Language Commitment & Communication

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18 Language Commitment & Communication

Students have limited communication with their U.S. family and friends for the duration of the program, and they must speak only in the target language 100% of their time abroad. While these rules and guidelines can seem strict and sometimes challenging to follow, their purpose is to ensure success for the student. IUHPFL provides a unique, time-tested immersion experience that will significantly increase a student’s language proficiency, create lifelong friendships, and instill the skills and confidence to succeed in an increasingly diverse and globalized workforce.

When considering the importance of the IUHPFL Language Commitment, please keep in mind the desired outcomes for every participant:

Greatly improved language proficiency
Desire to continue studying the language and culture
Self-confidence and independence
Stronger interpersonal skills
Strategies for problem solving
Positive relationships with peers, host families, and instructors
Seeing themselves as global citizens.

In order for students to achieve these outcomes, it is essential to respect and follow all rules and guidelines and to adhere to the Language Commitment. You will be proud of yourself after the program, and you will see the results!

IUHPFL Language Commitment

The Language Commitment is one of the Four Pillars that make IUHPFL a unique and effective program for language learners. It applies to every program participant. It is enforced by instructors, Onsite Coordinators, and host families. The student’s commitment to speaking only the target language during the program (except in cases of emergency) is key to their success. This means that no devices with internet capability are permitted onsite (cell phones, tablets, smart watches, iPads, Kindles/e-readers, etc.). Additionally, no music or books in English are allowed, with the exception of this handbook and a pocket dictionary, which students can take abroad for reference. See the IUHPFL Honor Code at the end of this handbook and on our website for more information about the Language Commitment.

Phone Calls and Video Chats

Phone calls and video chats are not permitted during the program, except in cases of emergency and with permission from the instructor team. Students who violate this rule will receive an Incident Report, because their actions were an intentional breach of the Honor Code.

Internet Access

Students are allowed to access the internet for one hour per week from a computer onsite, typically in their host family’s home. This hour can be taken in one 60-minute session or two 30-minute sessions. Students will have a more successful assimilation process if they correspond with home just once or twice per week. During this computer time, the student may write messages in English or the target language.

IUHPFL suggests that parents/guardians respond to their students only once or twice per week as well, in order to encourage them to uphold the Language Commitment, to help curb homesickness, and to foster the student’s independence.

Host parents may provide a desktop computer, a laptop, or a tablet, during this one hour per week. This computer time must be given to the student without interruption and on a device that allows them privacy. The messages a student sends home should never be read by another person onsite.

In recent years, some students have had problems accessing their email accounts abroad due to two-factor authentication which requires they verify their email accounts from their smart phones. It is important to either disable this two-factor authentication feature or to select the option of taking access codes abroad, if that option is available in the email account’s settings. It is also a good idea for the student to have two email accounts, in the event that they are not able to access one of them onsite.

Encouragement for Parents and Guardians

Until recently, international communication limited itself naturally, because high-speed internet, international calling plans, blogs, video platforms, and social media options were less available around the world. Now it seems unthinkable not to be in touch at a moment’s notice. When embarking on a journey such as IUHPFL, however, students and parents/guardians are asked to trust the immersion process, as well as our program policies, which have proven effective since IUHPFL was established in 1962.

The limited access to communication with friends and family in the U.S. serves to empower the students in several ways:

They become immersed linguistically by relying less on the native language and more on the language of the host culture.
They become immersed culturally and learn new ways of seeing the world, other people, and themselves.
They are less inclined to be homesick because they are able to focus on the present moment and enjoy their surroundings.
They learn to take control of their own well-being and to rely on their host families, instructors, and peers.
They become more self-sufficient and self-confident.

In order for students to be successful in their IUHPFL experience, they need their parents/guardians to respect these communication restrictions and to support their full immersion while abroad. Parents and guardians are an essential part of their student’s success!

While these restrictions on communication between students and parents or guardians can be difficult for both sides, particularly if the student is having challenges onsite, it can help parents and guardians to remember that each student’s language skills and adjustment to the culture improve a little more every day. During times when a student seems sad or discouraged, it is extremely helpful to simply encourage them and remind them that challenges are a normal aspect of being abroad and an important part of their personal and academic growth. Oftentimes, just hearing that their loved ones at home believe in them and are cheering them on makes all the difference!

Family and friends are not permitted to visit the student during the program. If there is an emergency, however, the parents/guardians may travel to the program site to support the student.

Parents and guardians must NOT send packages to students abroad. Customs taxes and delivery charges can be very high (sometimes equivalent to hundreds of dollars), and whoever claims the package for the student, a host parent for example, will have to pay these charges.

Sparse or Negative Communication from the Student

If student communication is uncharacteristically sparse or negative and family members in the U.S. are concerned, they are encouraged to contact the IUHPFL Office Team, who will then reach out to the instructors to assess the student’s state of well-being. The Office Team will report back to the parents or guardians as soon as possible. In most cases, students do not have problems abroad and enjoy themselves immensely. It is also not unusual for a student to deliberately limit communication with family back home because they do not want to use English or disengage from activities onsite. Although potentially frustrating for the student’s family, sparse communication is rarely a cause for concern.

Flow of Communication Between All IUHPFL Parties

Instructors, parents/guardians, and students should all be familiar with how communication should flow between IUHPFL parties, which include the IUHPFL Office, U.S. families, students, host families, Onsite Coordinators, and instructors.

Please refer to these guidelines during the program to understand expectations for communication between parties:

Students, instructors, and host families are in communication with each other daily. These constitute the primary support network for students.
The Onsite Coordinator is often present and accessible at all times during the program, providing support and crisis management, as needed.
The IUHPFL Office and U.S. family provide marginal support during the program, except in cases of emergency when more involvement is necessary.
If the student should experience difficulties of any kind during the program, they should first reach out to those they trust within their immediate onsite support system, which consists of their instructors and/or host family.
The Director and Program Coordinator are in contact with instructor teams and Onsite Coordinators at each site several times per week, if not daily.
The IUHPFL Office acts as a conduit for communication between the U.S. family and the instructors. As instructors are typically very busy during the program, the Office seeks to resolve matters quickly and to ease concerns for all parties. Parents and guardians should not attempt to contact instructors directly, except when given access by the Office during emergencies.
The Program Site Blog provides weekly communication to U.S. families from the instructors. Family members are encouraged to visit the blog often to see photos and to read about the team’s activities and excursions.

Communication During Urgent or Emergency Situations

If there is an emergency or urgent situation onsite, the instructors and/or Onsite Coordinator will immediately reach out to the Director, who has direct access to all Onsite Coordinators and instructors via cell phone at all times. The Director will then contact the U.S. family.

The U.S. family may call the Director’s cell phone during times of emergency. For less urgent matters, please call or email the Office during normal business hours. Contact information is provided at the beginning of this handbook.

Communication about Infractions against the IUHPFL Honor Code

The Honor Code is an integral part of IUHPFL, and students are expected to follow it while abroad. Upon acceptance into the program, students agree to adhere to the Honor Code. Their parents/guardians agree to respect the Honor Code, as well as the instructor team’s efforts to reinforce it. Students are also expected to encourage and hold each other accountable to the Honor Code.

If the student receives an Incident Report for violating the Honor Code, parents/guardians will be contacted by the Director during the next business day or sooner if possible. The Director will send the Incident Report to the parents/guardians via email and offer to discuss the matter at their convenience.