IMMERSION

Immersion Program Overview

The Immersion Program is for Senior Missionaries and is held in the Provo Utah North Park 1st Ward building shown on the left.  The purpose of the Immersion Program is to help the senior missionaries  become successful independent learners by: self-evaluation, setting goals, planning, navigating resources, and using fluent speakers to progress in the language learning.  This process includes an instructor, a learning coach, a tutor, and study buddies.

	This is Alec.  He taught us that there are 3 learning strategies which are (with examples): 1) Visual: flashcards, pictures, memorize by writing, lists, diagrams, etc.  (This is an easy way for Ted to learn.) 2) Audio:  CDs, music, films, speak/read out loud, active listening to native speakers, etc. 3) Kinesthetic/Tactile: Walk and talk, dance, speak your language, memory games, etc We are to find out what is our best language learning method and do it!  (Sonja has no idea!)
	This is Megan.  She was our Learning Coach. She taught us how to set goals that included specific goal implementation steps and identification of the progress by the use of Key Indicators.  Megan was key to our self study and leaning program. The principals she taught are also helpful in the business world.  Megan was a very effective Learning Coach.  She gave us specific ideas and coaching AND homework assignments.  Every time we eat we say (really read) the blessing in Thai.
	This is Jordan (Sister Moleff is on the left).  He was our Head Tutor and served his mission in Thailand.  He is the person who is TRYING to teach us the Thai language.  In Thai there are 44 consonants and 32 vowels.  A vowel can be placed in any position around a consonant that changes the consonant sound and meaning. Because of Jordan we now know the sounds of most of the consonants and vowels.  We can read a few words but may not know the English interpretation.  We can also say a few phrases in Thai. (like: Hello, how are you, thank you, and its a pleasure to meet you)
	This is Rebecca.  She served her mission in Thailand.  She is our Study Buddy.   She helped us speak Thai words an phrases correctly.  Here she is teaching us some of the vowel sounds. She used examples of Kinesthetic learning by dancing to the Thai language rhythm.
	This is Trent.  He served his mission in Thailand and has taken Thai at BYU.  He and Jordan were companions in the MTC.  He also helped us with the Thai spoken word. ALL of these instructors/tutors  were very PATIENT and KIND to this Senior Couple.  They made this experience very NICE for us.  Words cannot express how much we appreciate their service to us.