How to learn a foreign language successfully

Significant Technological advancements, the evolution of Artificial Intelligence, astonishing success received in Information Technology programs, and the spread of the Internet from the nearly non-existent entity, to existing as the largest, most accessible source of information in the last few decades, has altered the way people communicate, shop, socialise, conduct business, and consider knowledge and learning. With the advent of new technologies, people are able to collaborate with each other from around the world. But then, do we need to speak a foreign language? Well, ‘just speaking’ is not communication! There’s a greater need for people who are aware, sensitive and respectful towards others’ culture, traditions, beliefs, faiths and can reciprocate skillfully. To achieve this, people need to be linguistically prepared!

1.Set short term and long term realistic, achievable, measurable goals.

Most of us are intimidated by the idea of learning a new language. There are 7000 languages in the world with a plethora of words to learn, as many accents, as many grammatical and multiple different proven methods to study. Setting goals helps you to distribute your learning into smaller achievable goals. It is believed that people who set the right kind of goals are more likely to succeed than those who don’t. Concentrate on specific, measurable achievements binding them to a timeline. Your short term goal could be learning 30 – 50 words in a week and your long term goal could be learning to write 5 -10 simple introduction lines for yourself in about 6 months (The lower number in this range gives you the impression that the goal is within your grasp, while the higher number allows you to push yourself). Why you do so you should focus more on what you want to learn rather than how much time you necessarily want to invest into it. “Goals are most effective when they force you to push yourself”. Remember while the objective of setting the goals is to help you stay motivated which small achievements coming in each day, each week, each month; the wrong set of goals can, however, instantly derail you from learning. Simultaneously measure your progress by writing a relevant ‘Must Do’ or ‘Todo’ list that shall serve as a measure for your progress and hang/stick it at a place where you can see them often. Another innovative idea could be to make it the home screen of your smartphone or computer or treating learning language as a part of a game where you closely track your progress as a level cleared! Setting these critical criteria would help you reach your goals faster without having to derail from your path. You could, for example,  mark yourself on goals such as:

The goal for a week: Learning 30-50 words 

The goal for a month: Learning 120-150 words 

The goal for three months: 360-500 words

The goal for six months: 750-1000 words

The goal for a year: 1500-2000 words and so on and so forth.

2. Be selective about the words you learn.

Languages contain an astounding number of words. For example, there are estimated has between 600,000 and 1 million words in the English Language. Fortunately, you don’t need to learn nearly that many words to be fluent in a language. Consider this: the top 100 words account for roughly half of all English language texts, and the top 1,000 words account for roughly 90%! By focusing on learning these words first, you can save time and quickly increase the amount of information you understand.

3. Stay simple. Focus on day-to-day used words

Do not try to learn sophisticated words that aren’t going to be a part of your day-to-day conversation.  This is yet another proven method that will take your learning, your confidence, your motivation and your goals, all down the drain! This happens primarily because you didn’t focus on commonly used words that should ideally have been a part of your learning, and the ones that you spent effort with are seen somewhere once in a while, hence it’s only natural that you forgot them. 

4. Use SRS 

Use Spaced Repetition Systems such as Anki, Memrise offer significant advantages. They assist you in learning more quickly and effectively. You could choose to use an existing flashcard deck or prepare one of your own. Flashcards work best when used to test your memory, so don’t be hasty to flip them over. Take a guess, anyhow.

5. Use dictionaries at hand

It’s also helpful to use dictionaries that provide additional context for words and/or encourage further reading such as linguee, infopedia, lexico.pt etcetera. Reading comprehension and vocabulary knowledge frequently go hand in hand. The more you read, the more you’ll learn. 

6. Read aloud and read a lot

Visualize and speak aloud. Visualize the new word you’re learning, imagine the image it represents, and say it aloud. This allows you to connect the concepts and can help with memorization.

7. Learn with gestures. When you use physical actions while learning, your brain learns better. Use this to your advantage by gesticulating. To learn the German word Schuh (shoe), say it while pretending to put on a shoe.

8. Use the phrase in your native tongue. It can be difficult to practise words in context when learning a new language because you haven’t yet mastered enough vocabulary to make complex sentences. Simply use the word in your native language to get around this. If you’re learning the French word la maison (house), you could say, “I’m going to my la Maison now.”

9. Use Mnemonics to help you. Create a sentence using the new word you’re learning, its meaning, and a word from your native language that sounds similar. If you want to learn the Malayalam word Cheri (okay), for example, you could think of an English word that sounds similar and make up a sentence like, “My cake has a cherry on top!”  Since “cherry” and Cheri are very similar, this can help you remember the new word.

