Spanish Immersion at Mas Pagès, Girona case study

Jenny Fleck, Head of Academics, Heritage School

“We take our Senior School students to Spain every two or three years for an intensive Spanish language immersion to support their learning.   This is our first time at the Mas Pagès centre, but we will certainly be returning for another incredible opportunity to see the sights, taste the food and experience the culture.

Our group was met by our monitores and we got straight into games led completely in Spanish.  This helped to break the ice and set the tone for use of the language throughout our stay.  The centre is well-equipped for adventure and sports activities such as pitch and putt, zip wires and hanging bridges and our monitores led us through these as well as some team games and races.

Our students enjoyed making coca de recapte in our hands-on cooking session, but a real highlight of the trip was the flamenco class.  Students watched a show for half an hour, and then had a go at learning the steps themselves!  All conducted in Spanish, these activities gave us real-life scenarios in which students could explore new vocabulary, develop understanding and practise their speaking and listening skills.  

Each morning we had a Spanish lesson supported by a centre-specific workbook which helped to reinforce new vocabulary.

Our monitores also accompanied us on our trip to Barcelona where we visited the iconic Sagrada Família, which was a favourite with our students, and wandered down Las Ramblas.  The next day we went to the coast to visit the amazing archaeological site at Empuries, where the remains of a Greek city Empòrion coexist with those from the Roman city, Emporiae, before a picnic lunch on the beach and a glass bottom cruise across the bay.”