Over the course of many decades of second language education, it's become clear that the methods used in schools and most language classrooms are ineffective. But thanks to years of dedicated research, serious language learners around the world, and the rise of the internet, a better alternative has emerged:
Immersion learning.
The word "immersion" usually carries connotations of moving to a foreign country. This is not that. This kind of immersion learning can be done from anywhere with an internet connection, by anyone who is dedicated to reaching their language goals.
This guide is an updated and holistic walkthrough of how to do immersion learning. You don't need to read it all in one sitting, but it's a good idea to get a general picture of the whole process so you know what you're working toward. I suggest reading Phase 0 (base information) then continuing with whatever is most useful for you personally.
The guide is divided into 7 phases. Each phase has a different primary focus, but it isn't the only thing you'll be working on. As you get more advanced, you'll be developing many skills in parallel.
The phases are meant to be done in order, but every learner has slightly different needs, interests, and goals. A certain amount of customization is expected — and encouraged. Do not feel obligated to do something just because the guide says so. But we do recommend giving everything a try before discarding it.
It's worth noting that learning a language is a big undertaking. No matter what method you use, it's going to take many hundreds (or thousands) of hours to reach proficiency. The time it takes depends on a lot of different factors. But if you focus on learning consistently, putting one foot in front of the other, you will reach fluency. Categories of Language Difficulty
The guide is written like a wiki: unfamiliar terms, jargon, and references to other pages are links. Anything underlined and in a different color can be clicked for more information. Some links go to other pages in the guide, while others go to our Library — a collection of reference articles for concepts that come up across multiple phases.
The remaining articles in Phase 0 explain the core ideas behind immersion learning: