Allef

Dominic’s Trip of a Life-time

David — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:32:25 +0000

Warrington youngster, Dominic O’Hara, made his local newspaper when he set off to complete a 6 month cultural exchange programme with ALLEF.

See here for more details.

ALLEF on the BBC

David — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:21:03 +0000

ALLEF recently featured on the BBC Leeds new website when local girl Matilda Parslow headed off to France at Easter to stay with Juliette Souliman and her family.

Read more about what Matilda and her family think of doing the ALLEF exchange here.

Destination France magazine Spring 2009

Janet — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:22:16 +0000

France magazine April 2009

Janet — Mon, 18 May 2009 20:18:59 +0000

What happens after the exchange?

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:49:35 +0000

Many families choose to stay in touch and continue to visit each other, often for years afterwards. How and when you stay in touch is up to you. ALLEF only monitors the original exchange.

Who do I contact if I have a problem when my child is away or when a foreign child is staying with us?

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:49:09 +0000

Your local rep is your first point of contact for any queries or problems. If they are away at the time, you can contact one of the co-ordinators.

When a foreign child is staying with us, how should they use the internet at home?

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:48:45 +0000

The ALLEF experience is all about immersing yourself in a new language. Therefore, whilst we would hope that children would only use the internet to view sites in their new language, experience has taught us that this does not happen. Unsupervised internet use should therefore be avoided but if you, or other family members, are able to sit with the child while they use English websites, that is fine. Occasional letters to friends and family in their native language are acceptable and often provide something special to look back on.

Does the second half of the exchange need to follow immediately after the first?

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:48:17 +0000

We recommend a short period of time between the two exchanges of a couple of weeks so that families can reacquaint themselves with each other. Longer break periods can be accommodated if it suits both families.

How quickly will my child learn another language?

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:47:43 +0000

It can vary. Most children understand a lot after a few weeks. Some will start to try and speak their new language within days, whereas others may say very little for the first few weeks until they feel more confident. By the end of the exchange most children find it difficult initially to get back to speaking English and you may notice they have acquired a different accent. Their English and accent will return to normal very shortly but they will retain their excellent grasp of their new foreign language.

How much contact do I have with my child whilst they are away?

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 10:47:05 +0000

Your child should not telephone you themselves. We suggest contact initially on a weekly basis whereby you call your child at the exchange family’s home. The call should not be too long, only about 20 minutes, and it should be at different times each week. Other family members or friends should not call as the more English your child speaks, the harder it is for them to immerse themselves in French or German and get the real language benefits of the exchange.