Summer is here, the academic year is over, and we are back to celebrate the success of our 8th Go American English! group, an educational project created by our non-profit organization, International Studies Foundation (ISF), in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy in Spain.
As an Austrian philosopher said: “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” That concept, coupled with the great need for English-language proficiency among our youth to open future doors in terms of international opportunities and job prospects, is precisely why we offer “micro-scholarships” to enable these students to study the language of Shakespeare and business in Madrid without financial obligations.
English as a driver of opportunity and social progress
The Go American English! program, inaugurated in 2015, offers students in the 2nd year of the Spanish ESO program (comparable to middle school in the US) intensive classes taught by Spanish and American teachers after school two days per week. This initiative seeks to prepare and equip students with conversational skills in the English language, through native and non-native teachers that allow them to develop their abilities in a second language.
In addition to English language instruction, the Go American English! program also provides participants with the opportunity to deepen their understanding of U.S. culture and values, increase their ability to successfully participate in Spain’s social challenges, and enhance their future employability, as well as to improve their capacity to potentially study in the US or participate in exchange programs.
Finally, it should be highlighted that this program is not only a vehicle for language learning, but also an extraordinary tool for international twinning and friendship, as the 10 highest achieving students from each group were additionally able to participate in the 4th edition of our Camino de Santiago trip initiative with other students from Miami and New York.
Congratulations to all the participants and collaborators of this unique project that will surely return in the fall of 2023!
