Because immersion breaks down the barriers to learning present in your home country, it is widely considered the best method for language acquisition. When you’re at home, you stop acquiring your new language the moment you step outside the classroom and start speaking in your native tongue again. You may learn the mechanics of the new language, but it will never really become second nature until you live in that language. Learning Spanish by immersion in Argentina, Peru, or Chile is the solution to this problem. Here’s why.
- Studying abroad forces you to USE your language skills. Every interaction becomes a learning experience when you are forced to communicate in Spanish.
- Studying abroad exposes you to the “real” Spanish that locals speak, not just textbook Spanish. This is especially true if you stay with a local family or share an apartment with local students. You will quickly learn all kinds of expressions not included in textbooks 🙂
- Studying abroad provides ear training 24/7. When you’re surrounded by Spanish speakers, you will unconsciously and naturally absorb their accents and improve your own Spanish pronunciation. Doing ear training in the streets of Buenos Aires or in a seafood restaurant in Lima is infinitely more enjoyable that listening to boring Spanish tapes in a language lab back home.
- Studying abroad frees you from fear of making mistakes. When you speak Spanish in a classroom, you know that everyone is analyzing your words for mistakes. But when you speak Spanish every day as part of your normal routine, you will stop worrying so much about making mistakes. Instead, you will gain confidence in your ability to make yourself understood, even with imperfect grammar or missing vocabulary. When you see how friendly and eager to communicate the local people are, you will feel more and more excited about practicing your Spanish with them.
In order to get the maximum benefit from your Spanish immersion, you MUST promise yourself right now that you will speak Spanish as much as possible. Don’t fall into the trap of speaking English as a common language with other international students. Use Spanish instead! When you start to dream in Spanish, you know that your trip has been a success.