Faster Language Learning with Immersion

The fastest way to learn a language is to immerse yourself as much as possible, in as many ways as possible. You can create a rich language immersion environment to study at home, or you can travel abroad to practice in a country with native speakers. Both of these methods work to learn a language to fluency so long as you are diligent about studying and maximize the time & resources you have available.

Creating Immersion at Home

Independent immersion style studying from home can be just as effective for learning a language to fluency as a flashy study abroad program. It just takes a bit more discipline & creativity since you’re creating an immersion program in your target language while still being surrounded by your native language. Let’s look at a simple break down of how you can get started creating your home immersion experience.

Step 1: How long will your home immersion program last?

Choose a time frame for your independent home immersion program. Let’s say you want to be a “learn a language in 30 days” person, so you plan for a 30-day intensive immersion to see just how much you can progress in a month. You can also create shorter or longer immersions by either committing to several hours of daily practice or a slower immersion style learning by blocking off a few hours each week that you dedicate to reading, writing, speaking, and listening in your target language.

Step 2: What will your study sessions look like?

Decide how you’re going to study during your immersion program. This could look like and combination of: taking classes, conversation or extra session with a tutor, working with native speakers in online communities for speaking & writing feedback, completing grammar workbooks & apps, daily language journaling, etc. Having a variety of ways to practice is especially helpful if you plan to spend several hours studying in a short amount of time, like 6 hours a day for a month. If you’re going for a slower more laid back approach, choosing fewer ways to practice & focusing on doing them well may be more appropriate.

Step 3: Create a detailed plan of your immersion days

Start by creating an outline for the duration of your immersion program, then block out individual study sessions for each day & designate what you’ll be doing during those times. For example, I’m going to study for 3 hours a day for 7 days from 8am to 11am.

8:00-8:15 Language journaling using prompts as a warm up

8:15-8:45 grammar workbook practice (goal of 5 pages)

8:45-8:55 Duolingo practice

8:55-9:00 Restroom Break

9:00-10:00 Conversation practice with tutor online

10:00-10:15 Snack & stretch break

10:15-11:00 Read comic book & mark new vocabulary

11:00-11:20 Look up vocab & write definitions

It’s helpful to write out this schedule, even if you end up deviating from it, because it gives you a focus & direction for your study sessions. In this case, it also points out that if you want to study 3 solid hours each day, you’ll need to block out 3 hours & 20 minutes so that you have time to take breaks in between. Write an outline for each day you plan to study.

Step 4: Implement your plan & adjust as needed

It’s time to put your plan into action. Remember, it’s okay if you change parts of it as you go. For example, you might decide that instead of reading after your tutoring session, you’re going to review what you practiced with your teacher because it was a challenging lesson. This is perfectly fine as long as you are focused & have a clear purpose for your study time. What’s important is that you have a core structure to follow so that you can hold yourself accountable & ensure your progress as you study. Needing to adjust & make changes to your plan is expected as you dive into practicing your new language.

Language Immersion Abroad

There are so many options when it comes to studying abroad: which country you’ll visit, where you’ll live, how long / type of program you’ll enroll in, extracurriculars you may add on, etc. Each depends your personal preferences & goals for your target language.

How to choose a country to visit

Do your research on the different countries that speak your target language. Depending on your target language, you may have many countries to choose from or just one, in which case you can research different regions of that country. Know your accents & dialects of your target language, and consider which one you want to dedicate your time learning. Learn about the country you’re considering in-depth before making your final decision: type of government, current political issues/news, safety, standard of living, transportation, visas, etc. Consider which of these countries you feel most comfortable visiting and is aligned with your language learning objectives.

Where will you live in your foreign country?

You can live in housing of your choice: a hotel or hostel for short-term visits, an apartment for long-term visits, or with a local host family who takes you into their home. Staying with a host family will offer you maximum language & culture immersion in a way you wouldn’t otherwise experience on your own, but all are viable options depending your needs & preferences.

What type of program will you choose? (short-term or long-term)

The most common programs are short-term (2 to 4 weeks) and long-term (months or years). Many of the short-term programs are designed for language students separate from the standard university for native students. Whereas the long-term programs are more likely to be classes in the main university with native speakers - as long as your language proficiency is high enough to take those classes. Alternatively, you can arrange your own to travel to the country, without taking classes, and practice entirely through interactions with the native speakers there.

Personalize your immersion experience for your unique goals

Once you’ve chosen your country, living situation, and program, you may even decide to add on some extras either planned in advance or as opportunities present themselves. This could like additional classes or workshops that are more personalized and culturally enriched like taking a cooking class where you learn how to make a traditional recipe or walking around the city with a private tutor who you can practice speaking with while site seeing. It could also be less structured activities like going to the theater, museums, and other events taking place while you’re there that further immerse you in the language & culture. However you choose to personalize, do what feels like the best fit you and your language learning goals during this experience of a lifetime.