I have taking about 10 years of Spanish in school. I know all the tenses and grammar, but maybe not the best vocab. i want to go to south america to "solidify" the language and hopefully become fluent, because right now i can't really speak well, i can read and write OK but suck verbally.
my question is how long would it take, 3 months-6months, to achieve a level of fluency? has anyone in a similar situation ever tried full immersion, and with what results?
I've never been in that situation but I would have to say that that would depend on several variables including your personal ability with learning language and how much exposure you get to it. (Obviously, the more you get out and talk to people the more comfortable you'll become with the language and the faster you'll learn.
I went through a form of "total immersion" while I was studying Spanish. I had taken one semester of Spanish classes at night, then went to Argentina for three weeks at the start of the second semester of classes.
The purpose of the trip was to visit relatives whom I had never met before and none of whom spoke English.
I stayed with relatives during those three weeks, and heard nothing but Spanish day and night. When I resumed my Spanish classes after returning home, the instructor said it was clear to her that I had learned a lot in those three weeks. One thing I learned was how to speak more or less without agonizing over what I was going to say. In class, I was always hesitant for fear of making a misitake; when someone says something to you at the dinner table or while you are in the car on your way somewhere, you don't have the luxury of mulling over your answer before speaking.
If I could accomplish a higher level of fluency in three weeks, I'm sure that almost anyone else could do the same. If you could stay longer, so much the better. The important thing, though, is to be in situations where you don't have the option of speaking English.
The important thing, though, is to be in situations where you don't have the option of speaking English.
Hi NA! That's one of the things I was trying to say but got busy and couldn't come up with the words.
And "Hi" right back to you, sashac001.
I laughed on reading your comment at #3 above, because an hour or two ago I answered a question asked on another Web site. Except that I didn't. It was only as I hit "Post Reply" that I realized my "answer" rambled so much that it never really addressed the question asked. Thank God for the edit function when you catch yourself in time!
And speak of the devil, I just got an e-mail from an Argentine cousin (in Spanish, of course) saying they miss me and we should talk soon.
I teach 'immersion' English to 6- and 7-year-old Spanish children. They learn so quickly. The 'keys' for them seem to be vocab (they're always asking for new words) and opportunities to speak and listen. I give them lots of games which demand that they speak and listen to each other. 'Happy Families', 'Charades', that sort of thing.
On the other side, I'm in a very 'Spanish' part of Spain so have to use Spanish whenever I'm out and about. I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked/expected but seeing as I'm speaking to my class in English all day long I guess I'm not truly 'immersed'. Having said that, I am making progress and am convinced of the value of 'immersion'.
I notice that the children who put the most in to the lessons get the most out in the long run. Remember that and you should do OK.
Agree with others; total immersion is the key. Go somewhere in SA where nobody speaks English, so you'll be forced to speak Spanish all day every day. Combine it with some spanish classes every now and then for a week or so to brush up on the rules, and you'll be making big improvements in a few months' time.
Go somewhere in SA where nobody speaks English
There are various places in Argentina where I have relatives, none of whom speak English. I just sent an e-mail to one of them this morning, asking her when it will be a good time to call her. Maybe I can see if she would like a guest. Her mother is an excellent cook, so the food would be varied and well prepared, and they have grapefruit, oranges, and grapes growing on the patio.
Learning through immersion is a nice option. You can make your learning faster by being in a country where it is spoken.
Sounds like you have the basics down. Once you are reasonably comfortable with basic verb conjugations and use of articles you are well on your way. Vocabulary is a matter of memorization, no way around it, but reading in Spanish is a good way to increase it.
I speak Spanish at home about 1/3 of the time, but when I visit relatives in Mexico it's total immersion as almost none of them speak English. Oddly after just a couple weeks in Mexico I sometimes find it slightly challenging to revert to full-time English when returning to the states.
I've found that the old adage "use it, or lose it" applies to language more than any other thing I can think of. I've tried to learn French but have no opportunity to use it and find it very difficult to retain any proficiency.