Summer Camps
Empower your childs learning journey: 4 Elements Galicia offers ultimate outdoor experiences fusing language & nature
How do they work?
Children learn languages in the most natural way possible: like being on an exchange with a family or in an immersion situation. For 24 hours a day they are with peers who are native speakers of the target language.
This makes language learning realistic, fun and engaging. This active approach doesn’t allow for the learner to feel self-conscious and clam up. Instead, they are in a live situation, naturally using their language skills to get the most out of the situation.
Why do they work?
…and a positive attitude towards language learning.
We don’t seek perfection, we just want them to have a great time and get their ideas across. That is how we know language is learnt: each day building up from knowledge they already have.
We want students to confidently acquire their second language.
We mix Spanish and English speaking children from similar age groups and then everybody eats, sleeps, plays and learns together, in effect living together. Bunk rooms are mixed nationality. Bedtime conversation is often the most active and jovial.
All the day’s activities are now stored up and ready to pour out in funny anecdotes and playfulness. Demeanours are relaxed and unworried.
It is summer camp. It is fun!
Language Classes
Only for language classes are Spanish and English speakers separated.
The focus is on the activities of the day ahead and on the context of the camp. We look at how and what they might need to communicate for that day. Indoor class time is kept to a minimum, where possible the classes will be taken outside and put into practice with games and role-play activities such as theatre, hands-on challenges, nature study or specific requests from the group.
Each course is made to measure, we think about each camp’s age group and their physical requirements in order to find balance between work and play.
Language today is not an art to be mastered. It’s just a tool to use to get a result
Food
Mealtimes are important as well; it gives the group a chance to come together and share their days’ experiences. We encourage the children to help in the preparation for meals, laying and decorating the table, and adding their own family specialities. Our catering is provided by a local chef using locally-sourced produce. Our bakery is on the other side of the river, a bright and happy place where at times the kids collect the barras
Daily Programme
- At the end of each camp week, the children present a show they’ve been working on all camp. At the outset they have an inspiring theatre workshop with Katarsis and then they take ownership of the process—assigning roles, developing the script, and designing costumes and staging. This engaging, confidence-boosting activity encourages natural language learning through collaboration. In the end, they often surprise both themselves and the audience with the impressive quality of their work in such a short time.
- Each week features an all-day off-site excursion, usually walking a section of the Camino de Santiago or hiking a local mountain, followed by a game of cricket at the beach. These hikes foster a strong, collaborative group dynamic, where it’s truly an "all for one, one for all" experience. The physicality of the trails creates rhythm and breaks down barriers, while offering unforgettable moments as we immerse ourselves in the breathtaking landscapes and the rich historical and cultural heritage of the towns and villages along the way.
