While Missouri Southern offers a wide range of study-abroad options, students may also be interested in looking at other programs.

One such program is ACLE, the Associazione Culturale Linguistica Educational, a program which recruits American students to work as tutors in Italy over the course of a summer.

“Study abroad is an ideal opportunity for students to add another dimension to their studies, their CV and to grow and develop personally,” said Jake Hodden, head of the trainee tutor recruitment process. “Italy, so rich in history, culture, food and drink, is ideal for such an experience.”

ACLE is a 30-year-old educational association accredited by the Italian Ministry of Education for language teaching and learning.

Each summer the association trains and places more than 400 tutors in camps to teach English to Italian children and teenagers all across Italy.

The program uses a method called the Rational Emotional Affective Learning (REAL) approach, which is designed to cultivate students’ interest in English through teaching techniques based primarily on play, drama and project-based learning.

Trainee tutors will experience Italian culture firsthand, living with Italian host families, being shown around cities/towns/villages and teaching, largely, in Italian schools.

All trainee tutors will help organize games, songs and activities for the entire camp, but they will also look after their own class of between eight and 15 students.

They will also get to meet other English-speaking tutors from around the world. Many trainee tutors return to Italy to stay with host families who they met through the program.

Hodden said students can apply to the program online, under the “camps” tab of the website (www.acle.org).

Applicants need to be native English speakers and they need to be able to attend a June or August orientation.

The application process is competitive; more than 1,000 students apply in a typical year.

Applicants submit a video for the initial application instead of an interview; this is the applicant’s opportunity to demonstrate creativity, charisma and energy.

All travel, food and accommodation during camp is provided by the organization and, based on the number of weeks teaching in camp, a study grant is provided.