Immersion is often touted as one of the fastest and most effective methods for language learning.
But is it truly the best approach for everyone?
In this discussion, we will explore the potential benefits and challenges of immersion courses, and consider whether it suits your individual learning goals and preferences. We will examine what immersion entails, how it can enhance your results when you learn languages, and whether it aligns with your personal learning style.
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What's an Immersion Language Course?
Immersion is an interesting topic, and one of those words that always come up in language learning a bit like "polyglot method" or "language exchange". There is a bit of misinformation and myth around when it comes to the topic, let’s kick off with a clear summary..
The OED has immersion as the "deep mental involvement in something" and points out that in foreign language learning it means _your teacher will only teach you using the foreign language_. That's all - immersion is not dependent on where you take the class or who you're learning with, it just means fewer explanations and more target language content. You do not have to live anywhere but where you live right now to make this work.
Advantages of Immersion in Language Learning
Many language learners dream of immersion classes as they promise quick results and otherwise unattainable levels of confidence, all wrapped up nicely with an impressive target language accent.
And all of this is kinda true - immersion works particularly well when building up to bilingualism, that means speaking two languages at practically native level all the time. This type of class challenges the brain in unique ways while forcing a learner to engage with the way language is used. There's no time for getting lost in grammar and rules, the point is to listen, copy and learn how to use language to be understood immediately.
Some more reading about the advantages of immersion can be found over at Omniglot.
Guided Immersion Classes
Immersion classes sound great! They typically require a dedicated chunk of y time from you as a learner, so you can spend at least a few days focusing on your target language. A true immersion environment requires at least a few hours spent speaking the new language, every day. That's probably why many people develop a simplistic view that learning a language comes naturally as a result of moving to a new country. The better logic looks like this: No fluency without practice, no immersion without time, but you can certainly learn a language at any pace that suits you.
One more point to note here is that immersion-based study methods may not be the best long-term option for you to build great learning skills. For example, this the teaching method focuses on communicating by sound and vision, and can neglect important learning methods like note-taking and learning how to review what you learnt.
3 Simple Questions to Know if Language Immersion is Right for You
1) Do you have enough space and time to commit to immersion language classes?
When it comes to immersion classes, it’s best to schedule in a focused amount of time. You may want to travel out to a retreat, or design your own immersion day.
Listen to this podcast episode to learn more about designing your own immersion day.
Of course listening and reading are core parts of this, but producing target language sentences every day is another big part. Immersion classes work extremely well as language learning holidays or short programmes (like my German retreat!), but they're much rarer as ongoing programmes over the years. So when you decide that this is your chosen method, make sure your language learning schedule can handle it.
2) Are you feeling ready to try this out at your level?
Good immersion tutors know that the key is to adapt your teaching and content to the skills or the learners. With that in mind, it's easy even for complete beginners to learn through gentle immersion, and I believe that the structure of guided lessons is a perfect environment. If you feel that you want to tackle immersion-style learning all by yourself, make sure you have a few good podcasts and italki ready for real world practice.
Interested in other language podcasts?
Interested in podcasts for other languages? We've got you covered! Explore our series of the 9 best podcasts:
9 Of The Best Podcasts For Learning French
9 of the Best Podcasts for Learning Spanish
9 of the Best Podcasts for Learning German
9 of the Best Podcasts for Learning Italian
3) Do you know your goals and limits?
If an overambitious learner uses a bombardment of random target language content as a learning technique, they might as well just look at a flag for an hour. The keys are to find materials that you can understand at your level (StoryLearning courses for example offer this from zero - check out their French or German ones to start), and to make sure you learn grammar in efficient ways.
Figure out which materials work best for you by getting clear on your language learning goals first, and then it becomes much easier to choose the topic and level of your immersion practice.
Don't put unreasonable demands on your understanding. Instead, know that it is a lot better for your learning to address the words and structures that you don't know, than to hope you will just assimilate them as if by magic. The "copy and speak" method does work, but only if you actually understand the input that you are getting.
Will Immersion Help You Learn a Language Faster?
Immersion is a trendy word among language learners and I have an allergy to trendy sometimes (anti-authority streak? teenage rebel?), so I do not personally use the word when describing how I teach or learn a language. The thing I find particularly important when I teach a language is that "immersion" must not mean "there is a teacher rambling at me in a foreign language and I can understand every 6th word".
Immersion Language Learning FAQ: Your Top Questions Answered
What Is an Example of Immersion Language Learning?
Immersion language learning often includes a strong mix of grammar, reading, and lively discussions. For example, learners might dive into an article on current events and engage in a group discussion. There’s usually a big focus on oral interaction, such as asking and answering questions, sharing stories, listening to work-related dialogues, and participating in role-plays for scenarios like leading meetings, giving instructions, or dealing with workplace challenges.
Fun activities, like watching TV shows in the target language or playing interactive games, are also woven into the experience to make learning both effective and enjoyable.
What Are the Benefits of Immersion Language Learning?
Immersion language learning offers a unique and exciting way to connect with a new language.
Here are some of the fantastic benefits you'll gain from this immersive approach:
Develops an intuitive understanding of the language, similar to that of a native speaker.
Improves pronunciation and accent through constant exposure to native sounds.
Makes language learning fun and engaging.
Allows for the pickup of slang and idioms often missed in textbooks.
Strengthens problem-solving skills by encouraging adaptability and quick thinking.
Fosters bonding with native speakers, leading to real connections.
