What is Emergent Language Teaching?

Immerse insights: 

• Immerse lessons are led by live Guides trained in the Emergent Language Teaching method
• Emergent Language Teaching means Immerse Guides tailor classes to your language needs so you can quickly gain fluency in speaking on topics that are useful to you personally
• Our VR language lessons are fun and relaxed, yet you'll find yourself learning to say what you want to say faster than you would in a traditional language class or with an asynchronous language app

Language learning that's relevant to your real life

At Immerse, our goal is to help you gain language skills that are relevant to your own life and personal goals.

This means teaching you the specific language that you need instead of following a rigid, pre-determined learning schedule that has nothing to do with your life.

This is why Immerse uses a teaching approach known as Emergent Language Teaching (ELT).

What exactly is ELT? Glad you asked! ;)

Defining Emergent Language Teaching

In essence, ELT is when a Guide notices the words and phrases that come up – or emerge – from you when you are in your lessons and then uses that language in real-time to teach you.  

Think of it this way:

In a typical language class, you might do an activity where a teacher gives you a list of new vocabulary and then you practice it with a fill-in-the-blank activity.

But the teacher made that vocabulary list before you even got there.

What if it’s not relevant to you?

What if your teacher is showing you how to talk about playing sports, but you hate sports and would rather talk about how you like to paint?

The ELT approach means our Guides adapt to your needs in the moment and make sure you are learning the vocabulary and language structures that are most useful to you.

That way, you can immediately put your new language skills to practice in real life.  

At Immerse, your Guide won’t come into a lesson with a pre-set list of vocabulary and grammar points to teach you.

Instead, they will work with the language you produce in the moment to help you express what you actually want and need to say.

This means you never have to be afraid of making mistakes.

In fact, your Immerse Guide doesn’t even see them as mistakes but as “teachable moments,” opportunities to teach you to express exactly what you want to say and help you become a more fluent speaker.

And hey, that’s the ultimate goal, right?

Our Guides are highly trained in ELT.

Every Guide we hire is an experienced language teacher, then we train each Guide in how to use ELT in the Immerse language program and continually supervise their teaching to ensure you receive the best language instruction possible in our class offerings.

This means in every class you’ll be interacting live with a highly skilled instructor who knows how to guide you toward real-life fluency.

How you can learn to speak Spanish and French fluently with ELT

Here are some tips:

1. When speaking in class, say what you actually want to say, even when you’re not quite sure how.
2. Your Guides will figure out how to help you fill in the gaps so you can express yourself! Don’t avoid expressing your true thoughts and say something else just because it's easier and you know the vocabulary.  Let the Guides teach you how to say things in Spanish or French that you really want to say!
3. Be proactive about asking your Guides for vocabulary and language structures that you need. They are excited to be able to tell you about the language, and asking direct questions helps them teach you what you want and need to know.
4. Take photos of the language that comes up during class using your camera so you can study it afterward!  
5. Make sure to practice the new language you have learned in class by taking other Immerse lessons on similar topics, chatting with other Members in the Commons, and using the language out in the real world. This will help you remember it in the long run.

Well, what are you waiting for?!

If you’ve been looking for an easier way to learn Spanish or French, jump into an Immerse VR Spanish or French class and start speaking what you know so you can take advantage of the ELT approach. See you in VR! ! 

Want to learn more on youtube?

Check out this video from Misty, Head of Education at Immerse: