They say that children learn languages the best. But that doesn’t mean that adults should give up.
The best way to learn a new language depends on each learner and their specific goals. As the New Year progresses being a new-language learner can bring many challenges, but the benefits can be rewarding as well. Learning a new language can improve your creativity, help develop other mental processes and grow your appreciation for other cultures and communities.
You might not know where to start or how to make time for learning a new language. But if you’re ready to make this a priority for 2023, our guide is here to help;
Decide on a language you’re interested in. This may be local or foreign.
Consume Media in the New Language:
Explore media at various stages to develop your sense of the language. Along with film, television, and music, try books with illustrations to connect words and images. One of the best ways to learn a new language is by watching one of your favourite movies in the language you want to learn.
Seek out real-life practice:
Get talking right away, from the very early stages of your language-learning journey! Some of the best learning happens in real-life situations, particularly when you have no choice but to use a foreign language.
Think in your target language:
People say you’re not fluent in a foreign language until you catch yourself thinking in it. That makes sense. Thinking directly in your target language as much as possible will help you avoid errors and speed up the learning and speaking process. It could also help you avoid confusion in the middle of a conversation.
Learn about the culture:
Understanding a language is about more than understanding words on a page. It’s important to learn about the culture and history associated with these words.
Knowing something about a country or culture’s history, current events, religious beliefs, and common customs can help you understand a lot about what people say and do.
Consider investing in tutoring:
While it’s great that there are so many free language-learning options available, if you’re trying to learn the most in a time crunch, you may need to make an investment.
Converse With Native Speakers:
People who natively speak the language can provide feedback about your progress. This benefits learners by informing them of the different contexts in which different words or phrases might apply (e.g., academic vs. conversational). Having conversations with native speakers allows learners to develop a better sense of connotation and word use.
Learn From Mistakes:
It is completely fine to make mistakes at any stage in the language-learning process. However, make sure you understand your mistakes and do your best to learn from them.
Do you have any question or comment? Do share with us in the comment section.