Language Learning: The (Semi-) Immersion Technique

Ask any language professor or multilingual person the best way to learn a new language, and they're almost certain to recommend the "immersion" technique. This means immersing yourself in a community where the language you are trying to acquire is the main language spoken. Want to learn Spanish? Try six months in Chile. Need to perfect your French? Stay with a family in Lyon. While total-immersion is probably the most effective way to learn a new language (or simply become more fluent), it is not always feasible, particularly for younger students.

Still, there are ways to approximate the immersion experience and, in doing so, help your child acquire a new language more quickly — and more meaningfully. The following ideas can be implemented with students at all grade levels.

Find an international pen pal. One of the best ways to learn a new language (and to learn about a culture different from one's own) is by making a friend from another country. Thanks to the Web, it's easier than ever to find an international pen pal for your child. The popular kids' magazine Stone Soup offers several resources for connecting with a student from a foreign country. Kids' Space Connection provides a dynamic online forum for students (and teachers) from all around the world. And these sites provide peace of mind by keeping your child's information and e-mail address secure. Older students can write to their pen pal entirely in a foreign language, while younger students can write in English (and throw in the new words that they are learning). Regardless of your child's grade or language level, she will love learning first-hand about a culture from a new pen pal. Once you and your child feel comfortable with the pen-pal exchange, you may want to encourage her to start sending letters via mail, so that she and her pen pal can send each other small items (like brochures, stamps, or advertisements) from their home country.

Visit a (local) place where a foreign language is spoken. As workplaces, businesses, schools, and neighborhoods become increasingly international, there are more opportunities than ever to meet people who are fluent in a language other than one's own. If you live in a large city, spend a morning or afternoon in a neighborhood where another language is spoken. Many cities have predominantly Spanish-speaking communities, where your child can gain experience asking questions and having conversations in markets, restaurants, and other gathering places (plus, it's a great way to become more connected to your own city). Other cities and towns offer "meet-ups," where people learning a language can mingle and talk with people who are native speakers.

As you can see, learning a language is far more than just opening a textbook or repeating phrases after hearing them on a tape. It's about making human connections, forming lasting friendships, and strengthening understanding of cultures other than one's own. A tutor can also be a tremendous help; many are native speakers (or, at the very least, highly fluent) that can converse with your child and provide a near-immersion experience. For example, check out the Guatemala-based Spanish tutors at NuLengua.com.