logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
logo
  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class

855-997-4652LoginTry a Free Class

  • Programs
    • Preschool
    • Elementary School
    • Middle School
    • High School
    • Adults
    • School Solutions
  • School Solutions
  • Pricing
  • How it Works
  • Testimonials
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • My Cart
  • Login
  • Try a Free Class
March 8, 2018 by Ron Fortin Homeschooling, HSA News and Reviews 2 comments

Spanish Classes Online: Why You Want Immersion Style

Choosing Spanish classes online presents parents with a barrage of choices. The good news is there is no need to panic—researchers, teachers and students the world over have found language is best acquired and retained in an immersion class.

What Is Immersion?

Immersion is actually a balance between what teachers call “L1,” the student’s native language, and “L2,” the new language. A good program will use the student’s mastery of English to support and encourage the acquisition of new words and phrases in Spanish.

There are a few ways teachers and Spanish classes online achieve this. One is with a lot of visuals. This includes gestures, modelling, real-life objects to help illustrate a theme or situation and lots of pictures or videos. Another is open-ended questions that encourage conversation as opposed to inquiries that only garner a basic “yes” or “no.”

Students new to a program will use some English to start, but over time will depend on their new language to build their fluency.  

spanish classes online

The Problem with Non-Immersion Classes

Automated programs like Rosetta Stone make the claim that a student can learn their second language the same way they learned their first. In other words, tap into your former, baby brain and use it to acquire a whole new set of vocabulary.

There is a major issue with this approach: a brain grows up. And by growing, a brain makes significant changes in its connections and processes from year to year. While a three-month old brain can perceive any number of phonemes or distinct sounds within words, a one-year old brain is no longer able to do this.  By that age, babies only respond to words and sounds they already know.

Young children also get the opportunity to guess at a lot of words. A small child of three might call a spoon a fork, for example. Parents are there to correct them over time and steer them towards the right answers.

Some programs have copied this, allowing language students to guess at which word matches which picture. While this technique works for babies, it’s ineffective for everyone else. After all, a student can accidentally guess the right answer any number of times, but getting lucky isn’t an effective way to learn.

Benefits of Immersion

Immersion style learning helps a lot because it shifts a learner’s first language into something new without allowing for a lot guesses. It’s a more natural and instinctive approach.

Most of us need to know some basic things with language like how to ask “What’s your name?” or “How much for milk?” With immersion, a learner takes the phrase he or she already knows and transforms it into ¿Cómo te llamas? or ¿Cuánto cuesta la leche?

Yes, the grammar and structure is a bit different, but the idea is the same. This crossover helps make for better understanding and retention.

Students who learn in an immersive style have a lot more confidence in their new language and feel much better entering a conversation with new people who might not speak any English. Most importantly, it means your son or daughter will actually speak a language, not a smattering of words or random phrases, and that is real bilingualism.

Ready to give HSA’s immersive program a try? Sign up  for a free class today.

empower your mind with Spanish classes online
Sign up for your FREE TRIAL CLASS today!

Learn more about Homeschool Spanish Academy and what we offer you!

  • 6 Disadvantages of Homeschooling
  • How To Teach Sight Words in Spanish to Kids
  • 21 Unschooling Activities You Haven’t Tried Yet
  • Homeschooling, Unschooling, or Deschooling: Which Is Right for Your Family?
  • 20 Ways to Homeschool Spanish as a Non-Native Speaker
  • 18 Creative Homeschool Storage Solutions You Definitely Need
  • 9 Free Homeschool Curriculum Options with Daily Lesson Plans
  • How to Homeschool for Free in 2023
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ron Fortin
Ron Fortin
CEO/Founder at HSA
Prior to HSA, Ron was a director of a school for impoverished kids in Guatemala, a missionary, IT Consultant, U.S. Marine, and professional musician.

Today, he enjoys innovating and driving the business forward.
Ron Fortin
Latest posts by Ron Fortin (see all)
  • It’s Our Birthday! Homeschool Spanish Academy Turns 10 - August 10, 2020
  • Learn Spanish Fast: Reshaping the Methods Used to Learn Spanish - March 5, 2019
  • Increase Your Access to the World with Spanish - June 28, 2018
homeschool curriculum immersion classes online spanish
0

Related Posts

Spanish curriculum

4 Essential Elements of an Effective Homeschool Spanish Curriculum

January 27, 2018
Read More
Homeschool Spanish Program

Which Online Spanish Program is Best for my Child? Three Great Options to Consider

February 13, 2018
Read More
distance learning Spanish

HSA Offers a Trustworthy Distance Learning Spanish Program

February 5, 2018
Read More
spanish tutoring

Why HSA’s Spanish Tutoring Is the Most Effective for Your Child

February 22, 2018
Read More

2 comments on this post

  1. BRIJ MOHAN PRASAD
    October 21, 2020

    Spanish is a good and charming language. Brij

    Reply
  2. BRIJ MOHAN PRASAD
    October 21, 2020

    Spanish is spoken in many countries and is a very important language in the world.h

    Reply

Leave a Comment! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

3 Key Benefits to Being Bilingual in the WorkforcePrevious Post
6 Storybooks in Spanish Your Kids Will LoveNext Post

About Us

With over 10 years of experience, HSA is where your goals merge with our teachers’ passion: to improve your Spanish fluency. Custom-tailored to fit your needs, you choose your program, schedule, favorite teachers, pace of learning, and more.. Learn More

Resources

  • About
  • Get a Transcript
  • FAQs
  • How it Works
  • Partners

Recent Posts

  • Which Languages Do They Speak in Brazil?
    Which Languages Do They Speak in Brazil?
    February 27, 2023
    Today, we invite you to travel with us and...
  • 11 Key Benefits of Online Education for Elementary Students
    11 Key Benefits of Online Education for Elementary Students
    February 26, 2023
    Many students, even those in elementary...

Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Contact Us© 2022 HSA. All rights reserved.