{"id":18547,"date":"2020-08-20T13:18:57","date_gmt":"2020-08-20T17:18:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pimsleur.com\/?p=18547"},"modified":"2025-11-21T12:04:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T17:04:05","slug":"at-home-language-immersion-study","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/at-home-language-immersion-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to Learn Faster? Design an At Home Language Immersion Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How to Create an At Home Language Learning Study Plan <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I am a language teacher. One of the most common complaints I hear from language students is that they can\u2019t seem to make progress. They feel stuck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But when I ask them how they are studying, they tell me they are using a free language app for ten minutes a day. No wonder they are not making any progress!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to get fluent in\u2014or even just good at\u2014a language, you\u2019re going to need a comprehensive language study program. Pimsleur\u2019s language lessons are great for this, but you may still want to complement those lessons with outside material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, language programs aren\u2019t difficult to make on your own. In this article, you\u2019ll get a step-by-step breakdown of how to create an at-home language immersion program for yourself. This is the same program I encourage my students to make to complement their lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use this program to keep yourself motivated and on track to learn your target language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4 Principles for Your At Home Language Immersion Program<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The actual process of learning a language isn\u2019t complicated, but there are a few things you should keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Practice Daily<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll acquire a language fastest when you are exposed to it daily. You don\u2019t have to study for hours each day\u2014in fact, it\u2019s better if you don\u2019t. Ideally, you would spend between half an hour and an hour and a half practicing each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Be an Active Participant<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Learning is most effective when you are processing and using your language. Sure, listen to a podcast when you\u2019re at the gym or while you\u2019re making dinner, but also try to spend some time sitting down and focusing on your language activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Find the right level. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You don\u2019t want to choose activities that are too hard, but you don\u2019t want ones that are too easy, either. Find activities that are a bit challenging, but that are not overwhelming. Pimsleur\u2019s graded levels<\/a> make this easy, but you can do it yourself, too. Just make sure that you gradually make your activities more difficult as you improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Use All Four Skills. <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You need four skills to use a language: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Your home language study program should include activities for each of these skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5 Steps to Create a Language Study and Immersion Program at Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Step 1: Take an exam to test your level.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Before you start designing your language study program, reflect on what your current level is. That way, you will be able to know how challenging your activities should be. It will also help motivate you: Seeing your progress will encourage you to keep at it in the long-run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To find out your level, use your favorite search engine to look for a free online test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Step 2: Set a language goal.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The next step is figuring out where you want to go. Choose a specific goal that matters to you and that you can easily tell when you have accomplished it. For example, your goal could be to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n