English language tuition with an exploration of Toronto. Each day’s adventure brings the new English skills you’re learning to life, and prompts you to use them immediately, in the real world!

 

Experiential learning – Explore Toronto with English
Just think about how much you'll be able to use your new English while you're exploring the city

 

The English adventure

All our courses plunge you in a fascinating English-speaking culture, allowing you to learn and practice through constant exposure to the living language, as well as benefiting from expert tuition in class. But English in Action takes immersive learning one stage further. Instead of finding time to see the city and experience the culture around your classes, you’ll study on the move, putting your language skills to immediate use and practicing the new elements you’re learning in the real world.

Picture this: You arrive at the school where your teacher guides you through the day’s grammar and vocabulary, and provides you with an information package which includes your assignments. Then, with your classmates and teacher, you head to the Ripley’s Aquarium! You’re paired with a student from a different country – you’ll use English to discuss your work as you complete your tasks together. Today, your first objective is to talk to three members of staff and five guests as you tour the coral reefs, kelp forests and freshwater bays. Then you’ll complete a writing assignment, describing the exhibits and reporting on your conversations. You may be asked to illustrate your work with drawings or photos of the incredible sights you’ve seen today.

After three hours exploring the aquarium – and the English language! – you return to the school to further examine what you’ve learned. Your teacher corrects any mistakes, and expands on the new words and concepts you’ve covered today.

 

contact us - Experiential Learning

 

Experiencing Toronto through English

Benjamin Franklin once said, “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." That’s the idea behind English in Action. Every day, you’ll visit one of Toronto’s spectacular attractions for an experiential lesson. Then you’ll return to the school for a 2-hour classroom lesson where you’ll use the experiences you had “on the move” as a focus for reading and writing exercises, as well as a topic for practice and debate.

Every English in Action lesson guides you through Kolb’s learning cycle: pairing new concepts with new experiences, helping you reflect on what you’ve observed, and  actively experimenting with the language in the real world. And you probably didn’t realize how fast you were advancing because you were having so much fun.

 

Experiential learning English Toronto - kayaking
Discover an amazing city and improve your English skills at the same time

 

Where will English take you tomorrow? Toronto Island? Kensington Market? Casa Loma Castle? Wherever it is, it’s bound to be a great day. If you’re interested in taking English in Action in Toronto, follow us on follow #Kaplantoronto on Instagram to see more. Mention this blog when you arrive and get a special EIA souvenir!

Want to find out more about our English school in Toronto? Contact an advisor today.

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