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Viewing Suggestions to Enhance Your Learning a New LanguageSuggestions to Enhance Your Learning a New Language
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By Art Gib Learning a new language is a very tough but intensely rewarding experience. Knowing a second or even a third language is a highly marketable skill that, in some places, can almost guarantee you a job with a substantial salary. Not only that, but it can make you feel more cultured and help you reach out to other cultures you would not have understood before - literally! That is why so many companies are marketing special software or providing special phrasebooks and dictionaries to help others in their endeavors. However, if you do not truly apply yourself to the process, all the software in the world will be lost to you. Here are a few tips to help you potentially go from struggling student to fluent speaker. First, when it comes to learning a language, you get what you give. Even if you are enrolled in a formal class, you need to "go the distance" and apply yourself to learning at all times. Study ahead. Go back to lessons that your teacher skipped over because of time constraints. Ask extra questions. Be engaged with the language - do not just jump through hoops assigned in the classroom. This means you should also add depth and dimension to your studies. Look for opportunities to write, read, and speak in the language you are learning. This can mean everyday simple things. For example, when I was studying French in high school, I would always read the labels on my cosmetics, as they were written first in English and then in French. I found myself understanding phrases and new vocabulary faster than ever. Try translating things in your mind or describing whatever you are doing to yourself in the new language. It keeps your mind active and engaged! Try exploring various music genres of one of the cultures that speaks this new language. Read the lyrics as you listen. Sometimes music can be more difficult than the plain spoken word to understand, so if you can get the hang of their version of rock or rap - or whatever else - you might have an easier time understanding their speech. In addition, music can be an easier way to be introduced to how certain tenses are used. I had a French teacher in the early days of my university studies who used certain contemporary rock songs to teach us the elusive subjunctive tense. Trust me - it works! Go to your local bookstore and consult the foreign language portions of the children's books. Find a familiar storybook or even a child's novel with which you are familiar. Make the purchase and start reading. If you already know the story fairly well, you should be able to follow what is going on. As you read, you will be able to pick up more and more of what is happening! There is so much more you can do to enhance your learning; if only I had time to share all of my suggestions. However, the greatest suggestion I can give you is just to get out there and practice! You know what they say: practice makes perfect! About the Author: International Language Programs (ilp.org/) is an international language program website. Art Gib is a freelance writer. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com |
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