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Who we are
School Trip Camps
Vacation Camp
It’s unanimous – people either LOVE or HATE working with teenagers. And I get it! The teen-age years are hard to navigate for any adult. But, at an English program like ours, engaging teens can seem even harder. We have awesome campers, don’t get me wrong. But some of them have already made up their minds – they think: “I’m just bad at English”!
One of our camp’s main goals: spark the camper’s interest in the English language. It won’t be easy if the child didn't choose to come to our English camps. But that is literally why American Village exists: to show that English can be learned by anyone. That may take a few days, or even the whole session. Keeping this goal in mind will help you stay focused and upbeat.
I’m here to tell you: don’t lose hope for any of your teenage campers. I have 8 approaches for you to try at camp!
First and foremost: your attitude sets the tone. Be interested in and interesting to your campers!
Teens can sense disinterest a mile away—but they’re also surprisingly responsive to genuine energy. Show up with a smile, embrace your quirks (meaning: be a little weird!), and let them see you’re excited to be there. If you’re having fun, they’re much more likely to join in. Positivity is contagious.
Motivation thrives on encouragement, and positive reinforcement is one of our core values. Informal support matters: smiles, high-fives, and simply being present all help build trust. This is often non-verbal, so English level doesn’t matter. You should compliment the effort — even to the camper who pretends not to care.
Vary the types of activities you organize so that campers can show off other skills, while trying English. When they feel confident in one skill, they will want to play – despite the language barrier! For example, some people are more physically skilled – play sports or integrate running into games. This goes for people who love to dance, love logic games, love art. By getting to know them a bit, you can better offer up activities that will engage them. This brings us to point number four…
What delights 8-year-olds might bore a 15-year-old to tears. For teens: choose games that are challenging, a little silly, and socially engaging. Also, teens have their own world of interests—tap into that. Learn a few lyrics from a popular English song, or turn TikTok trends into live activities. You don’t need to use the internet to be relevant— but you can make references if you think it can engage your campers.
Now you’re thinking: But, how can I know their interests without speaking French to them? Well, don’t forget that you have French speakers on the team (your BAFA counselors), that hear them and understand them all day long. Otherwise, you can be observant, or straightforword.
For example, I encourage all staff to use mealtimes to ask simple questions in English to the whole table. Use your hands when asking questions and remember that teens can be self-conscious. By taking the lead during group discussions at lunch and dinner, you learn about your campers without putting the spotlight on one person only.
Ask everyone “Do you play sports?”, someone at the table will likely understand and answer, helping others follow along and building group rapport.
When someone finishes, nod and show understanding. Smile, then turn to someone else "Do you play a sport?".
If no one understands, prompt learners by giving your reply ("I play tennis" while miming tennis). Then repeat your question "What sport do you play?" (emphasise the word sport).
Don't get discouraged by short replies, or by "No". Reply: "Ah, you don't play sports. Ok. (shows you have understood) What do you like to do?"
Then - don't get discouraged if a camper replies "I like You Tube" or "I like my phone". Reply: "Me too. (shows you have something in common) What do you like to watch? I like to watch cooking shows."
The internet isn't taboo - we all use it. But think about it: we don't all use it for the same reasons. This discussion can be a great way to know what the teen is interested in (sports, dance, gaming culture, nature videos...)!
(Last tip about ages: you can download our age-appropriate activity suggestions list on this blog article!)
No teen wants to sit around on a hot day while counselors scramble to set up a game. Prep in advance and start your activities on time. A prompt start with a dynamic introduction shows that something exciting is about to happen. Use music, costumes and characters. While you may feel silly, storytelling is a great way to build engagement.
Would you like participating in an ultra-strict activity schedule, without having any say? Probably not.
Whenever possible, offer choice.
Letting campers vote on the next activity or pick their role in a game gives them a sense of ownership.
Even simple options—“Would you like to sign up for the game of baseball or for the dance lesson? ”—can shift participation from passive to eager.
Your team could decide to invite campers to suggest activity ideas with an ideas box. Review submissions with your team—you might be surprised by the creative, usable ideas that pop up!
If they reply "neither", remember, this may be true... or... it can be an automatic reaction. Teens naturally seek opposition, and limits. Don't lose your cool. This is where you can politely define the limit, better describe the 2 activity options, and encourage them to put their own ideas in the ideas box for the future!
Would you like to sign up for an activity that you haven’t understood? I doubt it.
If they don't want to participate, maybe they haven't understood the options, but don't want to look stupid. As we said before: teens can be self-conscious. Providing a clear description of each activity - with words AND gestures - is important.
Finally, with more mature groups (15+), consider introducing AmVil Clubs, which is an activity organization we use that is similar to U.S. high school extracurriculars. These themed mini-groups meet for at 3 activity periods a week to develop a skill or project that they have chosen. Clubs help counselors give more developped activities, and provide teens more autonomy and a deeper sense of involvement.
I think I’ll stop here – if you’ve made it this far you are already on the right track to being an awesome counselor for teens.
Have fun!
