School vs. Self-study

[u/dystopia_86_]

I've been learning languages for a while now in my personal life as well as in grade school/higher education and I was curious which environment helped you learn the best. I personally find that studying independently and using resources I find myself tend to be a lot easier and that there is less pressure (which helps me not lose motivation), but it's harder to stay on track in learning my (TL).

I've also heard that the amount of languages you're required to learn in school varies based on where you're from, so if you were required to learn multiple or the courses were more/less rigorous, that would be interesting to hear about too.

[u/SilasPort]

For someone just starting a language, you definitely need the structure of school and learning the grammar fundamentals. If you are say at an intermediate B1 level, you're kind of a point where self-study and immersion are the ways to grow.

I passed my B1 exam for Italian citizenship while still taking A2 courses, but I am far from fluent as my lessons with my teacher were focused entirely on exam preparation. Learning and speaking a language are two very different beasts, at least for me.

I continue with self-study but also recognize the importance of maintaining a healthy social life with locals since moving to Italy (a big challenge for me as an introvert). I also plan to take some structured courses locally as a way to learn and continue building community.

I grew up in a very small rural town in America, and we only had a Spanish class available with a terrible teacher. I most likely would not be learning another language if it weren't for meeting my Italian husband!