Middlebury Language Schools to begin 111th Summer
The first student arrival day for the Middlebury Language Schools, known internationally for their Language Pledge® and full immersion, is Friday, June 20. This summer the Language Schools will welcome more than 1,400 students and 300 faculty and staff to the campuses of Middlebury College, Bennington College, and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS). The School of Korean will celebrate its 10th Anniversary this summer, and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) graduate program will launch.
Languages offered include Abenaki, Arabic, Chinese, English, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish from beginner to graduate level. Arabic, Italian, and Portuguese are on the Bennington College campus, English on the MIIS campus, and the remaining nine Schools are on the Middlebury College campus. Graduate students will also be in Buenos Aires, Argentina and in Paris, France, for six weeks this summer.
The Language Schools will have their first cohort of 19 students in the new Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with Licensure program. The graduate program, which is a combination of in-person and online coursework, is offered in nine languages, and graduates will receive a secondary (7-12) teaching license for their language. The 18-month master’s degree finishes with a teaching practicum in the student’s preferred state.
The average age of Language School students is 30, including more than 190 who are over the age of 50. They represent 49 states and 70 countries. Approximately 15 percent of students consider themselves as complete beginner (Level 1) students (some students will change levels), while 20 percent will be enrolled in a Language Schools graduate program. The students include healthcare workers, translators, retirees, undergraduate students (approximately 30 percent), journalists, graduate students, engineers, government employees, historians, and teachers, among others.
A student in the Betty Ashbury Jones MA ’86 School of French is a minister who enrolled to improve his French to better connect with his parishioners. The Portuguese School will welcome a recent MBA graduate and former strategy consultant who wants to focus his career in Latin America. A retiree attending the Italian School graduated from Middlebury College (BA and MA in French) and previously attended the Language Schools and School in France. In the Arabic School, a photojournalist is learning Arabic for his work in the Middle East. The School of Japanese includes the founder and president of a nonprofit that focuses on women entrepreneurs and startup companies.
“The faculty and staff of the Language Schools are looking forward to welcoming our students for another wonderful summer,” said Tim Page, acting dean of Language Schools.
Language Schools students will live, learn, and interact 24/7 in their language of study for the duration of the school. They sign the Language Pledge®, a formal commitment designed by Middlebury, to speak, write, read, and listen exclusively in their language of study for the entire summer session.
Since 1915, more than 58,000 students from all walks of life—including more than 13,000 advanced degree holders—have attended one or more of the Language Schools. To learn more about who enrolls in the Language Schools, please see this year’s student profile.
Information about the Middlebury Language Schools can be found online or by contacting the Language Schools at 802-443-5510.