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Immersion for introverts? | ||
Tags: Introvert and Extrovert | Immersion | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Learning Techniques, Methods & Strategies |  | |
| Antisrcen Newbie Canada Joined 4636 days ago 10 posts - 13 votes Speaks: English* | Message 1 of 12 21 April 2012 at 10:16pm | IP Logged | ||
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So I'm planning to go to Italy for a year, I probably won't leave until the fall. I'll be
going to Scuola Leonardo Da Vinci, and I'll also probably be staying with a host family. What I'm wondering is what is the most effective way for an introvert to make progress through immersion? I almost never start conversations with strangers, and when strangers make conversation with me it's usually short lived. I'm considering learning about soccer, considering that that's apparently a huge part of European culture and a good conversation topic. Any other ideas? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| LaughingChimp Senior Member Czech Republic Joined 4727 days ago 346 posts - 594 votes  Speaks: Czech* | Message 2 of 12 21 April 2012 at 10:34pm | IP Logged | ||
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Just listen to other people talking.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| hrhenry Octoglot Senior Member United States languagehopper.blogs Joined 5158 days ago 1871 posts - 3642 votes Speaks: English*, SpanishC2, ItalianC2, Norwegian, Catalan, Galician, Turkish, Portuguese Studies: Polish, Indonesian, Ojibwe | Message 3 of 12 21 April 2012 at 11:18pm | IP Logged | ||
RAI is a good start. If you're not using Windows, though, make sure you have silverlight installed. R. == 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| iguanamon Pentaglot Senior Member Virgin Islands Speaks: Ladino Joined 5290 days ago 2241 posts - 6731 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Creole (French) | Message 4 of 12 22 April 2012 at 4:03am | IP Logged | ||
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One good thing about learning a foreign language is that many people feel like they are or can be a somewhat different person in a second language. You might find that you may be as well, then again, you might not.
In a foreign language you don't bring along the same baggage as you do in your native tongue. You bring along different baggage- you're just another foreigner learning the language. In general you'll find people will be more willing to help you and to talk to you if you are sincere and kind. Sincerity and kindness are often rewarded with sincerity and kindness, not always but it is a general rule. As a good listener you will stand out because not many people are good listeners. Try to learn the many phrases for empathy, sympathy and agreement in your TL. Be courteous and polite. Acknowledge the day and by extension, the other person's humanity. Lightly apologize for your imperfection in Italian at the start. I think you'll find that people will take their time with you more. You don't need any tricks. Your foreign accent, foreign body language and imperfection will be enough to intrigue many people. Just try to be interested and you will be interesting and under a lot less pressure to perform. That should make things easier for you, make you more popular and maybe even make you just a bit different in Italian than you are in English. Edited by iguanamon on 22 April 2012 at 1:01pm 5 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| 이희선 Groupie Australia Joined 4997 days ago 56 posts - 97 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Russian | Message 5 of 12 22 April 2012 at 4:06am | IP Logged | ||
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Why don't you see if you can join a Soccer enthusiasts group...I'm sure you could meet some people through either
playing in a soccer group, or going to a soccer watching group or something like that. That way, you will meet lots of different people, have a familiar and fun topic to talk about, and maybe you won't feel pressure to hold only one person's attention for a long time since its a group setting. You could also try some language exchanges or private tutors. I have made some nice friends that way, and then they might introduce you to their other friends, and then you could find yourself going out to the pub or cafe or whatever with them. Then you are with some people who are at most enthusiastic about your language learning and like having fun and being relaxed and non-judgmental about talking, or at least they just don't care. But no one will probably be mean about your lesser language skills because they know their friend is your teacher. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Bao Diglot Senior Member Germany tinyurl.com/pe4kqe5 Joined 5794 days ago 2256 posts - 4046 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: French, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin | Message 6 of 12 22 April 2012 at 4:37am | IP Logged | ||
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Your host family is a good starting point. Listen and smile and tell people you're sorry but you're not a big talker, and show them you're interested in listening to them. When your host family has friends over, stay with all of them if it's possible.
And about talking to strangers - it's not about talking to random people, it's about talking to enough people that you find someone who you can be friends with. It helps me to hang out with people who have a lot of friends and acquaintances. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| dandt Senior Member Australia regarderetlire.wordp Joined 4652 days ago 134 posts - 174 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Italian, French | Message 7 of 12 22 April 2012 at 5:34am | IP Logged | ||
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I myself am an introvert, but I am fond of public speaking and interacting with people. While I enjoy these
activities, which are seen contrary to being an introvert, they aren't really. What I tend to struggle with as an introvert is spending full on time with a group of people. Doing so drains me and I need to spend an equal, or usually greater, period of time alone to compensate. Unless you're shy in addition to being introverted, the real issue shouldn't be speaking to people, but rather recouperating from the time spent with people. I am sure many people will say that it's difficult to start speaking in a foreign language. As you're learning at a language school, you have a real advantage over others. You will be surrounded by others who are relative beginners, so that should help. Living with a host family should help too. the fact of the matter is, no matter how shy you are, immersion will probably mean that you have no choice but to speak if you want to get by. 3 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Sandman Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5436 days ago 168 posts - 389 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: Japanese | Message 8 of 12 22 April 2012 at 7:48am | IP Logged | ||
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If I were you I'd probably start looking for some clubs or group type activities to get involved in. You'll likely find speaking with others easier and more enjoyable when there's already a common subject of interest to talk about. You'll also be forced to interact with others, which might otherwise be the hardest part. Edited by Sandman on 22 April 2012 at 7:50am 1 person has voted this message useful |
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