There's no better way to learn a language than to immerse yourself in its culture. Gráinne Faller reports on foreign exchanges

Most of us are familiar with the Gaeltacht transformation. Students who set out with barely a word of Irish return from three weeks in Connemara able to flirt and converse as Gaeilge. Nothing is quite as effective as total immersion when it comes to learning a language.

The Gaeltacht is a nice option for parents, as the students are kept busy, which limits the amount of mischief they can get up to. Added to that, their teenagers are just a car journey away, so parents can be there quickly if need be. Slightly more daunting is the idea of a foreign exchange. Parents know the real benefits for a language learner, but the potential for trouble is probably greater as well.

Ideally, if the language-learning element is to be successful, students should be on their own with a local family. Being in a strange country without their friends could be difficult. Immediately there is concern about how they might cope. There is also the knowledge that students will have more freedom if they are on exchanges than if they are in a Gaeltacht, so there has to be an element of trust. Suffice to say, an exchange can be a worrying experience for parents.

All the same, many parents are biting the bullet, and large numbers of students travel to France, Spain, Germany, Italy and other countries every year. There are a number of options. Students can participate in an exchange, where an Irish student is partnered with a foreign student and each stays with the other's family for a number of weeks. For families who can't accommodate an extra child for that length of time, a home stay is a good option: a student stays with a family abroad but without a return visit.

Liam McCrone, a student from Dublin, spent three weeks last year on a home stay in southern Germany, at the end of transition year. "It was my first time away in a different country," he says. "I had been to the Gaeltacht, but it's quite a different experience being away from home on your own when you're not in a group."

There is a trend towards more adventurous exchanges, and transition year presents students with the opportunity to go away for longer. Increasingly, Irish students are spending months rather than weeks in another country, going to school and fully interacting with the community. Elsewhere iEurope it is not uncommon for teenagers to spend an entire year at school in another country. Most Irish mammies have yet to come around to the idea of allowing their darlings out of their sight for that length of time. More and more, though, they are realising that students can become extremely proficient in a language if the programme lasts for months rather than weeks.

Nina Phelan decided to spend two months in Germany on her transition-year exchange, last year. "I was a bit nervous, I suppose, but I'm a boarder in my school, so I was at least used to being away from home," she says. "I thought that if I just went for a couple of weeks I wouldn't have become as practised in German as I did."

Transition-year student Zoe Salveta was also away for a long time. Three months near Bologna, in Italy, was a daunting prospect. "At the very start, as in the first week, I was just, like, 'I hate it, I want to go home,' " she says. "But it was fine after that."

Longer exchanges do seem to strengthen language skills significantly. "I'd say it was probably a few weeks before my Italian really started to improve," says Zoe. "I learned loads of words initially, and then, after about a month, it all started to come together, and I became more confident."

Language isn't the only benefit of a foreign exchange. The cultural element can't be overestimated. Liam's classes were held in a language school, and his classmates were from a range of countries. "When we had topical-discussion classes you really got a perspective of different cultures and countries," he says. "It was a really good cultural education."

It is vital to use a reputable company that will support students and families if something goes wrong, especially when students are away for a number of months. That said, parents have to trust their teenagers to have the wherewithal to overcome any smaller problems. Students' resourcefulness and stamina can be surprising.

Anna Keogh, from Limerick, spent six weeks in Germany last year. She wasn't nervous going over, because her family had just hosted her exchange partner for six weeks, and Anna was going to Germany with her. Unfortunately, though, there was a problem. "My partner's family were strange," she says. "I don't think I really suited them. I just felt like I was in the way all the time. It seemed like they were judging me whenever I spoke German."

This is an unfortunate but not altogether uncommon problem. Anna is philosophical about it. "It was just one family. My friends had a brilliant time. It just depends on whether your partner suits you, I suppose. I had support from the company I went with. They sorted out some of the problems. I don't really think I had a proper cultural experience because of the problems, though."

