Throughout our lives, we've always been told, 'Learn a second language. It'll make you more employable.' And if you live in the UK, you've had the Ebacc shoved in your face for years. However, some of us don't find the longing or passion for learning a language until we've left school! Either it's because the only languages on offer were French, Spanish or Mandarin, and you wanted to learn Russian. Or you just never liked learning in the first place.
The question then remains for people who want to learn a language way past their school years is. 'How do I go about learning a language?' 'Has anybody got any tips for learning a language?' and of which I raise my hand and say I do.
Do a bit every day
When learning a language, it is best to discover a part of it or do an exercise to remember it every day.
Because doing it every day will enable you to fit it more easily into your routine, you are less likely to skip a day. Also, whether it's eighteen minutes or an hour a day, you'll learn something. And it will be beneficial because you are sticking with it and constantly keeping up with learning the verbs, which will make it stick in the brain more. And make it more fun.
Motivation
When learning anything new, you must know your motivation. Understand why you are going to learn the language. Because when you feel like giving up and throwing in the towel, that is one of the things that will keep you engaged.
On top of that, motivation will enable you to know how to turn that desire to 'learn a language.' Into smaller, realistic and achievable goals. Such as 'learn fifty verbs by the end of the month.'
Make it fun!
When I was learning a language in school, I never had fun teaching the tenses and the verbs. Whilst I was good at it, I didn't enjoy it and never progressed further when I could give it up in year nine! If you are not doing it at school and want to give it up, imagine how much worse it is when motivating yourself.
If you imagine it being one of the worst things ever, remember to have fun with it. Don't want to do an exercise on verb tenses and focus on colours, then do it! Want to try to read a book in french instead of using the app, go for it! Want to chat with someone in french? Then do it. The best thing to do is to make it fun! Making it fun will help with motivation and because you'll retain more information.
It's about more than an app.
We all know to use Duolingo or Rosetta Stone as an app to learn a language, which has made it more accessible and on the go. However, learning a language is about more than the app. (Or you can learn a language using more than an app). There are tons of international films in your chosen language out there—even music. And whilst you might be listening or watching passively, you'll pick up on the language even if it's passive. On top of that, you change the format and do something a bit less formal and intensive. Which makes it more fun easier and shakes things up. On top of that, it immerses you in your language's culture more, which makes it easier and reinforces what you've learned.
Below are some movie recommendations that could get you into international films/ could watch to immerse yourself:
- Rust and Bone (2012) French
- La Zone (2007) Spanish
- Run Lola Run (1998) German
- Any subbed Studio Ghibli movie for Japanese
- King of Peking (2017) Mandarin/ Chinese
Those are just some examples of international movies you could watch to get started. There are tons more in a plethora of genres out there!
Don't just listen and speak it. Write it!
When you learn a language, you want to immerse yourself in movies and music and talk about it. Another way you should immerse yourself is by writing it too! While you might want to work on the conversation, learning to write in the language is also a good idea!
Why? First of all, it's another way to reinforce what you've learned. Secondly, it gives you another way to immerse yourself in the culture. And thirdly, when communicating, we don't just do it verbally.
It's also in the body language, the way we listen and through how we write it! Also, it's another skill set that is handy to have.
All in all, learning a new language and being bilingual has never been easier with all the apps and tools available. It can help you get ahead in your chosen career and open up more doors for you. So go ahead and learn a new language whether you are a pensioner or a kid fresh from University! It's never too late to try.
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