Language Immersion Program
About the Program
The Language Immersion Program at Friends School offers students a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of both language and culture through firsthand experiences abroad. By immersing themselves in a community of native speakers, students gain valuable linguistic skills and cultural insights that extend beyond the classroom.
Fostering Global Citizenship
These experiences foster global citizenship, encouraging students to communicate in real-world situations, broaden their perspectives on international relations, and develop empathy through cross-cultural engagement. Students return with heightened confidence in their language abilities, a greater appreciation for diverse worldviews, and a deeper awareness of their own identity within a global context.
Eligibility and Program Structure
The Latin immersion trip is open to any Upper School student currently taking Latin. Because it does not include a homestay component, younger students are welcome to participate. The Spanish, French, and Russian immersion experiences, however, do include homestays and are typically open only to 11th and 12th graders enrolled in Level 4 or higher of the language. This ensures that students have both the personal maturity to navigate the cultural situations that make a homestay so rewarding and the language proficiency needed to communicate effectively with their hosts.
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
Beyond language acquisition, the program challenges students to step outside their comfort zones, navigate new environments, and build resilience while adapting to daily life in a different country. Many participants describe their immersion experience as transformative, influencing their academic pursuits, career choices, and lifelong commitment to global engagement.
"Many of us had host siblings around our age who could tell us the most popular things to do or see around Bishkek, and it was also cool to see what teenage life is like for them. Chatting with our hosts was one of the best ways to grow our language, and we could talk together about anything- from what we did that day, to asking about popular movies and music, to asking for directions around the city. We also answered their questions about what our lives are like in America."
- Caroline A. '24,
"Being in Kyrgyzstan was some of the most learning in a short amount of time I’ve ever had. Jumping between waking up and speaking to my host family in Russian for breakfast into immediately walking to the bus station and asking for two tickets, to Russian lessons that lasted anywhere from one to two and half hours all in the span of just one morning for two weeks had me inputting and outputting more Russian than I have ever before."
- Sam P. '25
About the Language Department
The Language Department at Friends School of Baltimore strives to instill in its students a passion and curiosity for becoming more deeply interconnected with cultures spanning the globe. Our Language students develop linguistic proficiency, become well versed in cultural comparisons, and may travel abroad where they can immerse themselves in the language and culture on school-organized trips to Francophone and Spanish-speaking destinations, Russia, and/or places of Roman significance such as Italy and Tunisia. Modern Language students will be able to handle a variety of communicative tasks, including conversations on topics related to school, home, family, and leisure activities. They can also speak about topics related to employment, current events, and matters of public and community interest. Emphasis at the lower levels is placed on developing competency in the fulfillment of everyday tasks in the culture where the language is spoken, including but not limited to requests one can make in a bank, restaurant, and stores. Upon completion of level V, students will be able to express and support opinions on a variety of intellectual topics. Online resources, media reports, podcasts, literature, and films in the target language offer enrichment where the student visualizes and hears the language and grows to understand culture in authentic contexts.