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So, you might be thinking that you can't become fluent in English unless you can visit a country where the native language is English. To do that would take a lot of time and money. But, aren’t we often told that total immersion is the way to really learn a foreign language? It is as though there is something in the air of the U.S. that infuses the English language into our brains.
Well, I’ve known of people who lived for years in a different country and never picked up the language. Living abroad and being immersed are not the same things. I will agree that in order to really learn English you need to hear and use it consistently. You do need to immerse yourself in it. But, what about virtual immersion? Today this can be just as effective. Technology makes it possible to bring the English speaking world to you without having to buy a plane ticket. Nice.
For listening to English, check out TuneIn.com. There is a huge selection of live-streamed radio from the United States, England and Australia.
For watching English conversation, go to the YouTube Trends Dashboard and choose United States, and then an age group that suits you. You will find videos of things trending here in the U.S. If you go to Amazon or Ebay you can purchase your favorite English TV series. You might be able to save money on shipping if you can buy them locally. You can hear and watch news in English at ABC News or CNN News.
You can read the English language in lots of ways, like books, magazines and websites. There are cool blog sites that don’t cost a thing to visit. The 100 Best, Most Interesting Blogs and Websites of 2014 is a great place to start. You can also translate your favorite website into English using this Google translate tool.
And of course, there are online classes with ME! over Skype. Nothing beats conversation and instruction from a native English speaker. Sign up and meet me on Skype!
So there you go. Until you can travel abroad, these are some things to help you learn English by immersion without leaving your computer.