Really neat way to learn a language
I read about this in the Brookline Tab.. a Spanish immersion program that works by connecting Spanish speaking seniors with people who want to learn Spanish.
The program started in Jamaica Plain, but is now expanding to Brookline.
From their website:
Every year, students suffer through language classes and adults travel across the globe in search of language immersion, often at a high cost. But what if students could improve their grades and adults could get the same immersion experience in the comfort of your own community? Started May 12, the Spanish Immersion program offers the opportunity to learn, practice, remember or improve your Spanish speaking skills through interesting conversations with native people from Spanish speaking countries, all without leaving the area.
The Spanish Immersion program seeks to connect otherwise isolated Spanish speaking seniors with students and other Spanish learners to improve their oral and interactive skills. Latin American seniors aged 55 and up, will be in charge of conversational sessions which provide unique opportunities to learn about other cultures and experiences. While this has a clear benefit to the students, there are additional benefits to the seniors.
A large number of elderly in the Greater Boston area suffer from isolation, loneliness, and depression. This can be magnified when your primary language is not English. This program not only incorporates an educational element but also addresses a social need so critical to our area. While students and adults improve their oral and interactive skills, the seniors can also earn a modest supplement to their typically low incomes and obtain the personal interaction and contact so necessary to a good quality of life.
