By Randall Burger
Director of American Language Institute
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

There is no doubt that English has far surpassed all of those languages once considered international. What German was in science, French in diplomacy and Italian in music, English now is in all of those disciplines and more.

This dominance of one language in such vital arenas of human activity gives that language immense power and prestige, in turn creating an overwhelming need for people to learn it in order to become part of the economic "elite." However, access to this particular source of power - the comprehension of a foreign language - can be achieved only through concentrated study, thus making it a time-consuming investment and a source of income for innumerable language schools and programs.

Given the importance of English, we need to examine these schools and programs to determine their efficacy in teaching the language.

First of all, we must state the simple fact that there is no quick "fix," no magic formula or technique for learning a second language overnight, in 10 easy lessons or even in six months.

The model process of language acquisition can best be seen in infants from around 2 to 4 years of age. During these formative years, children "absorb" language from the environment around them. There is little or no intellectual effort on their part; children listen, reproduce sounds and intonation patterns, then progress to single words and groups of words. By age 5, they have grasped the essentials of language, and they are able to make themselves understood quite effectively.

With adults, learning a language - in this case, a second language - is clearly a more difficult and challenging undertaking. There is very little of the child's passive absorption involved in the late-in-life educational experience.

What is necessary is a much more conscious effort, requiring the necessary determination and patience to reach a somewhat distant goal. And it is very important for the second-language learner to realize that this goal is not immediately achievable, that it is the end product of considerable time and energy.

To avoid disappointment, it is also helpful for the student to realize that he or she will probably not attain absolute fluency or perfection in the second language; the adult learner's mind is simply not as agile, flexible or programmable as the child's mind. Any school, then, that promises a fast and easy "method" leading to a complete command of English is deceiving the customer.

Very few, if any, students are aware of this language-learning process and of its possible frustrations. Those with unrealistic expectations are often dissatisfied with the program they enter, quickly losing confidence and then quitting.

The successful student is the one who understands the challenges of language learning and meets them with open eyes. And this leads us now to the choice of an acceptable program. Again, there is a general consensus of opinion that the most successful programs are those that involve "immersion."

Of course, immersion will most likely require that a student study in an English-speaking country, and for this reason, it is limiting. However, for the committed student - the one who is planning to continue his or here education in an English - speaking country - this is by far the most practical and effective option.

Being surrounded by or "immersed" in the language one is studying is perhaps the closest approximation to the learning environment of childhood. The subject matter of one's study - English - is inescapable, sometimes to the point of exhaustion.

Fortunately, this sensory "overload" is just what is necessary for the development of such language skills as listening, speaking and vocabulary acquisition. In fact, the situation is ideal for significant improvement in these three areas since the student is immediately able to take what he or she has "learned" in class and apply it direct to the real world.

This opportunity to use what one has just studied can accelerate the language - acquisition process in almost every case. The student who actively tries to communicate with others - who takes the ultimate chance of making a mistake - is the one who will make the most progress. There is truly no substitute - no language laboratory or classroom setting - that can take the place of real life situations. There is also no better introduction to a new country and its customs.

In conclusion, the "why" of learning English is abundantly evident. It is the "how" of learning the language that poses the most immediate problem.

As has been stated, immersion seems to be the most effective solution. Of course, there are half-measures available in schools or institutional programs worldwide. But only the type of immersion that comes from living in an English-speaking country can envelope the student in an environment of that language.

This total exposure will inevitably and beneficially affect language acquisition preparing the student in the best possible way for personal interaction, business or study in this new cultural setting. In the end, the student who is planning to study abroad should seriously think of language study as the sturdiest bridge between cultures.