Search from various English teachers...
United States flagAlicia RuthProfessional Teacher
Is living abroad the best way to learn a language?
I often hear people say "I just need to live in the US and then I'll learn to speak English." Now that I live in Mexico and am learning Spanish, it's great to be around native speakers all the time, but is it necessary? I teach quite a few students living in the US who still benefit from a teacher because most often people who you encounter even living abroad will NOT correct your errors. They listen and understand and may ask you to repeat, but they don't tell you what mistake you actually made when speaking! It has helped me to have someone correct my speaking errors in real time and with practical examples of how to say it the right way and the most natural way. With so many online videos, podcasts, and Italki teachers around, I think there is no longer the excuse of "needing to live in the country" in order to learn the language. What are your best ways of improving your own speaking? Do you find language groups in your area? Do you listen to podcasts and repeat new phrases? Do you have an italki teacher? Do you have friends that you can write to in your target language? Let's help each other no matter where we are!

Comments · 13

4
Hi Alice, I'm Argentine and I'm studying English on my own. The problem I have is that I cannot speak with many native English speakers. I find it hard to find committed language exchange partners. I have a good listening comprehension but I am not so good at talking. I would like to meet someone with whom to talk about different topics. I agree with you, since it is not necessary to live in the country where people speak their learning language to learn their language, but it could be easier. Thank you!
3
I think it is in any case a good idea to boost language learning, because everywhere you go you have the chance of learning a word, or a sentence, coming from a real life situation. On a listening level, it is good at every stage of the language.

But, if you are a beginner you absolutely need a school or somewhere to study the language in my opinion. Until you reach a B1/B2 level it is almost impossible to have a normal conversation with a native, even a basic one, and not because at A2 you lack the vocabulary to speak in a language for a while, but because you will just get bored, and the mothertongue you are speaking to will get bored even faster, after a couple of sentences probably.
You will then switch to English or to some lingua franca very soon, and if you don't do it, you will look like somebody who is seeking for free language teachers rather than friends. This is a good way to look greedy, and to avoid finding speaking partners, and so, to improve.

If you are an intermediate or advance, the benefits are immense. I think that, given the same amount of effort you put in learning, no book or class in the word can give you the same result as living in that foreing country.
3
Michael, I disagree that it’s easier to learn a language the younger you are. The only advantage that children really have is their ability to learn the sounds of a language like a native speaker. There is strong evidence that children’s brains have an advantage there. Beyond that, the reason it seems like children learn more easily is they simply don’t care if they make mistakes. If adults imitate that they have major advantages in learning languages.

Adults can choose what they study and adapt their study methods to what works best for them. Choosing to study can allow an adult to reach a high level of proficiency in a language in a much shorter amount of time than children do. Think of a 5 year old child and how many errors they make in their native language. An adult can reach a better level of proficiency in less than a year if they focus on it.
3
I think that living abroad really allows to make greater progress than just learning the language with teacher in the country where this language is not native. Of course, grammar mistakes nobody corrects, but if to take all benefits from living abroad it will be improvement of listening, speaking and reading skills, picking up new words in the mode 24 ×7.
But maybe it depends on person,the type of temperament and type of nervous system. But I think it can be real strong impulse for making progress. Although, I have demotivating example of one my acquaintance. She moved in USA with family, surrounded herself by Russian speaking friends, didn't speak English and did not make progress after living there more than several years.So the main idea is moving abroad certainly stimulates people on making great progress,but only if people are involved actively in all possible activities and do their best to adopt to new atmosphere
3
If one knows how to take advantage of an immersion environment, the opportunity can help immensely.

Having said so, similar if not superior results can be had from extensive, level-appropriate exposure to interesting content and experiences. Tons of people go to study in a country but are often way in over their heads and/or find themselves sticking to their L1 as much as possible.

Yet, from one's home country, it's often possible to have the aformentioned engaging experiences through language exchanges, private tutors, or things like iTalki.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!

Start Learning Today