Tips for learning a new language
- Don’t expect to be perfect!
Making mistakes is part of the natural learning process. You may not remember, but when you were a baby and were learning to speak, you, too, made mistakes and your parents corrected you. Think of learning a new language in this manner: you are a baby and are allowed to make mistakes! The most important thing is learning from your mistakes. Let others correct you and be open to constructive criticism.
- Work on developing an “ear” for your target language
When learning a new language for pleasure, you will automatically find yourself interested in the culture and wanting to find ways to practice it. When out and about, try to pick up on natives speaking your target language. Even if you only hear, or overhear, some words, you will find it rewarding having recognized and understood a native speaker. One of the best ways to train your ear is to listen to music in the language you are learning. Sing along and learn the songs you like by finding lyrics online. This is truly a great way to remember grammatical structures and learn new vocabulary. Another way is to watch TV or movies in your target language. Turn on the subtitles and read along; this helps tremendously to understand what you are hearing and aids in making a connection between the visual and the auditory parts of the language. With the help of the Internet it is easy to find on-line radio stations from all over the world. Put it on in the background while you are doing chores around the house, for example; it really helps in training your year.
- Practice SPEAKING!
Practicing speaking is the most challenging step in learning a language. For many it is difficult to find with whom to practice, while others feel embarrassed and lack confidence to start speaking with strangers, or even their friends. The best way to practice is to find someone you feel comfortable speaking to and dedicate at least half an hour, a few times a week, to practicing speaking in the target language. If both of you speak another common language, it’s important not to revert to it as soon as you run into a word you can’t remember or don’t know; instead use circumlocution – the use of many words to describe one word or idea. Trust me, it works! If you are having trouble finding someone to practice with, hire a conversation partner. Conversation partners are just like tutors except they focus on speaking and will correct you when necessary. With today’s technology you can even find a virtual conversation partner from virtually any corner of the world.
- Be consistent
Consistency is crucial. If you are serious about learning a new language, you need to either take regular classes or set up a schedule for yourself if you are learning on your own. There is nothing worse than skipping a week or more of classes because every time you do, you are taking a step back.
- Talk to yourself.
This may sound crazy but if you think about it, when we are not talking out loud, we talk in our heads in our native language. Try talking to yourself in your head in the target language. For example, you can make up a dialogue in your head, pretend like you are talking to someone, or explaining or asking something. Since no one can hear you, you can be as creative as you wish and have fun with it. Another good way to practice is to commentate as you go about doing everyday chores or activities. Say, for instance, you are learning foods and recipes in the target language: when you are cooking dinner, say in your head what you are doing at that moment, pretend that you have a cooking show and explain to your audience how to cook this specific dish. You get the idea…
- Label your surroundings
Labeling your surroundings can be great practice for recalling vocabulary and making connections between the visual and the verbal areas of language. Just think, isn’t it much easier to remember a word when you can put an image to it? It is much easier when instead of explaining what a word is, your teacher shows you a picture of it, right? You can do the same in your house or wherever you are.
- Read out loud
Reading out loud is a good way to practice pronunciation and bring together the visual, the auditory and verbal areas of the target language.
- Be patient
It’s good to remember that learning a new language does not happen overnight. It’s important to be patient, to not give up and believe in yourself.
