About Berlitz
The Berlitz Method of Instruction
The Berlitz Method of language instruction has been used around the world for 130 years and is still the most effective way to learn a foreign language. Berlitz teaches you a new language the same way you learned your first--naturally, through conversation in the language you are learning.
From the moment the first lesson begins, you will hear and begin speaking your new language. This Berlitz Method allows you to pick up vocabulary and grammar in their proper context without translating and with the least amount of effort. Whatever your language goals may be, whether you wish to be able to communicate with ease on a tourist level or to become native-fluent, Berlitz can help you reach your proficiency goals.
History of Berlitz
It all began in the late 19th century. Maximilian Berlitz grew up in the Black Forest region of Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1870. By 1872, he had settled in Rhode Island. He worked by day and at night taught Greek and Latin. He is said to have been fluent in more than a dozen languages.
He later taught English and French in a local college. In need of help, he hired an assistant, Nicholas Jody, a newly arrived immigrant from France. Upon his arrival in Providence, Joly found his new employer very ill and overworked. Berlitz discovered that Joly spoke practically no English. He had no choice but to hire Joly. Berlitz told his new assistant to try pointing at objects and naming them and to act out verbs as best he could.
He thereupon took to his bed, emerging anxiously several weeks later prepared to face the wrath of his neglected students. To his amazement, he discovered that there was not a formal classroom setting, but a lively question-and-answer session with the instructor and the students were speaking excellent French. In those few weeks, the students had achieved a proficiency far beyond that which he had expected. Furthermore, the students were actually having fun.
Berlitz knew that he had stumbled onto something very important in language instruction. This became known as the Berlitz Method and it was clearly more effective that the traditional techniques that were being used in all schools.
This discovery gave Berlitz a new idea and he opened his own language school in July 1878. An announcement in the Providence Daily Journal advertised three month's of daily instruction in French, German and Latin for $10. Soon schools were opened in Boston, New York and Newark. In 1900, Joly sold his share of the language business to Berlitz. At that time there were 101 Berlitz Schools in the United States and Europe.
During these past 130 years in helping the world communicate, Berlitz has received countless awards and recognition for the training of government leaders, soldiers and diplomats. Berlitz publications are carried by both tourists and businessmen in all countries. Still, Berlitz is doing what initially was done best, teaching people to speak another language. Berlitz is now a respected global school with more than 400 language centers in over 60 countries.
In Boise, the language center was organized in 1999. Now it continues to grow with instruction for international corporations, local businesses and Idahoans like you.