Students stand over a large poster, signing their names.

Benefit from Middlebury’s proprietary Language Pledge® with a promise to speak only the language you’re studying for the duration of the program.

This complete linguistic immersion, combined with rigorous classroom learning and in-language cocurricular activities, helps you achieve dramatic breakthroughs, no matter your proficiency level or the language program.

“In signing this Language Pledge®, I agree to use ___________ as my only language of communication while attending the Middlebury Language Schools. I understand that failure to comply with this Pledge may result in my expulsion.”

Middlebury Language Schools Pledge Ceremony

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The pledge is one of the foundations of the Middlebury Language School’s experience. Once you take the pledge with your school you should make every effort to remain in language. I want you to think of the pledge, not as a rule you live in fear of violating, but rather as your best ally in your studies.

The more you embrace it, the more you surround yourself with the pledge, and with others who are doing the same. The more you will find yourself making rapid progress in your goal that you’ve set yourself for this summer. I just wanna thank everyone at the Academy. My parents, my professors, without whom I would not be here stumbling through Portuguese with all of you this summer.

 

A Powerful Purpose

The Language Pledge is a firm commitment by students to use the language of study as their only language of communication during their program. It is the foundation of the residential immersion model of the Language Schools, designed to improve students’ language proficiency as rapidly as possible across the skills – reading, writing, listening, and speaking. 

We expect all students to keep the Language Pledge, even on their own time. Outside the classroom, the Pledge fosters meaningful engagement and fluency acquisition, as students participate in a vast range of cocurricular activities, all of which happen in language.

For violations of the Language Pledge that impact the learning of others in the community, students will be given warnings. When repeated violations threaten to disrupt the community, the student could possibly be expelled, forfeiting both course credit and tuition refund.

Exceptions to the Language Pledge

Students are not expected to speak in their language of study when they are faced with an emergency when conversing with a member of the Middlebury administration, when speaking with a healthcare professional, and on those occasions when it is absolutely necessary to use English or another language.

The Language Pledge sign in front of the library.