Top Advantages of Learning a Language by Immersion

Stay in Venice, Italy, and enjoy a walk along the canals. Photo credit:KevinandAmanda.com

Wouldn't you want to go to Venice and enjoy a relaxing walk along the canals? Wouldn't it be nice to be part of the picturesque scene above? You already know you want to learn a new language. You also know you want to be part of the few. That is, the few who have traveled and lived abroad, and who can call themselves true bilinguals. At this point you probably still have a few concerns that keep you from realizing your dream. You may be concerned about the difficulty level? You might wonder what you would gain from it? Or maybe you think of those students who speak their native language in the host country instead of their target language? Don't worry no more. Immersion Language Learning is your answer. 

Immersion Language Learning is a load of fun at any age. It's also the most natural way to learn any language, and thus the easiest. This type of language learning is fool-proof; you will be successful at it even if you don't have the best grades, and it won't add another load of work to your already busy schedule. With Immersion Language Learning, you are sure to become fluent in any language in just a few weeks, and to practice your target language daily. Here are many more advantages to Immersion:

Why Should I Learn a Language by Immersion?

1. Easy: Learn your second language the same way you learned the first one: naturally, without thinking too much about it. It's much easier than decrypting books, talking to a computer, or studying tables of conjugation by heart.
2. Academic advantage: Studies have shown that English native students who studied abroad later had better grades in school than their non-traveling counterparts.
3. Socio-emotional: Learning a second language and traveling abroad develops empathy. Students who travelled abroad and speak another language seem to better understand the needs of others, while also being more receptive to communication in general. 
4. Cultural awareness: Students who immersed themselves in a second language have a greater understanding, tolerance, appreciation and respect for other languages and cultures.
5. Socio-cultural: Speaking a second language opens the doors to all kinds of opportunities that would be only available in other languages (travel, relationships, graduate school, internships, business).
6. Language & literacy: Besides the ability to communicate with other ethnic and cultural groups, learning a second language gives students an additional knowledge and understanding of their own native language. English native students who studied abroad have been shown to score higher in English literacy tests than non-travelers. Other studies also reveal that bilingual students have enhanced levels of metalinguistic awareness, which is a skill needed in reading acquisition.  
7. Cognitive skills development: Studies have shown that being immersed in another language increases mental flexibility. In fact, bilingual students have an improved performance versus monolingual students on tasks that call for divergent thinking, pattern recognition and problem solving. In seniors, bilingualism has also been shown to reduce the risk of dementia, and to delay the onset of alzheimer's disease.
8. Economic: Foreign language proficiency, enhanced communication skills, global experience, adaptability, and intercultural awareness are all skills that will make your CV stand out from the crowd. This will open the door to many more employment opportunities.

Total linguistic & cultural immersion

Learning by immersion is a unique experience which you may discover at any age. If you hope for more than just an exciting trip abroad, try the Language Homestay Programs for a complete immersion in the language of your choice, with daily practice, and a unique cultural exchange journey.

Check the Eurolingua Institute for ideas about different types of programs in the language of your choice, or in any country you want. Wherever you want to go, you can find a program fitted to your needs with the Eurolingua Institute. Grab your backpack and go travel across Europe to learn French, Dutch, English, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish. 

One great way to study abroad and become completely immersed in the language and culture of your choice is to go live with your tutor. The Eurolingua One-to-one Language Homestay Program has multiple advantages:

• Total linguistic and cultural immersion, 
• Quality in-home housing,
• Learn the language with an experienced and qualified native speaker, 
• Individual tuition, structured in 15, 20 or 25 hours per week, and planned to fit your schedule (daytime, evenings, weekends),
• Learn at your own pace, with your style of learning, 
• Practice through informal conversation with the host family, friends, neighbours, and professional colleagues etc., 
• Visit the local community (shopping, post office, bank, bakery, etc.), 
• Cultural activities such as theatre, cinema, sports events, fiestas, or parades,
• Social activities with your host family and new acquaintances,
• Touristic activities such as visiting castles, ruins, lakes, coastline, rivers etc. (client pays their own entrance fees where applicable).
• Discounts for two.

So "andiamo" (from Italian, "let's go"), and contact the Eurolingua Institute to plan your next Immersion Language Program. For more information, follow @eurolingua on Twitter and Facebook.

References:

"What the research says about immersion", extracted from the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/documents/ImmersionResearch_TaraFortune.html
"Top ten answers for Parents about Immersion Education", extracted from CARLA at http://www.carla.umn.edu/immersion/acie/vol10/may2007_parentsten.html
"What Research Tells us About Immersion", extracted from the Education Week blog
 at http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/global_learning/2012/09/what_research_tells_us_about_immersion.html
"Benefits of Dual Immersion", extracted from Windom Dual Immersion at http://windom.mpls.k12.mn.us/benefits_of_spanish_dual_immersion
"Cognitive Benefits of Learning Language", extracted from the ACTFL website at http://www.actfl.org/advocacy/discover-languages/for-parents/cognitive