There are many reasons for which people study foreign languages. In some instances, this is done out of necessity by people who wish to live and/or work in foreign countries. In other cases, language students simply wish to broaden their cultural horizons and challenge themselves intellectually. Regardless of why you’re seeking to learn a new language, persistence and practice can hold the key to your success. Sticking to your guns and committing yourself to your studies can go a long way in helping you attain proficiency. Language students on the hunt for practical learning tips are sure to appreciate the following pointers.
Practice Daily
Memorization plays a vital role in language studies. Even if you regard yourself as a hands-on learner, you’re liable to have a difficult time learning a new language if you’re opposed to memorization exercises. Fortunately, committing words, pronunciations and conversations to memory doesn’t have to be an intellectually-taxing exercise. Devoting 30 minutes to one hour each day to reviewing vocabulary, sentence structure and pronunciation can put you on the road to proficiency in a timely manner. This is likely to prove cumbersome at first, but within a few weeks, daily practice will seem like a natural part of your regular routine. Of course, to get the most out of your practice exercises, you’ll need to have access to highly-rated ELL resources.
Consistency is key when it comes to daily practice. It doesn’t necessarily matter when you practice as long as you’re able to fit it into your schedule. For example, if you’re an early riser, starting the morning with your language drills can set a good tone for the rest of the day.
Converse with Other Learners
Although there’s a lot to be gained from practicing by oneself, language students should regularly converse with other learners and native speakers of the language(s) they’re studying. In addition to providing you with a chance to put your developing language skills to the test, this will enable you to weigh your proficiency against your peers’ and show you the areas in which you’re currently lacking. This ensures that you and your fellow learners will be able to build off each other’s progress and provide one another with valuable feedback.
Seek Out Foreign Media
In order to get a good sense of how native speakers sound, seek out movies, television shows and other media from countries in which the language you’re studying is spoken. Unless you’re incredibly proficient, you probably won’t understand a great deal of what you’re listening to – at least, not at first. However, as your vocabulary and command of sentence structure grow, you’ll gradually come to understand more and more.
Although a substantial number of people want to learn a foreign language, few of them are willing to put in the time and effort. However, unbeknownst to many language students, becoming proficient in a foreign tongue doesn’t have to be a difficult or all-encompassing process. With good study habits and a healthy amount of follow-through, even the most complex languages can be well within your comprehension.