Sprachschule AktivHamburg, Germany

Location: Hamberg is a lively city in the North of Germany, situated next to the River Elbe which flows to the North Sea. This makes Hamberg a significant Port connection within Europe and as a result has an eclectic mix of cultures and things to see and do.

Getting around: The language school by the name of Sprachschule Aktiv is in the city centre, right next to the Hopfenmarkt. Hamberg has excellent public transport with a U-Bahn (underground), a S-Bahn (overground) and regular buses running throughout the city making it easy for students to nativate. The U-bahn stop Rödingsmarkt is less than 200 metres from the school and is on the yellow (U3) line which circles the city and has stations close by to link to other lines.

City attractions: It is possible to reach all the notable attractions of the city including the Speicherstadt, Miniatur Wunderland and the breathtaking Elbphilharmonie Hamburg by foot from the school. Why not unwind from a week's study in the nightlife capital of the city Reeperbahn, which is just 10 minutes away on public transport.

Course structure: The school understands that not everyone has the same schedule or preference to learning and accommodates this through a variety of courses such as an intensive course for those wanting to improve their German quickly, evening courses for those who have a busy day time schedule and private classes for students wanting specific lessons taught in a one-to-one style. TELC Exam preparation course and TestDaF exam preparation available for students who are interested in completing an exam in German. Alongside the German courses, Sprachschule Aktiv offers other languages in its evening courses including Spanish, Italian and Russian to name a few. These are only available on specific start dates, generally the first week of the month, and for a course duration of 12 weeks. Business English is another non immersive course available and can be taken as an intensive day course or as an evening course.

Teaching style: The fact that the teachers are native speakers and experienced teachers is a given at Sprachschule Aktiv, with each class content embracing a pedagogical approach. This means that not only do students learn and improve upon the basics, but there is a strong emphasis in learning social skills and cultural norms around full immersion. The teacher will often interact with the students outside the classroom, to continue the learning in a different environment such as a local cafe or a visit to a notable city attraction.