English immersion programs are designed for ESL students who want to speed up their English learning and become fluent in the language. This type of learning involves surrounding yourself with English as much as possible so you learn by soaking in what you see and hear around you.
Immersion learning often means traveling to an English-speaking country, but there are many things you can do to immerse yourself in English and benefit from the principles of immersion without even leaving home.
In this article, we will explain some different approaches to immersion in English language learning and how it can benefit language learners. From there, you can decide whether to take a full immersion English course or perhaps just make some changes at home to help you learn English by immersion.
What is English immersion?
English immersion is an educational approach designed to immerse students in the English language and culture. It’s especially beneficial for ESL students who wish to become proficient English speakers in a relatively short period of time.
Immersive English learning can involve:
- Moving to a country where English is the main language spoken
- Joining a local immersion program for English language learners
- Taking a structured English immersion course online
- Making adjustments to your lifestyle and personal routines so you are more exposed to the language daily
Benefits of immersion language learning include:
- It increases opportunities to hear, read, and use the language outside of class.
- It reduces the tendency to revert to your native language.
- You learn even when you don’t feel like it, since you can’t escape the language – even on days when you’re lacking motivation.
- You learn how the language is actually used, not just how the textbooks teach it.
- You get to experience different aspects of the cultures that use the language.
- With the right motivation and effort, you can learn English faster this way.
What is the difference between structured English immersion and sheltered English instruction?
These terms refer to different ways of teaching students (usually children) who are learning in an English classroom but whose native language is not English.
Sheltered instruction, or content-based programs, involve teaching subjects in English, but at a level adapted to the student’s language ability. The focus is on them learning the content of the subject, whether that’s mathematics, science, social studies, or something else.
Structured English immersion is a form of teaching where students receive all lessons in English without any adaptation to their comprehension level. It’s a more “in at the deep end” approach.
The alternative to these is bilingual education, in which students are taught in both their native language and the language they are learning.
Outside the classroom, the term “English immersion” is used more broadly to refer to a style of learning where students absorb the language from their environment, as well as from any lessons that they take.
If you are an adult taking an immersive English course, you can expect that all the teaching will be in English. Your teacher may not speak your native language at all, but if they do, they will only use it sparingly; perhaps to explain a point that you are having trouble understanding in English.
How does English immersion work?
There are two main factors that make English language immersion an effective way to learn:
- When you are surrounded by a language, you naturally have more interactions with it – whether listening, reading, speaking, or writing. In other words, there are more opportunities to use the language and become familiar with it.
- You have greater motivation to improve your language skills since it’s your key to making new friends, forming social connections, and going about your daily life.
It’s the combination of these two things that expedites the process of learning a second language for many students.
The majority of studies into immersion in learning English focus on children and compare immersion education with bilingual learning, often with mixed conclusions on the benefits of each model.
When we look at research on immersion for adult english language learners, however, the general consensus is that immersion benefits fluency more than accuracy. In addition, people who learn in an immersive environment have a greater chance of developing native-like processing in the brain.
So, if your goal is to speak English fluently and be able to process the language like a native, an immersive approach may work best for you.
In any case, you shouldn’t expect to pick up the language simply by living in a foreign country and hearing others speak it. Whatever approach you take, learning English requires considerable effort, study time, and practice on your part.
Do you have to move abroad to learn through immersion?
Although studying or living abroad has certain social and cultural benefits when learning a language, it is certainly not the only way to learn through immersion. What’s equally important is your motivation and attitude towards learning.
If moving to another country is not an option for you, you can still take an English immersion class locally or online, or use an app that teaches English through immersion. You can find more details about these below.
You’ll also need to make the effort to surround yourself with the English language as much as possible. Here are some ways you can help create an environment for English immersion at home:
- Switch the language of your phone and other devices or consoles to English, and do the same for any websites you use regularly.
- Play some games to learn English – whether online or with friends and family.
- Read books in English – either fiction books or non-fiction on a topic that interests you.
- Join a local meetup to practice your English skills with other learners.
- Check out some good podcasts for learning English and listen to them whenever you can.
- Do your hobbies in English: Join an English-speaking sports club or craft group, cook from an English recipe, or play video games with other English speakers.
- Read the news in English and practice using the new vocabulary you learn.