Problems like this are, thankfully, in the minority, and most students seem to enjoy their experiences. "I'd definitely recommend it," says Tipperary student Robert Rafferty. "You pick up so much. My German had really improved after four weeks. I wouldn't say I'm fluent yet, but I am proficient."

Even with her own less-than-perfect exchange, Anna stayed in Germany for the full six weeks. The experience didn't put her off, and she is planning another exchange trip this summer. "I felt the longer I stayed, the more I was learning," she says. "I'm still glad I did it. An experience like that toughens you up a bit."

What if something goes wrong?

How do companies that organise foreign stays and language-exchange programmes ensure that nothing goes wrong? How can parents be sure that, if there is a problem, their child will have the necessary support? Christine Cann, head of EU Exchange, a company that organises three- and six-week exchanges between Germany and Ireland, finds that parents are more nervous than students about the exchange.

"We try to match students on as many levels as possible," says Cann. "Exchange partners will be the same age, have similar interests and so on. We try to put quieter students with quieter students and vice versa."

Although EU Exchange brings students abroad in groups, the teenagers are rarely placed in the same school as one another. Support is therefore particularly important, and staff should be in the country and available to students. "We have a 24-hour helpline," says Cann. "There are rarely any problems beyond the first week, but somebody is always available."

EIL Intercultural Learning, part of an organisation that began in the US in 1932 as the Experiment in International Living, arranges language and secondary-school courses in many countries. Lillian Cronin has been looking after EIL students in Ireland for many years. The support she provides is similar to that provided for Irish students abroad.

"I'm available 24 hours a day, seven days a week," says Cronin. "When I'm choosing families I make sure they actually want to host the students. You need people who will treat the student like one of their own children." While students are still learning the language, it can be difficult.

Cann says: "If someone's really struggling, we'll take them off and maybe speak to them in English, let them have a good day. It's very rare that someone will go home early, especially on the six-week programme. I think students gear themselves up for the longer period of time."

"It's a challenge, absolutely," says Cronin. "They're living with a family, they feel like they understand nothing, but after a month they really see an improvement." "The difference when they're going home is amazing," says Cann. "The confidence is something else. They're checking in in German, say, and they'll look you in the eye rather than looking down at their shoes. It's such an achievement."

Where to start

Numerous companies organise student exchanges. The following are just some of them.

EIL Intercultural Learning

EIL, the world's longest-established educational- exchange organisation, involves more than 30,000 people a year in a variety of educational and cultural travel programmes. It is a not-for-profit, non-religious and non-political association. EIL's Irish branch organises a range of programmes in a variety of countries. See www.eilireland.org.

EU Exchange

EU Exchange has been organising Irish and German exchanges for 20 years. It offers three- and six-week exchanges. See www.euexchange.org.

Franco-Irish Student Exchangeoffers home stays and exchanges.

A home stay means visiting a foreign country without the need to host an exchange partner. See www.irishstudentexchange.com.

How does Ireland shape up?

What's life like for students who visit Ireland? Inga Wolff  is a 17-year-old from Bavaria, in southern Germany, who is on a year-long exchange programme. She is currently going to secondary school in Castleisland, in Co Kerry.

"I came over to Ireland at the end of August," she says. "It was strange at the beginning to have a new family and new surroundings. My host family are wonderful, though. They made me feel at home from the very start. I wasn't too homesick, because I could talk to my family on the phone.

"There are big differences. Castleisland is very small. Everybody knows everybody else. The school day is very long as well. At home my school day starts at 8am and ends at 12.30pm. The uniform is also something I'm not used to, although I'm lucky, because at least we can wear trousers. The weather, of course, is not my favourite thing. The school has been great. The pupils and teachers have been so helpful. If you have a problem they will help you find a solution.

"I stayed over Christmas. My mother and sister came over to visit, and it was nice to see them. It's an excellent experience. I really find my confidence and fluency in speaking English are growing all the time.

"It's not always so great. Sometimes you have days where you are a bit bored or you have a bad day. That's when you feel a bit alone, but it doesn't last for long.

"I hope I'll be able to keep in touch with people I've met over here. We'll see what happens."