如何快速度学习英语|如何提升英文水平|How to Speak Fluent English as a New Immigrant
*中文版在页面底部 （简体）
I want to begin by stating that my perspective comes from North America, especially Canada, which is my home context. Most of my content is targeted towards advanced English learners, not beginners. So let’s start with an important question:
How does an Asian person improve his or her English beyond the advanced level?
The Challenge of “Disconnect”
Maybe you are an international student from China or Taiwan, or a professional working in Canada or the United States. You already know English well enough for school or work, but when it comes to casual conversations—jokes, small talk, or even talking with your children who are becoming more Westernized—you sometimes feel a disconnect.
Or maybe you are still living in Asia but must work with American clients. You can “talk business” well, but when it comes to building rapport through everyday conversation, you feel awkward. In all these situations, the real issue is not basic grammar or vocabulary, but full fluency.
So the question remains: How do you move beyond this plateau?
The Answer: Immersion Learning
Immersion means being “surrounded” by a language—like being in water when you swim. It’s about learning in a natural environment, not just in a classroom. If you live in North America, your immersion environment is already around you: teachers, coworkers, neighbors, servers, and even bus drivers.
But why do many Asian people in North America stagnate in English after years? Two common reasons:
Staying in a Mandarin-only environment – Choosing Chinese-speaking friends and communities limits immersion.
Stopping intentional learning – At first you may watch English videos, keep vocabulary lists, and imitate native speakers. But over time, busyness leads to passivity, and progress stops.
How to Practice Immersion Learning
To succeed, you must:
Stay in English environments – Make English-speaking friends, go for coffee with coworkers, join clubs, or attend church.
Be intentional – Keep learning new vocabulary, notice grammar mistakes, and pay attention to Western values and perspectives.
In Chinese culture we talk about 三观 (“three outlooks”):
人生观 (view of life)
价值观 (values, morals, ethics)
世界观 (worldview, philosophy, cosmology)
Understanding these in Western culture is just as important as learning English words.
Natural vs. Artificial Immersion
If you live in North America, you already have a natural immersion environment. But if you live in Asia, you can still create an artificial immersion environment. For example, I created one to study Mandarin:
Using social media apps like Clubhouse to chat with Mandarin speakers.
Speaking Mandarin at restaurants and with neighbors.
Watching shows with subtitles, listening to music, reading books, and even writing reflections.
This experience showed me that immersion works—my Mandarin tutor even said my level was close to native!
Role of Teachers and Tutors
Does this mean classroom learning is useless? Not at all. A good tutor can act as:
A coach – guiding, correcting, and refining your English.
A resource provider – recommending methods and resources to help you learn in your immersion environment.
But remember: classes are a supplement, not the main way to improve beyond the advanced level.
Conclusion
So, how do you overcome that disconnect and go beyond your current English level?
The answer is Immersion Learning—living your life in English with intentionality.
我想先说明，我的背景是在北美，特别是加拿大，这里是我的生活语境。我的内容主要是面向已经有一定基础的英语学习者，而不是刚入门的初学者。所以，我想先抛出一个问题：
亚洲人要怎么把英语水平提升到高级以上？
“脱节”的挑战
也许你是来自中国或台湾的留学生，或者是在加拿大、美国工作的专业人士。你已经有足够的英语能力应付学习和工作，但在日常对话里——比如开玩笑、闲聊，甚至跟你在北美长大的孩子交流时——却常常感觉到一种“脱节”。
也许你还在亚洲，但工作需要跟美国客户打交道。你能把生意谈好，但在闲聊时却觉得尴尬。所有这些情况的核心问题不是语法或单词不够，而是缺乏真正的流利度。
所以问题是：如何突破这个瓶颈？
答案：沉浸式学习
所谓沉浸（immersion），就像游泳时整个人泡在水里。语言学习也是一样，不只是课堂，而是在自然环境里学习。如果你住在北美，沉浸式环境其实已经在你身边：老师、同学、邻居、服务员，甚至公交司机。
但为什么很多在北美生活多年的华人英语还是停滞不前呢？常见两个原因：
待在华语圈子里 ——身边的朋友、社交全是讲中文，这就限制了沉浸环境。
停止有意识地学习 ——刚来的时候你可能会看英文视频、记单词、模仿母语者，但时间久了，生活忙碌，学习动力就慢慢没了。
如何实践沉浸式学习
想要进步，你需要：
待在英语环境里 ——交几个说英语的朋友，和同事喝咖啡，加入兴趣小组，或者去教会认识新朋友。
保持学习的主动性 ——每天记新单词，留意自己的语法错误，观察西方人的价值观和思维方式。
在中文里，我们常讲“三观”：
人生观 ——对生活的看法
价值观 ——道德和价值取向
世界观 ——对世界和人生意义的理解
了解西方文化里的“三观”，其实跟学英语单词一样重要。
自然 vs. 人工沉浸
如果你在北美，天然的沉浸环境已经存在。但即使在亚洲，你也能创造“人工沉浸环境”。比如我自己学中文时：
用 Clubhouse 跟说中文的人聊天。
去中餐馆只用中文点餐。
看中文电影、听中文歌、读中文书，还写下自己的感想。
结果很明显：我的中文老师后来甚至说我快接近母语水平了！这让我更相信沉浸式学习的效果。
老师和辅导的角色
那是不是课堂学习就没用呢？当然不是。一个好的老师能成为：
教练 ——帮你纠正发音、语法和用词。
资源提供者 ——给你推荐适合的学习方法和材料。
但要记住：课堂学习只是补充，而不是突破瓶颈的主要方式。
结论
所以，要怎样克服这种“脱节”，突破当前的英语水平？
答案就是沉浸式学习——在生活中有意识地活在英语环境里。