Middlebury College language program for pre-college students opens fourth site in Claremont, Calif.

Pomona College to host program offering courses in French, Spanish and Chinese

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. — Middlebury College announced today that Pomona College has been selected as an additional site for the Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy (MMLA) for the summer of 2010. MMLA, a language immersion summer program for pre-college students in its third year of programming, currently offers four-week residential sessions in Arabic, Chinese, French, German and Spanish on campuses in Vermont, Massachusetts and Ohio.

MMLA is a collaboration between the Language Schools of Middlebury College and the Monterey Institute of International Studies, a Middlebury affiliate and graduate school in Monterey, Calif. The program at Pomona College will bring together over 70 educators and staff from around the country and 200 middle and high school students.

“As we become a more globalized community, acquiring a second or third language is a necessity,” said Middlebury College Vice President of Language Schools, Schools Abroad and Graduate Programs Michael Geisler. “MMLA’s immersion approach to teaching language and culture — like that of the internationally recognized Middlebury Language Schools — is an ideal way to provide today’s young people with the skills and resources to become tomorrow’s citizens.”

In 2009, more than 600 students — 15 percent of whom received financial assistance — participated in the program under the guidance of 176 faculty and staff members, including experienced language teachers from public, private and international schools throughout America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Students participating in the academy at all four sites will completely immerse themselves in their language of study and commit to speaking only the target language, both inside and outside the classroom, throughout the program’s duration.

MMLA is designed to meet the learning styles of middle and high school students in a fun and challenging environment. Students live in language-specific residence halls, participate in language instruction, and speak their target language in every activity — cooking classes, group hikes, soccer competitions and social events. Through a carefully planned progression of language learning and culture studies designed for beginning to advanced levels, MMLA students are challenged to make language breakthroughs while cultivating new friendships and enjoying themselves.

For more information, visit www.mmla.middlebury.edu or call 802-443-2900.