Looking to learn a new language? There are endless possibilities! Screen your options before making a decision. Here are out top 5 tips on how to get started learning a language:
1. Do what you love!
Many new learners sign up for a course or a class of a target language without considering whether it is going to be effective or not (and whether it’s worth the money). Obviously there are many different courses and working in a group with other learners of the same or similar level might work for some, as well as having some one on one time with a professional educator can be extremely beneficial, but it is not for everyone. And it doesn’t have to be! With the help of the almighty Internet having access to an infinitive way of learning a language is as easy as ever (after all, you are here!), screen your options before making a decision on how to start learning and don’t settle just for anything.
2. Try more than one option before deciding
You might think that you would like to learn a language through movies or TV but soon learn that just because it is appealing (or has worked in the past with other languages, for example) does not mean it is a key to your success, at least just yet. This goes for any method that you might get started – it is possible that you will get tired, will not see the results as quick or even think that you are failing. But this does not mean your goals are impossible to reach. Try other methods, even the ones you would not normally consider, to find some surprising results about yourself.
3. Take a test to find out your learning style!
If you wish to avoid as many trial and error moments as possible and get learning right away, why don’t you try and find your learning style? You can find a learning style quick here sciencebird.org/sorting-test. This test is specifically designed to help you learn about your abilities, preferences and best possible methods to reach the exact goals that YOU set for yourself!
4. Set up a timetable
You might not have chosen to enroll in a course but having the guidelines of a timetable will do wonders for you, especially if it’s customized to your needs. Having a schedule might be stressful and overwhelming as it provides feelings of overbearing commitment may cause procrastination. However, having a bit of a frame that you have to fit into in a form of a timetable will keep you on track and help you reach your goals faster.
5. FOCUS on the target language
Learning from bilingual sources is always an option, and usually a comforting one. However, many studies have shown that focusing solely on the language that you are trying to learn, also known as target language, you allow yourself to immerse into the world of this language and will absorb the vocabulary more easily. Some people may choose to immerse into the culture, from which the language comes, but monolingual learning sources, such as books, movies, English-to-English dictionaries or websites like Science Bird will help you reach your goals much quicker.