It is an open secret that traveling abroad helps students develop their language learning. But, when your trip ends, and you are back to your native language speaking environment, what happens? Does the time you spent abroad enhance your language skills and cultivate in you a long-term interest?

Studies conducted by various researchers revealed an increasing number of students interested in learning a new language to support their academic aspirations. The studies also state that other personal reasons like interest in travel and a desire to learn motivated students to learn a new language. Most of the students interviewed also revealed how their interest in a language increased after interacting with native speakers.

Language experts claim that if you want to learn a new language, it is best to fall in love with where it is from first. When you take a tour to a country whose language you want to learn, the experience is better. You will be able to integrate genuine cultural experiences with interactive lessons, making your learning experience more immersive.

How Traveling Abroad Affects Your Language Learning – Student’s Insights
Students that have traveled abroad were interviewed on how their traveling affected their language learning. Their responses were different but provided an insight into how it is like.

One student claimed that her trip offered her an unmatched language learning experience. The student stated that while on a trip to France, she was able to completely immerse herself into the French culture and use her language skills. She also claimed that she enjoyed interacting with the natives and learning French history.

After the trip, she acknowledged that her knowledge of the French language burgeoned in the ten 10 days she spent in France. She also claimed that learning French was easier for her now. With her passion, it will be easier for her to improve on her French by taking a lesson with a tutor of her choice on online language tutoring platforms. 

Another 19-year-old student from the US also shared the same sentiments. He claimed that his trip to Paris and Nice increased his interest in the French language. It inspired him to keep learning the language online to be fluent enough to teach English to French children in France.

Some students traveled to countries like Italy and Spain. Their feelings after the trip were similar to the ones stated above. Once they interacted with the Spanish people and experienced their culture, their love for the Spanish language grew. After the trip, the students also claim that they signed up for a language lesson on e-learning platforms.

Based on the students’ comments above, it is clear that a trip abroad will change your interest in learning the language. Their insights reveal that your interaction with the language natives determines whether your interest in the language will grow.

If you travel to a foreign country and have an exceptional experience, you will probably develop an interest in learning their language. Students are lucky because they can take advantage of student discounts on language learning online platforms. This makes it easy for students to improve their language skills in the language of their interest.

The students’ comments also show that when you interact with the natives as they go about their daily business, it offers you a chance to learn the language practically. In a study conducted to ascertain what helped students improve their language learning, 90% of the respondents claimed that face-to-face interaction with the natives. 

Technology Will Play a Key Role in Language Learning
Numerous online platforms train new languages, some even offer discounts to students. These online sites could learn a thing or two from the insights shared by the students.

For instance, they could use technologies such as Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality to create virtual tours. Now that traveling globally has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual language tutoring could become trendy.

In the same manner, you could take a virtual language tour to Spain, France, or England to help you appreciate the culture more. You should expect to see more technological innovations in this field.

Bottom Line
Experts argue that contextual multimedia offers a better learning experience. They state that words, when combined with pictures and sounds, create a more memorable learning experience. The simultaneous verbal, visual and auditory stimulation automatically connects your mind to several associations about the world.
Therefore, after getting your student discount on a language learning platform online, consider taking a language tour. If you can take a physical tour to the country of your choice, you can go for the mixed reality virtual tour instead.