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Viewing 5 Tips to Help Busy People Learn Spanish or Any Language5 Tips to Help Busy People Learn Spanish or Any Language
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By Jim Sarris One of the biggest misconceptions of learning Spanish (or any foreign language) is the time commitment. Everyone seems to think you need hours upon hours of study in order to learn. Since very few people have so many hours to dedicate to studying, they decide that learning a language is not for them. Yet, even with a little knowledge of another language, they can benefit in so many ways. Perhaps they could get a better job, communicate better in the job they are in, or enjoy a new experience on a forthcoming trip to a foreign country. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen, because they believe it is a done deal... no one learns without dedicating massive time to the effort. Well, I am here to say that there is another side to the story; a side that is more realistic and positive; a side that may just spark a reader or two to change his or her mind and try. I have been a Spanish teacher for over 15 years. In that time, I have taught high school, college, and adult students. Naturally, this article is not directed to high school and college students for obvious reasons. I am writing so that more adults can discover the secrets of learning any language they want, regardless of their schedules. You see, it is a question of taking advantage of the downtime. Here is what I mean. Everyone has moments in the day with nothing to do. Maybe it is at work, at home, during the commute. These moments are there, you just have to pay attention. Once you spot them, you can begin to fill them with little study sessions that can last as little as five minutes. The best part is you can vary them so that you do not fall into a routine and become bored. I do not want to give the impression that you can learn a language with five minutes of study a day. It will not happen. However, I do want to emphasize that you do not need to have marathon study sessions either. What will help more than anything is consistency, and that is why taking advantage of five-minute sessions when you are stuck for time is essential to your learning. During these sessions, you keep the coals warm, so to speak. Your brain gets the message that learning Spanish (for example) is important because you are finding time every day. That is no small factor. You will still need to find time during the week for an hour here and there, but your success does not depend on total dedication, come hell or high water. It depends on consistency. With that in mind, here are five ways to study when you have little or no time. 1 - Start describing what is going on around you. It doesn't need to be a literary description, just take a look around and begin describing things in the foreign language. 2 - Always carry a printout of an article you plan to read or a chapter from a children's book. Make sure it is no more than two pages so that you can finish it in the time you have. 3 - Repeat a tongue twister you have written down on an index card (specifically for this occasion). 4 - Take out your language tape and get in a quick listen. You can pick up where you left off on the tape or begin randomly. 5 - Play with your cell phone. That's right, you can set up your cell phone in the language you want to learn. By doing this, you can begin hitting buttons and learn everyday vocabulary. Remember, there will be days when you need the hour session in order to expand your base of verbs, conjugations, and all the rest. However, your learning does not depend on strict adherence to any schedule. It is more important to do a little bit every day. You will be pleasantly surprised. About the Author: Jim Sarris is a veteran Spanish teacher and the author of a new eBook/audio series 'The Secret to Learning Any Language.' Visit his blog to obtain free information and learn about other resources to help you learn faster and easier than ever. Language learning made easy. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com |
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