The Best Way to Activate Your Language Skills or How to Make the Most of an Intensive Language Trip

The best way to activate a language or bring it to life is to make an intensive immersion visit to a country where it is spoken to work one-on-one with a tutor. This video offers an ideal for how to select a program, plan for the visit, prepare for it, and structure your time while there for maximum benefit. Time stamps: 00:00 Introduction - Self-study to master basics 02:00 What an immersion program should be, how to plan for one 03:50 Questions to ask about potential programs in order to select the best one 07:00 Preparing for your encounter 08:42 How to structure your AM study schedule with a 1-on-1 tutor 11:45 How to structure your PM cultural conversations with a 1-on-1 tour guide 13:07 Evening homework and writing exercises 14:14 Weekend activities 15:35 The need to avoid English to attain immersion 18:12 Homestay considerations 20:05 Purchasing graded readers 21:18 Following-up on immersion visits 23:37 Conclusion If you might like to participate in my reading and discussion circles for French, German, Spanish, or Latin literature beginning in May of 2022, please fill out the application at If you can think of anyone else who might be interested in joining my groups for these languages, or for Great Books in English, or for support for self-study of foreign languages, please pass the above information along to them. If you are in a position to support my efforts to spread knowledge through these videos, I will gratefully accept any contributions to