Good Ways to Immerse Yourself in Another Language

Study Abroad

• Studying abroad has many rewards, particularly the benefit of immersion in another language. Students who study abroad interact in daily society with locals who speak another language fluently. Students own interaction requires listening and interacting with locals in their language. While many foreigners do speak English, going to the supermarket or ordering food at local restaurants in another country requires the student to use foreign language skills to purchase or order products. Additionally, foreign countries are filled with visual media in the local language, whether on TV, on billboards, advertisements on buses or trains and on signs, there is no escaping immersion.

Live With a Foreign Host Family

• Arrangements can be made to spend time with a host family in a foreign country to provide guests with regular language immersion. Placements can be found through a number of agencies who specialize in arrangements, often for a fee. Host families often welcome foreigners into their home so they can share their language and culture, while also learning about your language and culture.

Work or Intern Abroad

• Consider working or interning abroad to immerse yourself in another language. You will gain work experience while also learning the language. In addition to learning common language, you will likely learn some of the industry jargon in the foreign language, as well as learn about the foreign work culture.

Travel

• Make vacations educational. Travel to another country and be proactive in learning the language. Visit places outside of major cities, avoid tourist traps and stay at locally owned and operated inns and hotels. The more you interact with locals, the more language immersion you will experience. Carry a pocket or digital dictionary to look up words you don't know.

Immerse Yourself in Media

• Read books, watch movies and find websites in another language. Globalization and technological advances have made language immersion possible from the comfort of your own home.

Immerse Yourself With Foreign Language Speakers

• Attend a foreign language camp, join a foreign language conversation group or make friends with foreign language speakers. Participate and engage with others by actively communicating in the foreign language when possible.