The other day I received an email from Kaplan International English informing me of a revolutionary course they have just launched. Intrigued, I wrote to them asking for more information and here’s what I discovered.
Kaplan are about to launch their newest English language learning programme, Kaplan Underwater English! Courses will be carried out in submersion-education facilities that are currently being built off the coasts of the USA, Australia and the UK. These facilities are built on the seabed, which will allow students to learn English whilst being completely submerged in water.
“Learning English underwater?” I hear you ask. How is that possible? Is it effective?
Studies conducted by Kaplan International’s educational research division found that the effects of muscular relaxation greatly improved a student’s ability to learn. The team discovered that submerging a student in water boosts their learning capabilities by up to 60%! These findings could revolutionise the way the world learns English forever.
Take a look at Kaplan’s video
Existing students at Kaplan Torquay (UK) have already been put through a trial run of the programme at a local swimming pool and have been surprised by the results.
Paola Castro, Underwater English student, said: “The first time I tried to speak underwater I had serious doubts about the program, but then I thought ‘wait a minute, I’m doubting about this in English! It must be working!’”
Cedric Macheprin, Underwater English student, said: “Two weeks ago I couldn’t speak a word of English but now I am able to hold complicated conversations and am already diving in to serious literature.”
Apparenty, the course has been a particular success with Cedric who is already halfway through Dostoyevsky’s classic masterpiece Crime and Punishment.
Kaplan International English is dedicated to improving its teaching methods and is already looking at other ways the quality of learning can be improved. Researchers are testing other locations that might be able to boost learning capabilities, including facilities in volcanic caverns, schools based in the Arctic Circle and a highly promising project on the surface of the moon. (I’ll believe that when I see it!)
Sturla Bjarnason, head of underwater studies, said: “Anyone that tries speaking English underwater can instantly see just how effective this program is. We are already confident that if we take students into the vacuum of space they will have a very similar experience.”
Mmmm, not sure about that, but the courses underwater sound intriguing and I wouldn’t mind trying them out.
The Underwater English programme opens for pre-registration on April 1st. For more information on this revolutionary course, take a look at Kaplan’s website.
Would this course be something you would try out? I’d love to hear from you.
Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog if you don’t want to miss out on my posts.
Ciao for now
Shanthi
