The Advantages of Staying with a Homestay Provider

Long-term English language learners have thechoice of staying with a homestay provider – also often called a host family –or renting a flat. For those learners who have come to the UK on their own,staying with a homestay provder has many real advantages.

The first advantage is that there are alwayspeople on hand to talk with in English. Homestay providers are not teachers, butmost are happy to chat and listen, and this is a great boost to Englishlanguage learning. Every day the learner can speak about what they have done,the lessons that they have had and the people they have met. And the homestayprovider can talk about their day. This is valuable speaking and listeningpractice. A really clever language learner will make a point of talking aboutexactly what they did in class – it's an opportunity to use the grammar andvocabulary once again.  The homestayprovider will probably understand what's happening, but if it's done with asmile - and perhaps a cup of tea and some chocolate biscuits – they won't mind.

Secondly, by living in someone's home, thelanguage learner does not need to worry about all the the potential problemsthat can occure if they rent a flat or house. They don't have to pay gas,electric, water or council bills. If something in the home breaks or does notwork correctly, they don't have to find someone to fix it. They simply telltheir homestay provider, and it is the homestay provider's problem.Easy-peasey.

Another important point is that living with aBritish family in the UK is a fantastic cultral experience. A family home isvery different from a flat-to-rent. The former is an expression of their personalitiesand has been created with love, while the latter is merely an impersonal spacefor living in. The learner can become part of the family and can sharemealtimes and social acticities. Even mundane activities such as watching TVare more fun when done as part of a group rather than on your own. Learners canalso take part in their host family's special ocassions such as birthdays andChristmas. It's a window onto a new and different world for the learner.

It should be noted that all ILC homestayprovided are carefully checked to make sure that they are safe for lookingafter a young person. This is called a DBS check (Disclosure and BarringService check).

Perhaps if the first and third reasons are put together, we can say that staying with a homestayprovider is more fun and more like how we learn our mother tongue when we aresmall children – listening and speaking with our family.