Want to learn a new language … but not sure how to make a start? We entirely understand! Learning a new language is an exciting challenge but many people don’t know how to begin, and thus they never start at all. To avoid the common pitfalls, you need a strategy for learning a language at home.
For example, you might want to learn a new language but you’ve realised that doing so means sacrificing – for example – your social life in the evenings. Or, maybe you’ve checked out the prices for private tutors and learned that they’re pretty darn expensive!
So what gives? How do you learn a new language in your own time, at your own pace without breaking the bank or making huge sacrifices?
In this article, we’re going to take a look at 7 strategies you can easily implement that will put YOU in control of your language learning destiny.
Create a Program Of Your Own
Are you the type of person who wants to be in control of what you’re learning? If so, this is the option for you.
See, each student has different approaches and motivations. Some learn one way, others learn another way. This is why it’s key that you pick a program that works for you. And what better program to pick than the one you created?!
You have to tailor your language learning to get the results that you want. For example, if you’re looking to learn a new language because of an upcoming trip, it’s probably better to focus on the key phrases. If, on the other hand, you’re learning a language because you’ve fallen in love with someone who speaks a different tongue to you and you’re all set to meet their parents, you’ll want to focus on learning pleasantries. All are essential strategies for learning a language at home!
Work At Your Skill Level
If you try to do too much too soon, you may get frustrated – and you might quit. Hey, it happens. This is why it’s so important that you don’t get overwhelmed by going too fast.
Our advice is that beginners should always start with the basics. This includes learning how to say “hi!”, learning key adjectives and learning how too count.
On the other hand, if you’re a quick learner, you can actually skip right past the “beginner” stuff and go right into wrestling with sentence structure, pronunciation and grammar right from the get-go. It’s all about learning at your skill level. This is another essential strategy for learning a language at home.
And if you’re already an advanced student who began learning this language a while back but then stopped, you could refresh your mind with one of our refresher courses or you could launch into an intermediate-level book straight off the bat. You should consult a more in-depth guide to language learning if you want to explore this topic further.
Learn A Language As It’s Spoken
One of the toughest parts of learning a new language is learning it as it’s actually spoken. Whilst reading the words is crucial, many learners come unstuck when it’s time to actually put their learning into practice in real-life scenarios. Grammar is certainly important when it comes to learning a language, but it shouldn’t be the focus. You have to be comfortable speaking the language.
This is why it’s super important that you listen to native speakers and then practice the language yourself. A good idea is to listen to foreign language podcasts or watch foreign language movies.
Naturally, practicing the language yourself is tricky. The good news is that our Babbel app comes with speech software recognition that helps you to nail the pronunciation. This will allow you to grow in confidence as time passes.
Don’t Give Your Brain Too Much To Do
If you’re feeling pumped, it can be pretty tempting to smash through several lessons in one day. Or, maybe you feel like studying for 2 whole hours in one afternoon. However, we call this sort of thing “binge learning” – and it’s not very conducive to your success.
Taking things slow and pacing yourself is actually more productive in the long-run. If you study for fifteen minutes each day, it gives your brain the chance to tighten these memories together without having to juggle lots and lots of new memories in one afternoon.
Try to follow lessons that are between five and fifteen minutes in length. They’re not too short, they’re not too long and they won’t create overwhelm. Moreover, they fit right into the “dead spaces” in your schedule when you’ve not really got anything else planned.
For example, you could be waiting ten minutes for the pasta to boil, or you could be waiting fifteen minutes for a train. Instead of scrolling through social media, you could use that time to take a lesson. Another great strategy for learning a language at home.
Take the Time to Go Over What You’ve Learned
Going over what you’ve learned can be a bit of a pain in the butt in the sense that you’re having to go through the same thing twice. We’d all prefer to keep learning new things.
However, it’s really important when it comes to language learning that everything you learn sticks. And one of the best ways to make things “sticky” is to go through them again.
One essential strategy for learning a language at home is focused on learning vocabulary. Over time, you’ll find that there are specific words that you’re good at remembering. You can omit them from your review lessons. If, on the other hand, there are words that you struggle to remember, you should come back to these words more frequently. This ensures you spend more time on the things that will improve your learning and performance. It will also help you learn vocabulary more quickly.
Make Learning a Habit
Learning from an app is, of course, very different to learning from a classroom. One of the main differences is that there’s no teacher telling you to do this or that, and there’s also a lack of structure. As such, laziness can set in.
This is why we recommend that you make learning a habit. Babbel helps by sending you friendly reminder messages that will help to keep you on track. It won’t “nag” you, but it will help you to stay motivated and ready to learn. In short, it will help you to form a habit of learning.
Also, the app sets you daily challenges that are fun and never boring!
Add Social Media and Resources Into Your Learning
Language learning should also be entertaining. There are interactive language games on YouTube, pop-quizzes on Instagram, and lots of resources on Facebook.
Make sure to use these resources, but don’t stop there. There are plenty of others on social media who are learning a new language just like you, so why not get in touch with them and interact with them? Comment on their posts, share your experiences and put together your very own support network!
