Description

This week I'm answering a listener question from Erin who was curious about applying her skills when she cannot attend a language retreat!

The key with a retreat is to step out of learner mode and step into speaker mode, so that you apply what you are learning. But do you have to get away for that?

This question is HUGE - it could really crack how you approach language learning and make a difference to whether you are successful or not. So in today's podcast episode, I'll share one idea that

Design Your Own Immersion Day

• Make sure you PREP!! Queue up podcasts, decide what you're reading, book conversations, look around for recipes or restaurants, listen to top tools. And set a date in the diary!
• Radio or TV in the morning, perhaps a podcast - try to take in your target language first thing in the morning.
• Get chatty with some self-talk in the kitchen while you're making breakfast.
• On the commute, why not read in your target language or get some sat nav cues for a route you know?
• Not everyone speaks their target language in the workplace or at school, so sometimes we've got to allow the good in place of the perfect.
• Lunch could be your chance to go out with another learner, perhaps have a conversation in your target language or simply enjoy an old-school phone conversation.
• Social media? Totally doable in your target language.
• After work, it's time to refuel and relax. By now you might be in the mood for some music on Spotify, a nice meal cooked at your fave resto or by yourself in a TL, or a trip to the cinema. Again, yes they might show subtitles but...

Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

And if you DO want to join me at the next language retreat, I'm planning a German one returning to beautiful, majestic, thousand-year old, wine-fuelled Trier in December! I say it's Germany's best Glühwein.

Sign up here for updates so you can book a place when the retreat opens.

Thank you to Aleksandr Ivanov for this episode introduction .

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