- Find an English conversation partner. If you don’t know anyone personally, try joining a language exchange.
- Learn English by watching movies and TV shows. You may need subtitles to help you at first.
- Play English songs as background music at home or work. Try to understand the lyrics and look up any unfamiliar words.
Most of these things present opportunities for free English immersion learning, especially learning English by listening – you just need to set some time aside for them.
If you do get the chance to travel to an English-speaking country, even for a short time, this will also improve your English skills, and especially your confidence interacting with other people. One of the benefits of speaking English is that it enables you to communicate with over 1 billion people around the world and experience new cultures as you travel.
The best English immersion courses online
If you want to learn English this way without leaving your home, the good news is that there are several good ways to access immersion language learning online. Here are a few online English courses and tools that we recommend incorporating into your studies:
Gymglish
Gymglish offers one of the best English immersion programs online, in the sense that all teaching is done in English so it mimics an immersion classroom environment.
The humorous, interactive lessons cover a wide variety of topics, including many cultural elements, and you can select certain areas that you would like to focus on such as business English or grammar. In addition to this, AI-powered adaptive learning customizes each lesson based on your previous performance, so you’ll revisit areas that need more work.
You can try Gymglish for a whole month for free to see whether it’s a good fit for you.
Choose the “Full English immersion” option to receive all course material and teaching in English. You can also opt for English lessons in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, or Chinese – but this removes the immersive element.
Our full Gymglish review has more information about this innovative language-learning platform.
FluentU
FluentU offers virtual immersion courses in English. Using real-world videos from all kinds of scenarios with interactive subtitles, you’ll learn to understand and use English in practical ways. It’s also a great way to learn new words and hone your listening skills.
If you’re looking for a fun way to learn English and feel more immersed in the culture, you can try FluentU free for 14 days.
Preply
On Preply, you’ll find over 17,000 English tutors ready to help you speak the language with greater fluency and confidence. Online lessons are available 24/7, according to your availability, and you can take as many or as few classes as you like each week.
To benefit from immersive English learning with Preply, we recommend you rotate through several tutors from different parts of the world. This will expose you to a broader range of accents and cultural backgrounds, improving your comprehension skills while also immersing you in different aspects of culture each time you meet.
Unless your tutor happens to speak your native language, you don’t need to do anything extra for an immersive education experience, as they’ll default to teaching you 100% in English anyway.
How to find an English immersion program near you
There are many universities and language schools around the world that offer immersive learning for English students, sometimes in specialist areas like business English immersion for adults and professionals.
To find an English immersion school near you (or in the area you’d like to visit), you can check the websites of the best-known colleges and universities in that location or search online for other options at language institutions. For example, the London School of English in the UK and Middlebury Language School in California, USA both offer English immersion programs for foreign students.
For a fully immersive experience, try to find a program that lets you stay in a homestay with a local family. This way, you’ll be surrounded by the language and get a real idea of what life is like in that country.
Education First also has a range of English immersion programs for middle school students, high school students, and adults. These courses are available in nine English-speaking destinations and enrolment is open year-round. From two-week intensive experiences to year-long study programs, they give students plenty of options for immersive learning.
For a less structured approach to immersion learning, Lingoo is also an interesting option. This platform lets you search for language exchange partners and homestay families all over the world, so it’s like arranging your own immersion trip.
How quickly can you learn English with full immersion?
The question of how long it takes to learn English is complex, and it’s no different when it comes to the English immersion approach. The answer depends on:
- How well you speak English to begin with
- How many hours a day you can dedicate to studying and practicing English
- How much time you can spend with other native English speakers to use your English outside of lessons
- What level you wish to achieve
It generally takes 200-300 hours of study time to advance from one level to the next, but English immersion is certainly one way to learn the language faster and more efficiently. An intensive English course is another option if you want to progress quickly.
Summary
Learning English through immersion can be very effective, especially if your goal is to become fluent and you’re able to spend time studying in an English-speaking country surrounded by native speakers. However, this is still not a guaranteed way of becoming fluent in English. Results vary depending on the actual teaching method used and the amount of effort you put into studying.
If it isn’t possible for you to travel, you can still begin language immersion today by doing some of the things we mentioned above – many of which are completely free. Combining several of these methods to expose yourself to more English language daily is a simple way to improve your English.
See also: 9 Practical tips for learning English
