Language Immersion!

[satchrocks]

It's been awhile since I've been on the forums, uni's been keeping me busy.

I realize that I'm not going to go from "knowing enough to get by" to fluent in a week or two, but if I were to spend a month (or so) during the summer in a language immersion program, how much would my Spanish improve? Does anybody have any suggestions for where to go?

[pjt33]

Un mes de inmersión basta para aprender mucho. No puedo decir exactamente cuanto, pues depende, pero vale la pena.

¿Que tipo de sugerencia buscas? ¿País, ciudad, escuela? Supongo que te sería más fácil ir a México o América Central que a otros países, pero ¿tienes afición particular por el español europeo o el argentino, por ejemplo?

[satchrocks]

Originally Posted by pjt33

Un mes de inmersión basta para aprender mucho. No puedo decir exactamente cuanto, pues depende, pero vale la pena.

¿Que tipo de sugerencia buscas? ¿País, ciudad, escuela? Supongo que te sería más fácil ir a México o América Central que a otros países, pero ¿tienes afición particular por el español europeo o el argentino, por ejemplo?

Ya no se sobre el pais, aunque me gustaria aprender en un ciudad.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by satchrocks

but if I were to spend a month (or so) during the summer in a language immersion program, how much would my Spanish improve? Does anybody have any suggestions for where to go?

Not really much help, but I remember well going to Heidelberg for a 4-week immersion course in German. Great. There were 800 students, of which 500 were French girls. I don't think I learned much German, but boy did I improve my French.

[Jane]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Not really much help, but I remember well going to Heidelberg for a 4-week immersion course in German. Great. There were 800 students, of which 500 were French girls. I don't think I learned much German, but boy did I improve my French.

And did the girls learn any English?
It depends mostly on how much interest you´ve got in learning the language. I´d like to add that real need of real communication with the chosen language helps too.

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Jane

And did the girls learn any English?

I don't think they learned anything of anything from me.

[Jane]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I don't think they learned anything of anything from me.

Don´t be too sure...

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Jane

Don´t be too sure...

[CrOtALiTo]

Originally Posted by pjt33

Un mes de inmersión basta para aprender mucho. No puedo decir exactamente cuanto, pues depende, pero vale la pena.

¿Que tipo de sugerencia buscas? ¿País, ciudad, escuela? Supongo que te sería más fácil ir a México o América Central que a otros países, pero ¿tienes afición particular por el español europeo o el argentino, por ejemplo?

Yes, you can coming to my island, here perhaps you can get more knowledge in the language already here there are people of severals places, and well I can help you if you need a guideline from the city.

[pjt33]

Originally Posted by Perikles

Not really much help, but I remember well going to Heidelberg for a 4-week immersion course in German. Great. There were 800 students, of which 500 were French girls. I don't think I learned much German, but boy did I improve my French.

En las escuelas de idiomas aquí muchas personas estudian el español pero mejoran más el inglés porque eso es lo que hablan entre ellos los alumnos cuando no están en clase.

[tacuba]

I think this would be an interesting option. I say this because I have friends who have attended language schools where they teach a grammar-based, traditional style curriculum, and for the most part, the results have been less than spectacular. I like the approach this school takes, which is a point of view that languages are "acquired" and not "learned".

http://www.fenixlanguageinstitute.com/index.html

Also, we've spent some time in Zacatecas and it's really quite a beautiful town with lots of interesting things to do and see.

P.S. I have not attended or know anyone who has attended this school, so "caveat emptor".

[bobjenkins]

Yo creo que es sin precio poder hablar con nativos en sus ciudades , pero no sé nada porque nunca me he ido ahí. Pienso que aprenderás mucho!

[Equis]

if you are going with a group to a place where they speak spanish i would just stay with the people who want to learn spanish as much as you do and go out as much as you can. immension is very good

[Perikles]

Originally Posted by Equis

if you are going with a group to a place where they speak spanish i would just stay with the people who want to learn spanish as much as you do

But this just doesn't work if they are all from the same country, especially if they all speak English.

[Ramses]

I'm sure you'd learn a lot, but if you're only going to learn the language (and not really to learn the country and culture) I'd stay home and immerse myself at home.

Contrary to what many believe this is possible, just as long as you do enough things in Spanish (like only watching movies in Spanish, only listening to Spanish music, read Spanish books, talk with people in Spanish on the internet, etc.).

[CarmenCarmona]

Originally Posted by satchrocks

It's been awhile since I've been on the forums, uni's been keeping me busy.

I realize that I'm not going to go from "knowing enough to get by" to fluent in a week or two, but if I were to spend a month (or so) during the summer in a language immersion program, how much would my Spanish improve? Does anybody have any suggestions for where to go?

By 'immersion' do you actually mean this?: (I don't want you guys to confuse terms!)

There are two types of acquisitional contexts: naturalistic settings and educational settings, according to type of language internalization, external help and input available.

Naturalistic settings are:
1. Second language learning in majority language contexts. i.e: L2
learners of Spanish in Spain.
2. L2 learning in official language contexts. i.e: L2 learners of English in
Nigeria.
3. L2 learning in international contexts. i.e: Use of L2 English for
business communication in Japan.

Educational settings are:
1. Submersion. i.e: Immigrant children of African origin living in Spain and
being educated in Spanish schools.
2. Segregation. i.e: Immigrant children of African origin living in Spain and
being educated through the medium of Spanish in separate groups from
Spanish-speaking children.
3. Immersion in a) bilingual societies. i.e: Immersion programmes in
English-speaking areas of Canada in which children are educated in French
(the minority language); and in b) monolingual societies. i.e: Spanish
children being educated through the medium of French (a foreign language) in Spain (e.g:Lycée Français).
4. The language classroom: a) Second language classroom. i.e: Spanish
classes for international students at a Spanish university; and b) Foreign
language classroom. i.e: The teaching of English in Spanish secondary
schools.

Please clarify what you meant because the suggestion for going to one place or another may vary enormously! haha I guess you mean 'Second language learning in majority language contexts' plus 'the second language classroom', do you?!!

Furthermore, for my liking, a month time is too short to achieve anything extraordinary, according to the stage you say you are at. If I were you I would try to spend all day practising your Spanish by means of the four language-use strategies, one way or another:

Speaking: at the classroom, with friends you may make, for queries...
Reading: Get yourself a book, magazines, newspapers, recipes...
Writing: write daily journals about anecdotes, translate songs... (and I'm
gonna make special emphasis on using your dictionary for this
purpose)
Listening: Watch TV or films (first watch films dubbed in
Spanish which you've already seen), listen to the radio, listen to
people talking on the bus!...

If you think about it you can spend the whole day doing all those things and your stay abroad would be more than worth it! am telling you from personal experience!

Originally Posted by Ramses

I'm sure you'd learn a lot, but if you're only going to learn the language (and not really to learn the country and culture) I'd stay home and immerse myself at home.

Contrary to what many believe this is possible, just as long as you do enough things in Spanish (like only watching movies in Spanish, only listening to Spanish music, read Spanish books, talk with people in Spanish on the internet, etc.).

Here you may wish to know the distinction between:

-Integrative motivation: The learner's purpose is to become integrated in L2
culture.

-Instrumental motivation: The learner's purpose is other than the previous
one

Please don't hate me for being so perfectionist, just transmitting knowledge!