Let’s set the record straight: when it comes to language learning, there is no ‘golden formula’ that works for all. Everyone has their own learning techniques that work best for them. Whether you thrive off getting head-down into a heavy grammar book, 5 minutes a day on gamified language apps or fun, interactive language classes, everyone is different. The key to mastering a language is ultimately discovering YOUR best learning methods. In this blog, we want to share with you some of our personal tips that have helped us reach our linguistic goals and we hope that they will aid you in your language learning journey too.
1. Have Fun!
Languages are taught all wrong in school from a young age. Lessons are geared towards preparing you for a GCSE or A-Level exam, and can be incredibly tedious with hours spent on learning grammar, writing repetitive essays and ploughing through antiquated textbooks. How boring, right? Rule 101 of language learning should always be to have FUN! If you don’t enjoy the process and learning experience, you will struggle to get much out of your studies. Discovering about the history, cultures and societies associated with a language instantly make the hard graft exponentially more interesting and worthwhile. Better still, by combining your other hobbies and interests with your language learning will make a huge difference. For instance, if you’re a hardcore book worm make sure to read plenty of books in the target language, if you’re a die hard football fan you can watch foreign football games with commentary in the target language… the options are limitless and you can really personalise your learning experience to what you enjoy most!
2. Be Prepared to Make Mistakes
Much like in other areas of life, learning a language requires stepping out of your comfort zone and being prepared to make mistakes from the start. It may seem daunting at first (particularly if you’re a natural perfectionist), but it’s important to make those initial blunders. People mess up sometimes, but that’s always ok. We are only human! Learning from those linguistic mix-ups will help you grow as a linguist and boost your confidence tenfold. Plus, we always overthink our mistakes and worry about any judgement, but in reality people always respects you for making the extra effort to communicate in their native language.
3. Speak, Speak, Speak As Much As Possible
Linking back to our previous point, you should never be intimidated or scared to speak in a foreign language. That fear of making a mistake or worrying about your accent just holds you back. Proactively using the new vocabulary and grammar you’ve learnt in a conversation will really cement it in your mind and subconsciously amplify your language. Memorizing long lists of vocabulary and staring at flashcards can only get you so far, so never be afraid to make that leap of faith and engage with others in the language you’ve been learning!
4. Know Your Motivation
Too many people embark on their language learning adventure with no real idea why and most of the time this leads to them giving up. Sure, learning a language is always beneficial and should be strongly encouraged, but without that motivation and personal goal, you can only go so far. Unless you’re pushing yourself to learn the language for work, travel, speaking with your partner and their family in their target language, or whatever other reason, chances are your passion, drive and learning will fizzle out. So be sure to take time to think about why you want to learn a language.
5. Set Clearly Defined Goals
Alongside that long-term vision, it’s essential to set yourself mini targets along your learning journey. Completing these clear objectives will help you get the most out of your learning. Saying ‘I want to be fluent in 6 months‘ is not precise enough, so it’s hard to measure your success and accomplishments. Instead, it’s better to set yourself clearly defined short-term goals, such as learning to introduce myself and order in a restaurant by the end of the week, or aiming to watch two foreign language films a week. Whatever you set yourself, these targets will keep you focused and on course to reach your ultimate goal.
What are your language learning top tips? Let us know in the comments!
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