The Benefits of Using Immersion Strategies When Learning a New Language

Jennifer had always loved working crosswordbe influenced by skilled teachers guiding their daily
puzzles and taking vocabulary quizzes. She hadactivities. The camp structure lends itself nicely to
always had a special knack for understandingfull immersion, as a student often attends for
English words and their meanings. She had a vastseveral days at a time, limiting outside influences
knowledge of grammar rules and had been aand distractions.
spelling bee champion three times. With herThe second immersion exercise a teacher can
interest and skills rooted deeply in these areas,have students partake in is to watch movies or
she decided without much difficulty that shetelevision programs which have been dubbed into
wanted to help others learn her native language.the language. This is a visual and auditory exercise
She took some classes on how to teach others aand it is thought to work best when a student
second language and, with the huge need for herhas some familiarity with the movie or show
services, was able to begin working right away.context prior to viewing. Along these lines,
Her students ranged from the recentlyincorporating subtitles can be an interesting
immigrated, to foreign students studying in theexercise as well. The discipline of incorporating the
States, to older men and women who had longtwo learning methods of visual and auditory as
spoken another language as their primary methodways to comprehend provides a very integrated
of conversation. Apart from her one on one workapproach to learning.
with her students, Jennifer incorporated a fewThe third immersion exercise which can have a
other immersion exercises into her teaching plans.positive effect on students is listening to music or
Her strategies were fun for her students but alsoother auditory tapes from the language being
very effective when it came to immersing herlearned. Music in particular can be a very valuable
students in activities where they were required totool for teaching. Language set to music can often
visually and mentally process language. There arebe easily remembered and can be listened to
some really fun and easy immersion opportunitiesover and over again with ease and enjoyment.
which language teachers suggest their studentsThe final immersion technique is to have students
explore to help them get a better grasp of theparticipate in study groups with other learners.
language they are learning.Group learning is an excellent tool as their peers
The first immersion opportunity a teacher canhelp each other learn by participating in
suggest to students is participation in a languageconversations with one another and by studying
camp. Having a student get the opportunity toitems and concepts together. Group learning
attend a language camp gives them a chance toprovides a low stress environment and can build
participate in very focused and planned languagecamaraderie and friendships among those sharing
activities. They will be surrounded by a number ofthe same goal.
others who are learning as they are and they will