10 Tips To Learn A New Language
If you are like me, you’ve spent way too much time at home in the last year. That was not supposed to be the plan. Our family got passports for Christmas in 2019, thinking we’d go do some traveling now that the kids are old enough to enjoy it.
However, COVID had other ideas.
We had to cancel our scheduled vacation during spring break 2020. If fast, we canceled pretty much everything in 2020. But you already knew that cause it happened to you as well. And everyone else for that matter.
The jury is still out on using our passports in 2021. But if we are able, we’ll be better prepared than we would have been last year. Why? Because we’ve been learning a new language online.
It is easier than you think!
We have discovered a bunch of tips that made something that seemed really difficult become something that was/is really manageable. Use these tips and you’ll be speaking another language in the comfort of your own home!
Get Online
The only way you are going to learn to speak Spanish, German, or any other language is with practice. So find somewhere to practice. Try using a platform like Skype, Google Hangouts, or others where you can get into a virtual room and talk with anybody, anywhere in the world. See if you can find other people trying to learn the same language you are. Work together and help each other!
You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding someone to connect with on a service like Interpals. And you can Google Translate to help you as well. But that seems to work better for single words or short sentences.
Watch TV
We all like watching a little TV right? And movies too. So if you want to learn Spanish, why not go to Netflix or Hulu and watch something in that language? This will help develop your vocabulary and listening comprehension. Or you could even try watching something in English and putting on captions in a different language too.
Do this with a show or movie that you are familiar with and you can learn the language even quicker. Then you will already know the storyline and what is going on and focus on what words are being said and how they sound. Plus, it will feel much more like entertainment than doing homework!
Read
Yeah, this sounds more like homework. But it will help you learn. Don’t worry, it is harder than it sounds. Just keep in mind that you don’t need to know every single word to understand what they are saying. You don’t know every single word in English, do you? (If so, congratulations, cause the rest of us don’t). If you are stuck on a word, you can easily look it up and keep going.
An easy way to get started doing this is by reading children’s books. Something with pictures can help more than you might think. We found dual-language books online that helped a lot.
YouTube
Everything is on YouTube now. Check out some videos or songs in your language of choice. It won’t take more than a search for “best French songs” or whatever your chosen language is. You could even ask Siri or Alexa to do the search for you.
It is a good way to gauge how much you have learned. I bet you’ll be surprised at how much you can pick up while you are doing this. I recommend finding one with a catchy tune so you won’t mind listening to it a bunch of times.
Take A Class
This is probably the best way to learn a language from home. When you join a class, you have an expert to help you along the way. Teachers know how to help people learn and can make the process much easier. They make grammar and pronunciation much easier than trying to do it on your own.
In addition, there are other students learning along with you. They probably have the same questions as you and it helps when you know that you aren’t alone. There are schools that offer foreign language classes with live online classes you can join. A school like Big River Academy has multiple languages available. Sign your kids up for a class and do the work with them!
Flashcards
Here’s a classic method for learning a foreign language. It’s because it works. That’s why flashcards have been a staple of learning for decades. They’ll work for anything — not just learning a language. And you don’t even need someone to help you. It’s easy to do online.
Set Some Goals
Nothing keeps you on track like making goals. Keep them simple and choose something that is easy to measure. Figure out what your end goal is. Then figure out the steps you need to take to get there. Then start taking those steps and keep track of your progress. I’d suggest starting out with something super simple. Like learning to introduce yourself. Then work up to learning the 100 most common words in the language. Then work up to speaking fluently. Add your own goals in between those steps too.
Additional Tips
- Carry a small pocket dictionary with you. This might not be necessary though. There’s probably an app that you can add to your phone.
- Embrace your mistakes. It’s only a matter of time until you use a word wrong and possibly in an embarrassing way. Just embrace the learning curve and don’t let it hold you back.
- No days off. No matter what you choose, do something with the language every single day. Remember, either you are making progress or you are regressing.
