How to Immerse Yourself in English at Home

You’ve studied the grammar books, memorised lists of vocabulary, and listened to hours of audio. You’re finally making progress – until you hit a wall.

This isn’t uncommon: it’s normal to encounter a hurdle on your language journey. But why does this happen?

Learning progress slows down for all sorts of reasons. Firstly, as we improve our fluency, the time between major breakthroughs becomes more and more. This is when many people lose motivation. Even though this is a sign your studies are paying off, learning becomes less fun and feels more stagnant when we are no longer getting those regular serotonin boosts.

Even if you don’t confuse your increased fluency with complacency, though, we can still feel stuck. The biggest reason for this is a lack of immersion and exposure. After enough time, there is only one way to continue making progress, and that’s through being immersed in the target language. This is, of course, difficult. We can’t all spontaneously jet off to another country for 6 months.

Not all hope is lost, though. If you can’t take a trip abroad, why not create your own immersion at home?

In this handy guide, we walk you through 5 ways to transform your living room into a different country. So, (un) pack your bags and continue reading for our tips on English immersion without a boarding pass!

1) Talk to Natives (and Yourself)

The most important part of language immersion is speaking with natives. This is something that people tend to shy away from, especially at the beginning of their studies, but pushing yourself to chat with other people will help you finally climb over that wall. You don’t have to go abroad to find native speakers: there are a variety of apps, like HelloTalk and Tandem, that connect people with natives for free, and if you prefer a little more guidance, Italki hosts language teachers who charge as little as $5 for a speaking lesson.

If you have friends who are also learning English, become study buddies! The goal of immersion is to surround yourself with as much of the language as possible, so you could create a rule where you must speak only English from 9am-6pm, or even all day. Don’t worry about how fluent you are already; all you need is a good online dictionary and lots of enthusiasm.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of talking to yourself. It may seem silly at first, but practising phrases and translating your thoughts as you navigate the day is a low-pressure way of becoming a better communicator in English.

2) Change Your Settings

Always on your phone? We get it. According to a 2024 report, we spend an average of 4.5 hours on our phones every day. This means that the best place to integrate English into your daily life is on your devices.

Changing the language settings on your phone or laptop is an effortless way of picking up new vocabulary because we’re already familiar with what everything is. Not sure what reminders means in English? Just look at the app icon.

This doesn’t have to stop at your phone. You can also change the language settings on your social media pages and Google search results. Finally, doomscrolling can be productive!

3) Watch, Listen, and Read

Our third tip is to consume as much English media as possible. Whether it’s catching up on the latest season of Bridgerton or watching Friends for the 50th time, there are an endless number of movies, TV shows, songs, and books to get lost in.

Watch

For most people, their listening level often lags behind their reading. If you have a Netflix account (or know somebody who does...), watching an English movie with English subtitles is the best way to work on your listening skills without missing half of the plot. Alternatively, if you’re already addicted to a series, check if there is English dubbing available.

Listen

If you’re busy, try playing a podcast or radio in the background. Even if your listening skills are very low, listening to English will improve your accent and slowly but surely, you’ll understand more and more. The best content to listen to in a second language is TedTalks. This is because they are often slower-paced, clearer, and less colloquial than other mediums.

Read

Do you normally read the news in the morning? Make a habit of replacing your usual newspaper with an English news site or commit to a subscription. If the news makes you nauseous, then following an English blog is another great way to expand your vocabulary while indulging your interests.

For bookworms, add a few English books to your TBR pile. These don’t have to be classics; simply books that hold enough of your attention to overcome the language barrier. A good way to start reading at a lower level is by tackling books in translation that you’ve already read in your native language.

4) Explore the Culture – at Home

During the pandemic, people took the ‘staycation’ to new heights with COVID-friendly holidays at home. Since cultural immersion is an integral part of learning a language (and often the most fun!), we recommend planning your own ‘extreme staycation’.

The good news is that many of the changes during the pandemic are still in place: The National Gallery in London, for example, allows online visitors to take virtual tours of their exhibitions for free. Travelling without leaving the house is more possible than ever before.

Here are some other ideas for the UK:

- The Natural History Museum offers virtual tours, exhibitions and a tour by David Attenborough himself. Click here for a list of even more parts of UK culture you can enjoy online, from the Stone Henge to Shakespeare’s Globe.

- Take a free Course in English – There are hundreds of free courses online, from Cambridge University’s Stand-Up Comedy course to Harvard’s introduction to Shakespeare’s Life and Work.

- Find an English recipe and cook something you’ve never tried before. Start with the BBC’s best Easy British Recipes.

- Celebrate a UK holiday or tradition. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, it’s always possible to recreate holidays at home. You could celebrate Bonfire Night by hosting your own mini bonfire and making toffee apples for your friends and family.

5) Adapt Your Existing Routines

The easiest way of immersing yourself in English is via the things you normally do. Do you have a blog, or write a diary? Try writing in your target language instead. Do you enjoy a craft hobby, or baking? Read the instructions in English. If you write a to-do list every day, writing the date in English will have your days of the week memorised in no time. It also means you’ll pick up vocabulary that you actually use, rather than random lists of words you may never think about again.

Immersing yourself in English at home is not only possible but can also be a lot of fun. By seeking out native speakers, finding content you enjoy, learning about the culture, and adapting your routines, you can overcome your language learning plateau.

If you’d like to take your immersion to the next level, our flexible English courses in London, Eastbourne, and Dublin can help you fast-track your learning. Our courses are the perfect blend of classroom teaching, real-world practice, and unforgettable cultural experiences.