MLA-Move language ahead

Over the past 45 years, MLA has emerged as an industry leader and a force for good. We take actions that inspire pride among our students, families, group leaders, agents, and employees- from historic investments in creating  industry- first technology to training more activity leaders and EFL teachers, and from producing student- and agent-friendly terms and conditions to upgrading our programmes with new centres, activities, and excursions. 

These changes serve not only as to build on our recent actions, but also to reinforce MLA`s commitment to cunducting business in the future.

Mission Statement

Move Language Ahead is committed to providing industry leading safe, educational, and cultural programmes to students from around the world.
Students, families, and agents from around the world have chosen MLA for the quality of our language courses, for the established trust of our brand, and for the meticulous attention to detail in our packages. The MLA formula for a summer centre is a unique blend of many full-day and half-day excursions, an amazing activity programme and specialized language path. In this way we have broken the barriers of the traditional summer language course.

MLA works exclusively with accredited agents throughout the world. We rely on our relationships with these agencies to produce students and groups. Our global sales team will support your agency throughout every step of the booking process and delivery of our exceptional programmes.

Core Values

• Honesty: fair business practices, clear expectations, what we sell is what we provide.
• Compassion: We understand that working with students and families can be challenging; we are your partner.
• Caring: we provide world-class student care prior to departure and during our courses from our well-trained staff and welfare managers to our comprehensive insurance packages.
• Leadership: we are a team of dedicated professionals with combined hundreds of years of experience in the industry committed to creating the best programs and experience for everyone.
• Generosity: We recognize that we are a small part of a big world; from our efforts to be a ‘green’ company with a focus on the environment to the thousands of dollars the company and students have donated to Save The Children over the years we understand our role in creating a better tomorrow.

Student welfare

MLA is committed to the welfare and safeguarding of children and young people. All students should expect to feel safe within all aspects of the summer programme. The primary concern at all times must be the interests and safety of each student. Our organization takes all reasonable steps to protect children from harm, discrimination or degrading treatment and to uphold their rights in order to create and maintain a safe and suitable environment.

We provide:

• a welfare manager who is specifically responsible for the care of each student
• an international md or medic on site
• links with local hospitals and other emergency services
• a responsible member of staff is available at all times, day or night, with our 24/7 emergency contact number
• students are issued an id card
• key members of staff receive specialist child protection training
• staff are subjected to official background checks, including enhanced dbs (disclosure and barring service), police checks and references to confirm their suitability to work with children

Academic Programme

Our English language classes focus on developing English communication through common topics and tasks specifically written and designed for young learners. Communication, interaction and language production is focus for our language programmes.

Our book, TASKtime written specially for young learners, has clear lesson aims and outcomes for each lesson and includes speaking skills and pronunciation tasks suitable for each level ranging from Elementary (A2) to Advanced (C1). TASKtime and English language lessons are supplemented with a range of materials including EFL course-books, photocopiable & online materials, role-play & information gaps, vocabulary games, centre location tasks and language connections between activities and excursion.

Hours of tuition

30 hours of tuition in two weeks, usually 15 hours per week. Students regularly study between 3 to 4 hours a day*.
*At the London Roehampton centres it could be up to 8 hours a day. Some US centres have 6 hours of lessons per day.

Class sizes

Maximum class size of 16 students. Students 18+ will be accommodated in separate classes from those ages 11-17.

Times of classes

Times can vary depending on the centre ranging from;
Morning classes 8:30 to 13.30
Afternoon classes 14.00 to 18:30

Levels & lessons

• General English courses for students from Elementary (A2) to Advanced (C1).
• Online pre-arrival test taken to place students in classes from day one.
• Spoken and listening assessments confirms the student’s level at the centre.
• Daily progress marks given by teachers for effort and achievement Mid and end of course assessments form part of the programme Record of work and certificates completed digitally.

During our courses, you can expect to:

• Practice and use of English to complete tasks.
• Speak and listen to English being used.
• Improve pronunciation
• Acquire and practise new vocabulary.