Diving into a short language immersion program will give you a full 360-degree experience to ramp up your language skills! Teachers cultivate a conversational atmosphere and open you up to a new world of learning.
Plus, you’ll develop the language patterns of native language speakers that you wouldn't be able to get with a traditional program at home. While abroad, you’ll also hear accents and idioms in action while embracing the beauty of the culture!
No doubt about it—language immersion abroad is so. much. FUN.
No matter which language you choose to learn, practice makes progress. With a combination of classroom learning and real-world applications, you’ll have a much better chance of grasping the language.
The country around you will bestow you with a cornucopia of situations. Whether you’re ordering espresso in Italian or learning origami in Japanese, there’s nothing as rewarding as making new friends with native speakers while putting your skills to use!
However, have only a few weeks or months to learn a new language from scratch can feel daunting, to say the least. Is it even worth it? How can you make the most of a short language immersion? We’ll explain below.
Can you learn a language in a month?
First, it’s important to look realistically at your current level, the complexity of the language you’re learning, and your language learning goals. The US Foreign Service Institute (FSI) says that with 10 hours of studying a day, you can learn certain language groups in 48 days, whereas more difficult language groups will take 72 days to achieve basic fluency.
“Easier” languages for English speakers include Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and French; “difficult” languages include Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese.
With a language immersion program, you’re more likely to be studying and practicing almost all day, every day. So, while you probably won’t learn a language in a month entirely, you can still significantly level up your language abilities!
In many cases, you’ll attain critical conversational skills in such a short time span. Also, if you know a similar language to the one you’re learning, you have a greater chance of achieving more in such a short time because you can tap into that previous knowledge.
6 tips to make the most of a short language immersion
Don’t be afraid to get out there and actually *use* the skills you’re learning.
Learning a language is challenging for anyone, and it requires dedication and commitment. But with a program, you won’t go at it alone. And while you’ll face some ups and downs, it will be one of the best experiences of your life. Let’s take a look at the steps you can take to get the most of a short language immersion:
1. Learn as much as you can beforehand
With any language, having a basic understanding of some key vocabulary terms and grammar structures will help set you up for a more robust program experience. You can immerse yourself in a variety of methods beforehand—language learning apps, books, podcasts, movies, music, and more!
Dipping into a variety of methods will give you a chance to get your feet wet before immersing in a program. Plus, it’s also helpful to have a little bit of familiarity with the language so that you can understand how to do basic things when you arrive in the country. And, it’ll help you get a head start on feeling more comfortable practicing with other speakers.
2. Explore your short language immersion program options
Short language immersion programs are often in language schools, a university classroom, in the home of a private tutor, or online. Most programs offer one-on-one teaching, group classes, or a combination of the two.
And some even have conversation clubs to practice outside of class. From cooking and sports, to visiting local sites and volunteering, you’ll have the option to go on field trips with many programs!
If you’d like to save some money, we recommend considering a program in a country with a lower cost of living. And don’t worry, many adventures await you there too! You could learn Spanish in Costa Rica and zipline over a cloud forest, or learn French in Senegal and visit a shell island.
Want to learn a language off-the-beaten path? Sanskrit, Serbian, and Tibetan are on the table too! Ultimately, it’s a good idea to choose a program that best fits your learning style and also offers opportunities to try new things.
It’s worth saying that you should choose a program you’ll enjoy.
3. Live with a host family
If your short-term language immersion program abroad offers a homestay accommodation, say yes to that address! Living with a host family will give you an opportunity to practice even more with native speakers. You can also learn more about local foods, etiquette, and cultural traditions in a more relaxed setting.
We recommend telling your host family right off the bat that they can correct your mistakes so that you can improve your skills. If living with a host family isn’t an option, talk with your program provider about other ways to temporarily live with locals, such as in shared apartments or in local university dorms.
4. Take the driver’s seat with your learning
While we all would love to “absorb” a new language by osmosis, you’ll get much more out of the program by taking an active role with your learning. And after all, if you want to learn a language in a month, it’s important to take the reins and go all in!
It’s a good idea to carry around a dedicated notebook and a voice recorder. Language involves memorization and repetition, so by recording new words and concepts, you can revisit them later. And don’t be afraid to get unconventional with your learning from drawing doodles to creating dances!
Also, it’s perfectly understandable not to understand everything right away. If you’re still having trouble with remembering a word, or if a concept keeps going over your head, be sure to request further examples or resources from the instructor. Other students in group classes will usually be happy to help you practice and work out any challenges.
5. Practice lessons in real-world situations
Jump out of your comfort zone and test your skills on the metro or bus.
With many language programs, you’ll have lessons that revolve around the same themes. Some examples include food, family, animals, transportation, and parts of the body. With an immersion program abroad, you can apply the themes you’re learning in real life!
Maybe you can hop on a train and chat with the conductor or go to a restaurant and look at the menu. Putting yourself in these situations will help you give meaning to new concepts and move them from your short-term memory to your long-term memory.
6. Don’t let mistakes stop you—let them empower you!
Any multilingual speaker will tell you that they still make mistakes many years later! You will too because hey, you’re only human. Remember, learning a language is a journey, and making mistakes shows that you’re trying.
Mistakes are just opportunities to grow, so don’t try to dwell too much on them. Most of all, be open to native speakers correcting you, and don’t forget to have some fun! The rewards from learning a language go beyond the fumbles you make along the way.
3 short term language programs
If you want to make the most of your short term language immersion, you’ll want to choose a program that understands how important every moment of your time abroad is. Explore these options to find a program that takes short term language immersion seriously.
- InterExchange Spanish Immersion – Guatemala: Learn to say a lot more than just hola and adiós in this program. You can choose to take classes with a tutor or in a group.
- Lingoinn Teacher Homestay – Chengdu, China: Surround yourself with stunning sites and yummy dumplings while learning the sounds and strokes of Chinese.
- AMIDEAST Intensive Arabic – Amman, Jordan (Summer): Soak in Arabic while marveling at historic sites like the Citadel and exploring the bustling Rainbow Street.
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Going abroad is the best way to learn a language in a month
Immersing yourself in a short language abroad will give you oodles of opportunities to practice what you’ve learned with native speakers. After all, the purpose of any language is to communicate with others. From chit chatting at street markets to gabbing with host family members, you can graduate your language skills in no time!
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