6 Golden & Practical Rules to Learn a Language Faster
Life as we know it is getting faster by the minute, and we often can’t find time to invest ourselves in time-consuming activities. As technology progressed, we found shortcuts for everything and our lives became faster than ever before. In order to keep up with the pace of advancement in every field, we need to make sure we are quick and comprehensive in our actions. If you’ve come across this article, chances are you need to learn a language, and you plan on doing it as fast as possible.
Whatever your reasons for learning a new language might be here listed below are a few tips that you should keep in mind while starting to learn a foreign language.
Map Out Your Path
The first thing that you should do before starting to cram all the books that you can get your hands on is to map out your path. Sit down, take a cup of tea and think. Why do you want to learn a new language? What outcomes do you want? How much time are you ready to invest? How much money are you prepared to invest? Where will you be using your newly learned language? Who will be your target audience?
These are a few questions that you should answer before you get started. Knowing the answer to these questions will narrow down the number of ways you can approach your target language. You should know the answers to these questions yourself and let the person that you’re learning from know too.
For example, if you’re a student, an English language coach or teaching English as a volunteer the answers to these questions are integral to map out the path to take forward and have a clear understanding of how much you or your students have achieved.
Use Technology
This is an era where technology has become a significant part of our lives with smart homes on the rise who knows when we’ll be overrun by it. However, until then, you should use it to your benefit.
There are many apps online that can assist with your language learning process. If you find it challenging to locate a tutor nearby or adjust your schedule according to the timeslot of the available classes, then this is the best option for you. Even if you’re not interested in hiring a tutor, some apps can help you translate whatever comes to your mind into the target language.
Repetition and Persistence
Learning a new language isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible either. You should know that despite hiring tutors and using apps, it’s still going to take some time. Trial and error will help you along the way. You need to practice repeatedly, but the primary key to learning language is persistence. Repetition may help you in the time being, but if you’re not persistent in your efforts, you may not get the results that you desire.
There will be times when giving up will seem like a better option but know that nothing comes easy. If you want to learn the language fast, you’ll need to put in the required effort.
Know About the Backdrop of Language
Languages aren’t just a set of rules and alphabets that one can cram into memory. Language has a lot of cultural significance. In order to develop a comprehensive understanding of language, one must know about the culture as well. For example, if a non-native speaker of English came to the US and you say “break a leg” you leave him with a lot of questions, and he probably won’t be talking to you any time soon.
So in order to avoid situations like these, one must put in some effort to know about the culture. The way satire and irony work in different languages is hard to grasp if one isn’t aware of its culture.
Native Speakers
Once you’re done with all the other tips and tricks, the next thing that you should look forward to is talking to native speakers. For this, you can find numerous ways such as, make a friend online, attend an event that is necessary to them, contribute to their society, become a tour guide, or look for a native speaker of your target language who wants to learn your language. There are many ways you can interact with native speakers, look for one way that suits you best and get started.
Although anxiety and being conscious are normal, try to keep them at bay. No one will make fun of you; they will guide you through the mistakes and feel honored that you’re trying to learn their language. It’s going to turn out better than you expected, and a positive environment will further reinforce what you have already learned.
Make It a Part of Your Daily Routine
Last but not the least; make it a part of your everyday life. For example, if you are learning Hindi or Chinese or any other language, try out their food. When you go to a Chinese or Indian restaurant, try to order in their respective language that is sure to bring a smile on their face and give you the confidence you need to interact with a native speaker.
Apart from that, you can start using it while you’re at home. Think of a scenario and pretend to have a dialogue. While it may seem silly to a few readers it can help a lot. Impart your knowledge to friends that will also help with revision.
If you follow the tips mentioned above, you are sure to get through this language much faster than other learners. Stick to the rules that you think are giving better results than others and suggest some additional rules that you have followed in the comments. Remember to cut yourself some slack, be forgiving of your own mistake and don’t bully yourself. You’re going to need a positive environment inside and outside if you want better results.
About the Author:
After graduating in Industrial Engineering in 2007, from day one, Marcel has been working as a freelance writer, digital marketer, and business trainer. He’s very much into foreign cultures and learning languages and enjoys leaving his office for backpacking and hiking trips in the countryside. Together with his team, he blogs about teaching English as a foreign language on https://jimmyesl.com.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.