I recently found out about a fantastic language learning program, called Vaughan Town. It was started by Richard Vaughan (see video below) and is a great success for both the teachers of English, and the students learning English. It seems like such an extraordinary program for both teachers and learners - BOTH parties learning more than they ever thought they would.

I was lucky enough to speak with Mayte Velasco Ziga, VaughanTown Coordinator, about Vaughan Town, volunteering, intercultural learning, and their new program in Castile-Leon. Want to go? They are waiting for you!

Here's what Mayte had to say...

WE:  Please tell us about VaughanTown...

MVZ: “VaughanTown” is an innovative immersion program which invites English native speakers to come to Spain for an intense and fulfilling conversation holiday. In exchange for English conversation, volunteers get board and lodging covered during the 6-day program.   The mother company is Vaughan Systems, the largest language training company in Spain.

WE:  What was the genesis of VaughanTown?

MVZ: After 7 years of hard work and success, Vaughan Systems has decided to re-vamp and re-launch its award-winning project. The VaughanTown project was something that started in April 2000. The finance manager of a Swedish leasing company, who knew first-hand the quality of Vaughan Systems' teaching, contacted Richard and insisted that he drive up with him to see the remodelled village of Valdelavilla, in Soria, northern Spain. He knew the company did residential courses and wanted to pitch Valdelavilla as a venue. Richard at first rejected the idea outright but was intrigued by the quaint beauty of the remodelled village. Within a week, he had thought out 90% of everything. He decided the time had come to take the risk and try to realize a dream he'd had for years: to create an English-speaking village deep in the heart of Spain… a kind of “Mecca” for the English language, where any Spaniard could drop in and be immersed in the language and immersed among interesting people.

WE: What is the philosophy of VaughanTown?

MVZ: VaughanTown provides an intense flood of English from sunup to sundown encouraging Spaniards to think, breathe, eat and sleep in English plus it’s a great excuse to come to Sunny Spain, get to know Spaniards without any language barriers.

The VaughanTown program:

* Proves to them that they are capable of expressing themselves in intelligible English, even though they may make three hundred mistakes an hour.

*  Hones their listening skills by exposing their ear to a non-stop symphony of English.

*  Proves to them that being effective with the English language does not require perfect mastery of grammar nor a broad spectrum of vocabulary.

*  Forces them to stop translating mentally from Spanish to English when they speak. At VaughanTown they will not have time to translate, whereby the immersion method will finally break them, in only 6 days, of a bad habit they have had for years.

*  Removes the mystique from the English language and make the Spanish participants realize that it is not an occult science, but rather a vehicle for communication which they are quite capable of using.

WE:  Intercultural learning opportunities must abound for all participants. Can you share some of them, please?

MVZ: This is my favourite VT quote…  “Well, I'm back in New York, and I am definitely suffering from PVDS (post VaughanTown depression syndrome). What an unbelievable experience! I've found it really difficult to explain to people what made it so fabulous, and why we all felt so connected after only six days. All I can say is that the openness, intelligence, curiosity and warmth of all of the participants, Anglos and Spaniards, is why you go. It's not just language - it's the world's greatest cultural exchange program. The U.N. could learn a thing or two! Throw your self into the deep end, trust me, the water's fine."          

- Renée Lasher, New York, USA

WE:  What is expected of the volunteers?

MVZ: “Your job will not be to "teach" English; it will be to "expose" your Spanish friends to the English language by being talkative, inquisitive, and enjoyable. When Spanish executives go abroad to deal with their foreign colleagues, suppliers, customers, etc., they face a cold, cruel linguistic world that doesn't correct their mistakes or protect them from the slings and arrows. The moment you start “teaching” them English, you are converting the experience from one of cockpit flying to one of simulated flying. If they perceive you as a teacher, then they will feel they are in a simulator, where if they crash they don’t die. If however, they perceive you as a bonafide native English speakers – the Real McCoy – then they will be more apt to use all their five (5) senses in their communication efforts”.

AND - VaughanTown is looking for volunteers for their new program in  Castile-Leon

WE:  Please tell us about your new program in Castile-Leon...

MVZ: The Department of Education of the Regional Government of Castile-Leon in collaboration with Vaughan Systems and La Fundacion Lengua Española want to enhance the English-learning process of pre-schoolers and early elementary school students, and they want to do it by bringing retired school teachers and volunteers to help as teaching assistants.

WE: What sort of volunteers are you looking for?

MVZ: Retired Teachers and volunteers of all ages.

WE: What is required, of the volunteers?

MVZ: What will they be doing:  They will be helping as teaching assistants. They will be there to make sure that the English language is alive and well in the classrooms. They will do their best to be a fun, valuable asset for the school and for the young students in their efforts to start at an early age to gain a minimum ability with the English language.

Vaughan Systems will cover:

- Accommodation in the towns for the duration of the program

- Insurance

- Transfers to and from towns

While the volunteers will be responsible for their flights to and from Madrid, accommodation costs outside of the program such as the night before the program starts (and any other nights that they come before the start of the program) and any nights they stay in Spain after the program and personal expenses.

We will introduce them to the local school personnel, who will then assign them to the classes where they will be helping out. We will have people in Madrid and in the region itself to coordinate and trouble-shoot.

WE: Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?

MVZ: Our pilot program was last April 13 with 9 volunteers.  They were placed in 9 different towns all over the Castile-Leon province and the end date will be June 12.  Everything is going splendid.

Next program will be starting October 13th, 2009. We are looking for 18 volunteers.

I could try to tell you more about VaughanTown but it is really  just something that must be experienced!

WE: Thanks so much, Mayte! VaughanTown seems to be such an incredible experience - thanks for sharing it with us!
 

All photos courtesy and copyright of Vaughan Town.