I talk frequently about the power of what I call Anywhere Immersion, which is the process of creating a foreign language immersion environment no matter where you happen to live in the world using fun online resources, modern technology, etc. And one of the easiest and most effective ways to do exactly that is changing the display language on your devices, apps, and frequently visited websites.
With just a few taps or clicks, you can change your smartphone, computer, social media accounts, web browser, and more into language learning powerhouses. Instead of studying random flashcards or boring textbooks, you can get fun, contextual, relevant exposure to your target language throughout your day as you do tasks you would already be doing anyway. Instead of trying to create new habits, this approach allows you to leverage firmly established habits that are already part of your daily routine. Instead of having to choose to spend time with the language, exposure becomes the default.
And hey, you can now spend time scrolling through Facebook and Instagram without feeling so guilty about wasting time! If your goal is to reach fluency in a foreign language, any exposure to that language is useful, not wasteful.
Click the links below for instructions on how to change the display language on popular devices and apps:
- Change the Display Language on Your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch
- Change the Display Language on Android & Google Apps
- Change the Display Language on macOS
- Change the Display Language on Windows
- Change the Display Language on Kindle
- Change the Display Language on Facebook
- Change the Display Language on Instagram