{"id":7927,"date":"2024-08-28T08:03:35","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T08:03:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/?p=7927"},"modified":"2024-08-19T07:04:23","modified_gmt":"2024-08-19T07:04:23","slug":"studying-spanish-through-immersion-the-best-option","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/studying-spanish-through-immersion-the-best-option\/","title":{"rendered":"Studying Spanish through immersion: the best option?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div data-parent=\"true\" class=\"vc_row row-container\" id=\"row-unique-0\"><div class=\"row single-top-padding single-bottom-padding no-h-padding limit-width row-parent\"><div class=\"wpb_row row-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_column pos-top pos-center align_left column_parent col-lg-12 single-internal-gutter\"><div class=\"uncol style-light\"  ><div class=\"uncoltable\"><div class=\"uncell no-block-padding\" ><div class=\"uncont\" ><div class=\"vc_custom_heading_wrap\"><div class=\"heading-text el-text\" ><h2 class=\"h3\" ><span>At Hablamos, a Spanish school for foreigners in Madrid, we often get asked this question: Is it better to take an immersive course to improve my Spanish? Or will I get the same results if I study in an extensive course or even online? This can be a complex question to answer because the reality is that it depends!<\/span><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"uncode_text_column\" ><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Sometimes, people have the impression that immersion guarantees progress, but learning from an immersion experience can be harder than you think. It\u2019s not for everyone!<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">There are certainly many benefits to immersion, but it can also be difficult for reasons that have less to do with the language and more to do with how we behave as people.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><script id=\"script-row-unique-0\" data-row=\"script-row-unique-0\" type=\"text\/javascript\" class=\"vc_controls\">UNCODE.initRow(document.getElementById(\"row-unique-0\"));<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><div data-parent=\"true\" class=\"vc_row has-bg need-focus style-Hablamos-blue3-bg row-container\" id=\"row-unique-1\"><div class=\"row limit-width row-parent\"><div class=\"wpb_row row-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_column pos-top pos-center align_left column_parent col-lg-12 single-internal-gutter\"><div class=\"uncol style-light\"  ><div class=\"uncoltable\"><div class=\"uncell no-block-padding\" ><div class=\"uncont\" ><div class=\"vc_custom_heading_wrap\"><div class=\"heading-text el-text\" ><h2 class=\"h3 text-color-620122-color\" ><span>Basic requirements for learning: need and exposure<\/span><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"uncode_text_column\" ><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Exposure to the language and the need to communicate with it are essential ingredients for learning a new language. If you are exposed to a language but never need to use it, you won\u2019t really learn it, and if you need the language but don\u2019t get enough exposure, you also won\u2019t have much success.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Therefore, it\u2019s logical to think that the best way to learn Spanish is to enrol in <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/pt\/intensive-spanish-course-20-hours\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">an intensive Spanish course<\/a><\/strong> in a country where only Spanish is spoken. The exposure and the need will be total, but the level of intensity can be overwhelming.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><div class=\"vc_custom_heading_wrap\"><div class=\"heading-text el-text\" ><h2 class=\"h3 text-color-620122-color\" ><span>Why immersion can be a challenge<\/span><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"uncode_text_column\" ><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">To start with, most of us can\u2019t leave our lives at home and have a long-term immersive experience, unfortunately. But there are other reasons as well, and it\u2019s important to know them if you\u2019ve decided to enrol in an intensive Spanish course in Spain.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">A significant challenge of immersion is obtaining the right kind of exposure. In immersion settings like travelling, studying or working abroad, you interact with locals at their level, and people won\u2019t always know how to tailor their language in the ways you need as a learner. Most native Spanish speakers don\u2019t have a good sense of what learners study and when, what counts as advanced grammar versus what is taught early on. And it\u2019s logical! They didn\u2019t learn it in a classroom!<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">It\u2019s also important to note that it\u2019s surprisingly easy to get through the day without saying much. It turns out you can take public transportation, buy food in the grocery store, and even order by pointing to a pastry in the bakery, all without uttering a word. That\u2019s not to say that you couldn\u2019t strike up a conversation with someone in those settings (you can!), but for many learners, it\u2019s really hard to take that kind of risk. Additionally, talking to strangers can have different cultural rules in different places, making their reactions a bit unpredictable.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Day-to-day immersion can be often challenging and exhausting, even for the most motivated learner. Feeling like an outsider can be uncomfortable, which makes it tempting to avoid the very speaking opportunities you were seeking when you decided to immerse yourself in the first place. When students study abroad, they tend to stick together, whether they are from the same university back home or part of a larger international programme. Often, in groups of people with mixed language backgrounds and different proficiencies in the community language, English becomes the default lingua franca. It takes a lot of effort to rely on a new, weaker language if there\u2019s an alternative language that everyone in the group knows better.