MSI Press Blog

Most people assume that “study abroad” is the gold standard for language learning. And it certainly helps: immersion, exposure, and daily necessity all accelerate progress. But there is a deeper, more transformative path to near‑native proficiency — working abroad . Not visiting, not studying, but working in the language. Work changes everything. It shifts the learner from the protected bubble of the classroom into the unfiltered reality of how people actually speak, negotiate, joke, complain, and collaborate. And depending on the kind of work, the linguistic gains can be extraordinary. 1. Work forces you into the linguistic deep end Study abroad often keeps learners in a semi‑sheltered environment: international dorms, English‑friendly universities, curated cultural experiences. You can survive with “tourist fluency.” Work abroad removes the safety net. You must: understand instructions the first time read documents without translation write emails that sound professional navigate wo...

  When Boris Shekhtman and Betty Lou Leaver were searching for a publisher for their book on reaching ILR 4, Developing Professional Level Foreign Langauge Proficiency , a reviewer for one of the traditional American publishers suggested not taking on the book because "no one needs near-native proficiency." She then pointed to herself as a teacher of French whose proficiency was ILR 2, and she was considered a brilliant and successful teacher. She did not need anything higher than that, and neither did anyone else. Well, she was wrong, and fortunately Cambridge University Press had the foresight to realize that the topic was important, known to few (which is why that French teacher had such low proficiency) and would someday be sought-after information. They wanted the seminal work; they got it. And it has been the go-to work for more than two decades now. The reviewer’s comment reflected a long‑standing and deeply limiting assumption in American language education: that “goo...

  There are statistics showing how often medical communication falters when patients and providers don’t share high‑level language skills. But numbers alone don’t capture the human cost of misunderstanding. When my son was hospitalized at Boston Children’s, a nurse approached me: “They need help on the cancer ward,” she said. “A couple that speaks Russian and doesn’t understand the doctor.” I found a frightened couple who had been told their son had a spot on his leg. They didn’t realize that “spot” was a euphemism for possible cancer. They still didn’t understand until I used the word рак — cancer . The mother broke down, blaming herself. The doctor grew frustrated, insisting it wasn’t her fault. I had to explain that her reaction was culturally normal — a reflex of guilt and responsibility deeply embedded in Russian family culture. That moment taught me something essential: Near‑native language proficiency must include near‑native cultural understanding. Without it, even wel...

Most learners chase fluency as if it were a finish line: master the grammar, memorize the idioms, and you’re done. But near‑native proficiency isn’t a checklist — it’s a mirror. It shows you your own patterns. Every language has rules, but every speaker has habits . The way you pause. The way you soften disagreement. The rhythm of your thought when you reach for a word. The emotional cadence that makes your speech feel alive. Native speakers don’t consciously follow rules — they follow patterns that have become invisible through repetition. To reach their level, you must learn to see your own patterns clearly enough to reshape them. That means noticing: When your first‑language rhythm intrudes When your phrasing feels translated rather than lived When your emotional timing doesn’t match the target culture Near‑native fluency begins when you stop asking, “Is this correct?” and start asking, “Is this natural?” It’s the moment when your internal patterns align with the language’s soc...

  We recently learned about a great review of Tom Garza's wonderful and unique book on how to get language learners to super-high levels of proficiency, Practices That Work .  Written by Olena Chernishenko of American University for Russian Language Journal , some of evaluations include: " Practices That Work is an excellent resource for both new and experienced foreign-language instructors, as well as for foreign-language learners. The volume is a compilation of short, thematically organized articles written by numerous experts in the field of foreign-language teaching who share invaluable insights about bringing learners to high-level professional proficiency in world languages. While Practices That Work offers a plethora of effective techniques for instructors, it also provides deep understanding of the learning process, which will benefit the development of learners' development of self-awareness and autonomy." "...every article in the volume gives excellent...