8 Methods to Help You Learn a Language ...

By Alison

8 Methods to Help You Learn a Language ...

Many of us were put off learning a language at school. But what if you need, or want, to take up a new language now? In the age of technology, there is a huge variety of resources to help you. The internet is full of radio stations, foreign language websites, language learning websites and much more, plus there are many other methods you can use.

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1

Listen to TV/radio

Listen to TV/radio Photo Credit: *MarS

This is so easy now that you can pick up foreign radio stations on the internet (when I was younger, we only had crackly French stations that we could barely hear. If you have a satellite or cable package, you may also have some foreign stations included.

2

Read a Newspaper

Many libraries carry a selection of foreign language press so you can sit down and read at your leisure. You can also check out their websites. It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand everything, just pick out a few articles on subjects that interest you, and read through a couple of times.

3

Watch a DVD in Your Chosen Language with Subtitles in English

Watch a DVD in Your Chosen Language with Subtitles in English Photo Credit: iwasacamera

You can also watch an English-language film with foreign subtitles switched on. It’s amazing how much vocabulary you can pick up this way.

4

Have a Conversation

If you need to learn the language because you live abroad, try to talk to people at every opportunity. Most will be very patient with your mistakes, and appreciate that you’re at least trying to communicate in their language.

5

Borrow a CD/book Set from Your Local Library

Borrow a CD/book Set from Your Local Library Photo Credit: helgasms!

This is especially useful if you want to learn from scratch. The book and CD are designed to work in conjunction, so listen and read several times, until the words stay in your memory.

Famous Quotes

Happiness depends upon ourselves.

Aristotle
6

There is of Course the Good Old-fashioned Evening Class

If you need the encouragement of others, and don’t learn well by yourself, this is the method for you. You can find evening classes in countless languages and at various levels of ability.

7

Read a Book

Read a Book Photo Credit: αdαmαginαtion

An entire novel can be daunting if you are not too fluent, so I would recommend a non-fiction book that you can easily dip in and out of, without needing to understand the whole text. If you are intermediate, then try short stories or poetry.

8

Organize a Language Exchange

No, I don’t mean those horrendous exchange trips that we were forced to endure in our schooldays. I mean find someone who speaks your chosen language and wants to learn English. You can also find many groups in cities that meet to chat in various languages.

So, are you a polyglot? What tips would you recommend for improving language skills?

Top Photo Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Sheila, you are totally correct. Kids are like little sponges, they absorb so much, AND retain it. I commend you for thinking to expose your children to as much as possible. What a great brain exercise.

We are teaching our granddaughter English and Ukrainian. She is two, and picking up both at the same time. Her dad is also learning Ukrainian from her....very cute.

yup I agree :] have friends that speak the language! My spanish is decent thanks to my friends back in high school and me just teaching myself, then next is probably German because its my little sisters first language, so I pick up things from her, and understand the topic thats being talked about lol

i would recomend relaxing and not forcing yourselves to understand everything. as my french teacher said, you know a lot of vocabulary but you don't know it until you actualy use it. don't get stuck in translating everything just focus on the big picture and if you have a doubt then clear it up. i have already learnt english (with some misspelling, i have to admit. i'm mexican by the way :D) but i'm improving it and also getting better with my french lessons

Get a Bf or Gf that speaks on that langguages

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