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><div class=\"vc_custom_heading_wrap\"><div class=\"heading-text el-text\" ><h2 class=\"h3 text-color-620122-color\" ><span>Why immersion can be great<\/span><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"uncode_text_column\" ><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">The challenges of immersion should be considered seriously, but of course, it can also be a valuable opportunity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Being immersed in the Spanish language and culture gives you the opportunity for lots of exposure to speakers of the language, so you can hear the language they use and observe how they use it for different communication purposes. If you can muster the courage to chat with locals, you will create the need and exposure that will, over time, propel your language skills.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Combining immersive settings with good, planned instruction, which is what you\u2019ll get in the classes at Hablamos, can give you the best of both worlds: immersive exposure to the language as used by locals, plus carefully crafted lessons that help you organise and optimise your learning.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><div class=\"vc_custom_heading_wrap\"><div class=\"heading-text el-text\" ><h2 class=\"h3 text-color-620122-color\" ><span>Hablamos: Spanish Immersion School<\/span><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"uncode_text_column\" ><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">All this to say that immersion is not necessarily the &#8220;best&#8221; or &#8220;fastest&#8221; way to learn a language. It\u2019s just one of many ways to support your language learning! But if you are determined to study Spanish through immersion, Hablamos will accompany you throughout the process.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Being a school accredited by the Instituto Cervantes not only guarantees the quality of its teaching but also makes obtaining a visa easier.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">With a privileged location in the heart of Madrid, Hablamos offers an authentic and stimulating environment for learning. Its native teachers, highly qualified, use dynamic methods that combine theoretical and practical classes with cultural activities. Additionally, Hablamos organises <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/pt\/cultural-activities-at-hablamos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">excursions and social events<\/a><\/strong> that allow students to practise the language in real contexts, facilitating complete immersion in Spanish culture. With Hablamos, you will not only learn Spanish effectively but also enjoy a rich and unique experience in Madrid.<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><script id=\"script-row-unique-1\" data-row=\"script-row-unique-1\" type=\"text\/javascript\" class=\"vc_controls\">UNCODE.initRow(document.getElementById(\"row-unique-1\"));<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div><div data-parent=\"true\" class=\"vc_row row-container\" id=\"row-unique-2\"><div class=\"row limit-width row-parent\"><div class=\"wpb_row row-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_column pos-top pos-center align_left column_parent col-lg-12 single-internal-gutter\"><div class=\"uncol style-light\"  ><div class=\"uncoltable\"><div class=\"uncell no-block-padding\" ><div class=\"uncont\" ><div class=\"uncode_text_column\" ><\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">Start by taking your <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/pt\/test-your-level\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">free level test<\/a><\/strong> and request more information about our immersion programme. We will be delighted to find the itinerary that best suits your level, goals, and availability.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We look forward to seeing you!<\/p>\n<p>\n<\/div><div class=\"vc_custom_heading_wrap\"><div class=\"heading-text el-text\" ><h3 class=\"h4 text-Hablamos-blue-color\" ><span><mark>Hablamos &#8211; full-on Spanish!<\/mark><\/span><\/h3><\/div><div class=\"clear\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><script id=\"script-row-unique-2\" data-row=\"script-row-unique-2\" type=\"text\/javascript\" class=\"vc_controls\">UNCODE.initRow(document.getElementById(\"row-unique-2\"));<\/script><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Hablamos, a Spanish school for foreigners in Madrid, we often get asked this question: Is it better to take an immersive course to improve my Spanish? Or will I get the same results if I study in an extensive course or even online? This can be a complex question to answer because the reality is that it depends!<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7929,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":66,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7927","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-madrid","category-grammar","category-vocabulary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7927","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7927"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7927\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7928,"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7927\/revisions\/7928"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7927"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7927"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escuela-hablamos.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7927"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}