Comments on: Language Immersion Is a Loaded Phrase http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/language-immersion-is-a-loaded-phrase/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:18:01 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Language School http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/language-immersion-is-a-loaded-phrase/#comment-63 Language School Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:41:02 +0000 http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/?p=20#comment-63 I think that language immersion is great for kids and for those adults ready for that phase. Adults need to have already achieved a intermediate level of the language otherwise they are wasting time and money. Unless you plan on staying immersed in the language for more than 1 year. There are so many basic things that need to be learned before you are ready to interact in a foreign language at that level that you would better spend your time preparing and learning the basics than just spending 3 weeks in Mexico. I was in an immersion situation and the first 3 months were useless because I couldn't understand anything. Had I been prepared those 3 months could have been a great learning experience. Fortunately I was there for 2 years and I was able to learn French fluently within 1 year. http://www.letutor.com I think that language immersion is great for kids and for those adults ready for that phase.

Adults need to have already achieved a intermediate level of the language otherwise they are wasting time and money. Unless you plan on staying immersed in the language for more than 1 year.

There are so many basic things that need to be learned before you are ready to interact in a foreign language at that level that you would better spend your time preparing and learning the basics than just spending 3 weeks in Mexico.

I was in an immersion situation and the first 3 months were useless because I couldn’t understand anything. Had I been prepared those 3 months could have been a great learning experience. Fortunately I was there for 2 years and I was able to learn French fluently within 1 year.

http://www.letutor.com

]]> By: Michael http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/language-immersion-is-a-loaded-phrase/#comment-61 Michael Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:44:43 +0000 http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/?p=20#comment-61 2 points: 1. Immersion is the best way to learn a foreign language if you're under 12 years old. In fact, a language so learned is a native language. (You can have more than one.) Linguists have long observed this. It is how we acquire our first language. Apparently something happens in our brains that causes what Noam Chomsky calls the Language Acquisition Device to disappear. 2. I studied abroad once and my command of German improved greatly. i) I avoided other Americans like the plague (as I was advised to by UMass, the University of Michigan students apparently went to Germany to practice their English). ii) It was my 5th year of college NOT my junior (3rd) year. So I had 4 years of German, before I arrived, and I passed the language exam that let take regular classes. * ** If you do a junior abroad, you are wasting your time and money. *** Wait until you've already graduated and had 4 years of the language here. P.S. My college degree is in Linguistics. 2 points:

1. Immersion is the best way to learn a foreign language if you’re under 12 years old. In fact, a language so learned is a native language. (You can have more than one.)
Linguists have long observed this. It is how we acquire our first language.
Apparently something happens in our brains that causes what Noam Chomsky calls the Language Acquisition Device to disappear.

2. I studied abroad once and my command of German improved greatly.
i) I avoided other Americans like the plague (as I was advised to by UMass, the University of Michigan students apparently went to Germany to practice their English).
ii) It was my 5th year of college NOT my junior (3rd) year.
So I had 4 years of German, before I arrived, and I passed the language exam that let take regular classes.

* ** If you do a junior abroad, you are wasting your time and money. ***
Wait until you’ve already graduated and had 4 years of the language here.

P.S. My college degree is in Linguistics.

]]> By: Ryan http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/language-immersion-is-a-loaded-phrase/#comment-60 Ryan Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:40:01 +0000 http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/?p=20#comment-60 Jeff: Thanks for sharing your story. To get to the 4 and 5 level I would have to go back to Latin America, as you can tell from the video I made in Spanish. Travis: I'm glad that you (and Jeff too) feel motivated by reading this blog. I'm a 3 in Spanish as well. It's hard to get past a 3 when one doesn't live in a country that speaks that language. I did get those levels from a government site but I restated the definitions in my own words. Jeff: Thanks for sharing your story. To get to the 4 and 5 level I would have to go back to Latin America, as you can tell from the video I made in Spanish.

Travis: I’m glad that you (and Jeff too) feel motivated by reading this blog. I’m a 3 in Spanish as well. It’s hard to get past a 3 when one doesn’t live in a country that speaks that language. I did get those levels from a government site but I restated the definitions in my own words.

]]> By: Travis http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/language-immersion-is-a-loaded-phrase/#comment-56 Travis Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:47:25 +0000 http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/?p=20#comment-56 How disappointing, because I <i>know</i> I'm a 3, at least according to the government. Ryan, did you get the description of the ratings from an official government site? I do need to study and practice more diligently, and I can't thank you enough for your site. Your posts always motivate me to work harder on my language skills (even if I don't always actually do that hard work). How disappointing, because I know I’m a 3, at least according to the government. Ryan, did you get the description of the ratings from an official government site?

I do need to study and practice more diligently, and I can’t thank you enough for your site. Your posts always motivate me to work harder on my language skills (even if I don’t always actually do that hard work).

]]> By: Jeffrey Hayes http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/2008/05/31/language-immersion-is-a-loaded-phrase/#comment-54 Jeffrey Hayes Mon, 02 Jun 2008 18:51:20 +0000 http://thelinguistblogger.wordpress.com/?p=20#comment-54 I can definitely relate to this, as I studied abroad in college, but was wondering why my Spanish skills did not improve more significantly afterward. The exact reason was because I relied too heavily on conversation with my American friends and English-speaking Spanish friends. I even hung out at Irish bars, where Americans were always to be found. I simply did not step out of my comfort zone, but that was a lesson I learned pretty quickly, and I have vowed not to do that again. Right now I would say that I am a 3.0 to 3.5 (according to the scale above) in Spanish and would love to obtain that same level in Portuguese, but my ultimate goal would obviously be to get as close as possible to 5.0 in both languages. In order to do that, I know that a real language immersion experience is what I need -- but I must prohibit myself from speaking English during that experience. Thanks for the words of motivation :) I can definitely relate to this, as I studied abroad in college, but was wondering why my Spanish skills did not improve more significantly afterward. The exact reason was because I relied too heavily on conversation with my American friends and English-speaking Spanish friends. I even hung out at Irish bars, where Americans were always to be found. I simply did not step out of my comfort zone, but that was a lesson I learned pretty quickly, and I have vowed not to do that again.

Right now I would say that I am a 3.0 to 3.5 (according to the scale above) in Spanish and would love to obtain that same level in Portuguese, but my ultimate goal would obviously be to get as close as possible to 5.0 in both languages. In order to do that, I know that a real language immersion experience is what I need — but I must prohibit myself from speaking English during that experience.

Thanks for the words of motivation :)

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