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Viewing 10 Tips for Learning any Foreign Language Quickly and Easily10 Tips for Learning any Foreign Language Quickly and Easily
By Kathy Steinemann
(c) Copyright Kathy Steinemann Learning a foreign language may seem like a monumental task when you first approach it. Once you have made the decision to get started, however, a few simple tips can make the process much easier. Part of the secret is to be organized; another is to rely on the experiences of others. This article explains. 1.) Do not pick any language at random just because you have heard that the learning process might help to prevent age-related degenerative brain disorders, or because a specific language is the "second most widely spoken language in the world". Perhaps you are doing genealogy research for a family tree or your company has regular dealings with branch offices in a specific country. Maybe you plan to travel overseas and want to learn a few foreign language phrases to make your trip easier. Choose a language that you are likely to use, and select the appropriate dialect. Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, and many other languages have various versions that are significantly different from one another. 2.) Rely on the experiences of other people. Talk to friends, relatives, or co-workers who have successfully acquired foreign language skills. Ask them how they did it and what software, courses, or techniques worked best for them. 3.) Visit your local library to see what they offer. 4.) Go to the Internet and research the available resources, checking reviews by people who have actually used the products in which you are interested. 5.) Spend plenty of time listening and watching. Hearing spoken language and watching how the lips and facial muscles move when speaking are critical. Writing and reading skills, while important, cannot replace the process we use as infants when acquiring our native tongues. Infants do not learn from books! Listen to foreign language TV and radio stations online. Additionally, many Internet sites offer free audio that you can download and play back on any MP3-compatible device. 6.) If possible, use earbuds or headphones while listening to audio productions so that you are able to discern subtle differences of tone, cadence, and emphasis. The difference between an "f" and an "s" or an "m" and an "n" might not be obvious if there is any ambient noise that interferes with the listening experience. Active noise-cancelling equipment works best, but any earbuds or headphones are better than using nothing at all. 7.) Learn a few key phrases and repeat them to yourself whenever you are alone, associating the phrases with mental pictures rather than translating them into English first. 8.) Try talking to yourself after you have learned enough vocabulary to make it feasible. Attempt to use correct grammar, but expect to make plenty of errors. Mistakes are part of the learning process. 9.) If you use a smartphone or PDA for listening to foreign language audio, consider getting a downloadable dictionary that you can access whenever you want to find the meaning of a new word. 10.) Be sure to check the author's information box below for a link to her eBook containing hundreds of tips and hints for learning foreign languages. She has done the research to locate free resources that can save you days or even weeks of searching. Her book can fast-track you on the road to bilingual freedom. The above tips will jumpstart you. If you spend some time every day listening and actively participating, you should make rapid progress. (c) Copyright Kathy Steinemann: This article is free to publish only if this copyright notice, the byline, and the author's note below (with active links) are included. About the Author: Kathy has written a book about learning foreign languages that contains hundreds of tips, ideas, and free Internet resources. The free resources alone will save you many times the book's cost. This is a practical book with real advice from someone who has "been there - done it". Be sure to visit her site A-Language-Guide.com as well, for tips and articles by other authors. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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