Best Way of Learning a Foreign Language: Immersion Programs

The best way to learn a language is to immerse yourself in a country full of natives! The main reason for a linguistic stay is therefore immersion in a foreign territory, to return to it impregnated with a new culture, another vision of the world, and especially with a largely improved linguistic practice.

In the context of higher studies, linguistic stays can also be considered for other reasons: to prepare a competition, to pass a specific language test or to validate a year of study to be done exclusively abroad. Organizations or institutes can be easily contacted online, like expanish.com.

Find your language stay easily

But first of all, let’s start by defining what a language stay abroad is. We tend to think that a language course is exclusively for young people, and that it allows us to learn a foreign language. It’s wrong ! Finally not totally. The language stay, as the name implies, is primarily used to learn a foreign language or improve its level by staying abroad. But the language stay also includes other activities including language courses, cultural activities and sightseeing tours usually organized by the schools themselves.

This form of learning is very popular with middle school students, but they are not the only ones involved: high school students, young adults, and sometimes even senior citizens use language study abroad for different reasons: discovering the country, learning increased language, academic or professional purpose.

Finally, learning a language in a country that we do not know or can not be a real adventure! So that the student does not completely lose its benchmarks, the stay is supervised by a team on the spot. In this way, students can discover the local way of life, including culture, heritage, and life skills, while improving their command of the chosen foreign language.

Another specificity of the language stay abroad: the person can be accommodated with a host family or a student residence according to their expectations.

Courses: the core of immersion programs

As for language courses, they are the essence of the language study program. Included in the program, courses are taught by an approved teacher who speaks only in the language of the country. Depending on the formula chosen, the student takes language classes a few hours a week during the morning or afternoon or all day long.

Generally, new students take a written and / or oral test according to the schools to assess their level and thus be divided into level classes corresponding to them. These homogenous groups once formed will allow young people to learn at their own pace. The courses will begin with the revision of the basics, then the difficulty will gradually increase through written and oral exercises more or less fun but always participatory and inclusive.

The research

Once you are familiar with the concept of a language study stay and know what to expect, it’s time to start the first step to find your ideal language study experience! Above all, know that finding a language study abroad is not so easy. You can rely on the reputation of great schools or by word of mouth but regardless of your choice, you will still have to go through the search box: choice of destinations, comparisons of schools, analysis of your budget, the question of housing.

Mission: choosing a destination

Identifying your language needs is essential when you want to make a language study abroad. Some destinations are more popular with the English speakers because of their geographical position.

Do you really want to improve your Spanish? Choose a school where the presence of English speakers is rather weak. Other destinations are more known for mixing amusements and language, other more languages ​​and culture. It depends on the expectations of the student. Before making your choice, consult the destination to which you wish to fly.

For destinations, put on your expectations and the good times to go during the year. Do you want to sunbathe on the beautiful beaches of Barcelona?

You may also like: How to Learn Spanish Effectively

Compare language schools

It’s always difficult to choose a particular school. And there is much procrastination: is School No. 1 better than School No. 2? To find your ideal language stay, we advise you to take stock of your motivation. This can go through a simple series of questions:

• Do you want to improve yourself in Spanish to progress at your own pace?
• Do you prefer to attend classes in the morning or afternoon?
• Would you prefer intensive courses or, on the contrary, more intensive programs?
• Which class size would you prefer? S, M or L?

Before choosing a formula, make sure that the selected school accomplishes your expectations. Do not hesitate to read the testimonials of former students to give you a clearer picture of the school.

Check the number of sequences, duration and pedagogical supervision of the courses offered. Another very important criterion to take into account: the distance between your place of residence and the premises of the school. And yes, some schools do not necessarily specify it! And if you still hesitate, chose an interview with the organization. Do not forget they are there to help you!