Learning a new language is an exciting journey that has many benefits but it requires a lot of hard work. Most language learners often come across challenges throughout their learning such as a lack of confidence, motivation or perhaps they just struggle to find the time to learn. If you are a language learner who is struggling with any of these things then take a look at our 5 tips for language learners below…
Be patient
Learning a new language can seem like a daunting task and most learners can feel overwhelmed at how much there is to learn. It is important to remember that everyone who has ever learnt a second language has started out as a beginner so it is okay to make mistakes. You need time to get used to the rules of the language and the pronunciation of different words. It is understandable that as a language learner you may feel anxious about making mistakes at first, but try to remember that you have to make mistakes in order to learn. Be patient with yourself and give yourself time to adapt to your new language. You never know, you might end up surprising yourself with how much you do know!
Consistency is key
One of the most important things for a language learner to keep in mind is that consistency can make all the difference. We can all struggle to find motivation sometimes so that’s why its best to set aside small chunks of time every day, or a few times a week, which you dedicate to language learning. By learning little and often you are more likely to retain the information and you are more likely to stay motivated.
Don’t forget about the culture
When learning a new language it is important to engage with the surrounding culture, rather than just focusing on the language itself. There are many ways to engage with, and learn about, new cultures. The most obvious is to visit the country where your language is spoken and speak to the people, try the food, listen to the music and learn about the history. However, there are plenty of other ways to learn about new cultures without having to visit another country. You could try making a social media account to see if you can network with people from that country, or you could simply watch some popular TV shows & movies from that country to see if it helps you understand the social aspects of the culture a bit better. Learning about different cultures can help keep you motivated with your language learning and can make you feel even more passionate about why you want to learn that specific language.
Learn in as many ways as possible
We all have preferred methods of learning. Some people are visual learners and some people learn best by listening to audio. To make sure you are learning in the best way for you why not try a variety of learning methods to see which works best. You could try watching a virtual language lesson, you could play a language game online or on an app, or you could phone a friend and get them to ask you questions that you have to answer in your new language. There are lots of different ways you can learn a language and switching up your routine can help you stay motivated and make the process more fun!
Set yourself some goals
Setting goals is important in many aspects of life but it can be especially useful with language learning. As we mentioned earlier learning a new language can feel a little intimidating so it is important to celebrate the smaller wins throughout the journey. Although the overall aim is to become fluent, why not set some smaller, short-term goals such as being able to write a few sentences with no grammatical errors or being able to have a short, informal conversation without looking at your notes? Celebrating these achievements can help build your confidence and make the challenge of learning a new language seem a bit more achievable.
Language learning can certainly be challenging but nevertheless, we think it is one of the most rewarding processes. We hope that you might find some of our tips useful and if you have any other tips that you think would be helpful for language learners then please let us know in the comments below!
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