Cactus Language Blog

School Trips for the New School Year

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus School Groups Abroad, Learning a language

How does a school trip abroad benefit students learning a language?
With students fresh from holidays and the new school year due to start in a few weeks, this is the perfect time for parents and teachers to start thinking about school trips abroad for the next academic year.
For students studying a language there can be [...]

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Tags:Cactus School Groups Abroad, GCSEs, language trip abroad, October, school groups, school trip abroad, September

Language Holidays for the Over 50s

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, English, French, German, Italian, Learning a language, Spanish

Why learn a language later in life?
With an increasingly ‘older’ population, and people living for longer, it is not surprising that the over 50s and retirees are now enjoying, and demanding more, of their free time. Many now have the time, money and freedom to indulge in existing passions and explore new interests, whether at [...]

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Tags:language learning over 50s, Learning a language, learning later in life, young at heart

10 French False Friends to Watch Out For!

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, French, Learning a language

A few French words that aren’t all they seem…
Learning a language is as much about stringing together a perfect sentence as it is about being able to laugh and pick yourself up when you make a mistake. False friends, or faux amis, are one such route to finding yourself in the latter situation - but [...]

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Tags:false friends, French

Cactus Opinion: Learning Spanish in the Dominican Republic

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Learning a language, Spanish

Managing Director of Cactus in the US, Rich Ambler, tells us about his Spanish course in Sosua

It’s late Sunday morning and I am sitting at what passes for a bus station in Sosua, in the north of the Dominican Republic, waiting for the next bus to the capital Santo Domingo. My Spanish language holiday is [...]

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Tags:Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo, Sosua, Spanish, Spanish course, Spanish language course

Language Learning: Setting Yourself Goals

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, English, French, German, Italian, Learning a language, Spanish

When you learn something new - whether it’s a sport, a musical instrument or a foreign language - it can really help to have a goal, or set of goals. A goal will not only motivate you and provide the impetus to keep going; it will also give you a valuable means of tracking [...]

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Tags:Cambridge Further Exams, CELI, DELE, DELF, language exam preparation course, language holiday abroad, language learning, language learning goals, TestDaf

Custom Language Course - What’s That?

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Tailormade, Language Courses New York, Learning a language

Sedrick Myrtil, Cactus Worldwide Intern in the US, tells us why customized language training is so important
There’s been an increase in the quantity of foreign relations in English-speaking businesses, which means that there is a huge need for customized language training. And yes, even in this struggling American economy there are still business relations that [...]

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Tags:Cactus Language Training, customised language training, customized language training, language training program, tailor-made language training

Attenzione! 10 Italian False Friends

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Italian, Learning a language

Not all Italian words mean what you think they do…
Learning a language is as much about stringing together a perfect sentence as it is about being able to laugh and pick yourself up when you make a mistake. False friends, or falsi amici, are one such route to finding yourself in the latter situation - [...]

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Tags:false friends, Italian

Capturing true Spanish passion through Flamenco

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Learning a language, Spanish

Germaine Broadbent searches for the spirit of Flamenco with one of the South’s leading dancers, Ana Dueñas León
1. So, Ana, how long have you been dancing Flamenco?
A: I’ve been dancing Flamenco for about 8 years and I absolutely love it; I’m lucky to be able to do the things I love the most. I so [...]

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Tags:Ana Dueñas León, flamenco, flamenco dance, flamenco holiday, learning Spanish, spain, Spanish & Flamenco

Cactus Opinion: Learning French in Biarritz

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, Cactus Staff Opinion, French, Learning a language

Laura Harrison, Cactus TEFL Advisor, tells us about her recent language learning experience in sunny Biarritz
With its spectacular coastline and boutique-lined streets, Biarritz simply oozes Gallic chic and surfing cool.
It’s strange really that these two qualities exist side by side, and even stranger that I, an individual with a self-confessed lack of either attribute, should [...]

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Tags:biarritz, Cactus TEFL, French, French language course

The Role of Music in Second Language Learning

Posted by Sarah under Cactus Languages Abroad, English, Learning a language

A recent blog post made me wonder why language teachers like to get lyrical…
Having attended various language courses across the world, from Cuba to Italy to Argentina, it’s always interested me how local language teachers are so keen to incorporate singing into their lessons. There hasn’t been one course where I haven’t had to listen [...]

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Tags:Argentina, Cuba, EFL, italy, second language learning, singing, tefl, Vietnam