Essay 26 Learning a foreign language.

Many people have learned a foreign language in their own country, others have learned a foreign
language in the country in which it is spoken. Which is better? Give the advantages of each and support
your viewpoint.

There are many advantages to learning a language in your own country. In the first place it is quite a lot
cheaper than it would be to travel to the country where the language is spoken. The cost of airfare, living
accommodations, food, and tuition at a foreign school can be prohibitively high. In addition, there is less
stress involved in learning in a familiar environment. Studying abroad requires that you speak the foreign
language all the time to accomplish basic activities. Although it is an opportunity to use the language daily
in a real setting, it can be very wearing. Finally, it is advantageous to have teachers who speak your native
language because they have gone through the same stages of learning the foreign language that you are
experiencing, and they know how to explain the new language by relating it to the native language.

Nevertheless, an argument can be made for learning a language in a country in which it is spoken. Only
there can you truly hear the accent and idioms of natural speech. Being surrounded by the foreign
language allows you to acquire nuances that elude the classroom. It is also beneficial to learn the language
within the context of a culture so that you can learn the behaviors that accompany language. For example
learning how to order in a restaurant when you are right there with native speakers will also allow you see
how to behave in a restaurant in the foreign country. Finally, there are often opportunities that occur while
you are in another country. Friendships can result in invasions to spend time with native speakers in their
homes, and possibilities can present themselves for work or study in the foreign country.

In my opinion, the best way to learn the language is to achieve an intermediate level of proficiency in your
own country and then to travel to the country when the language is spoken to make progress from the
intermediate to the advanced level. By using this plan you can benefit from the advantages of both
options.