10. Begin using the language throughout the day, every day.

Employ simplistic techniques to incorporate the language into your daily life. Listen to podcasts in your spare time when waiting in queues, on your way to work or on your return, while walking your dog, gardening, washing car etcetera. Switch between active and passive learning once in a while to keep it interesting and fun.

11. Utilise the internet to its fullest use. Look for audio/ video resources to add a fun element to your learning

We learn best when we are having fun, so don’t forget to make language learning enjoyable. 

Fear not, cause the first time around, your goal is not to understand everything you hear, but to become acquainted with the sounds of the language. Even if you don’t understand much of what you hear, simply listening can have a variety of beneficial effects, such as:

Getting used to the cadence of the language

Learning to recognise and comprehend common words.

Understanding using only context and a few cognates.

Keeping the motivation going!

12. Listen to the news in your target language.

Chances are you will find appropriate pronunciations on a channel broadcasted internationally!

13. Watch videos in target language online 

Watch movies, TV shows, debate shows, game shows, documentaries, talk shows, chat shows, video games, YouTube videos, and much more.

14. Listen to authentic audio resources online.

Look to study from and practice with relevant error-free, credible audiobooks audio clips, music channels, radio broadcasts, narration online. 

15. Play games in the target language 

Playing games is a great way to learn while having fun. Games capitalise on our natural competitiveness and allow us to practise language skills even when we are tired.

12. Improve your reading and recognition of alphabets, words and much more

Surf online and find as much relevant online literature you can find to read, blogs, apps, children’s books etcetera. You can also concentrate your studies on topics that interest you, such as a favourite hobby.

13. Ignore the dialects to begin with, and pursue one that you need after learning the standardised language 

If your target language has dialects available I suggest you stick to it’s modern standardised version to learn to be able to converse and be understood by multiple people.

14. Practise, record, repeat. Practice speaking with the correct pronunciation of words. Record yourself to check, replay for yourself and repeat this procedure until you get it right. Practice makes you perfect, but effective practise makes you successful.

15. Garner new vocabulary. You should never stop learning new words because there are so many.

16. Play down on your interfering colloquial accent.A lot of language learners get hung up with their accents. Fearing embarrassment, they don’t speak the language they are pursuing. But, let that not deter you. Hold your ground and charge ahead. 

17. Don’t let language learning anxiety limit your progress. Every language learner brings an MTI or mother tongue influence along with themselves that originates from their native tongue and interferes with their new language. Let that not hold you back. With practice, it will slowly taper down. Additionally, when you use the right techniques, you will be able to acquire an authentic accent.

18. Learn the language by the immersion method Some of the best learning occurs in real-life situations, especially when you are forced to use a foreign language. Travelling or studying abroad is the most convenient way to gain real-world experience. Going abroad allows you to be surrounded by people who speak the language you want to learn, many of whom do not speak your native language. Although such situations can be unpleasant, they serve as a powerful motivator to learn as quickly as possible. Alternatively, you could try full or partial classroom ‘ guided’ immersion to learn as well that’s not as overwhelming and you are not on your own completely.

19. Learn with a language partner

Learners of a foreign language can look for a conversation partner to improve their language speaking skills preferably in and around their neighbourhood. However, if this is not a feasible option learners could also look for conversation partners online at sites such as Tandem, Coeffee.com, My Language Exchange, Hello Talk, Italki etcetera 

20. Join a discussion group or initiate the creation of one.

Many cities and schools have conversation clubs where language students can practise having informal discussions in their target language on a regular basis.

21. Grab any volunteering opportunities

Pounce for available volunteer opportunities on sites like VolunteerMatch or Idealist, or contact organisations that serve immigrants who speak the language you want to learn directly. Visit businesses such as grocery stores,  restaurants etcetera where the majority of the people speak your target language. 

22. Critical aspect: time to understand people

Understanding a language entails more than just comprehending words on a page. It is critical to understand the culture and history associated with these words. Knowing something about the history, current events, religious beliefs, and common customs of a country or culture can help you understand a lot of what people say and do. It is found that children learn to read a second language more effectively when they understand the culture and context of the texts they read. Take some time as you begin to learn a new language to learn about the culture of the people who speak that language. Don’t dismiss this as a waste of time, even if it requires you to read and watch videos in your native language. It will be extremely beneficial to you and may even prevent you from making embarrassing and potentially offensive mistakes.

23. Test your learning every once in a while.

Knowing you’re going to take a test is a great way to motivate yourself to learn more quickly. Try to put yourself through small tests on a regular basis. Take practise tests or complete the exercises at the end of each chapter if you’re learning from a textbook. You can also take online tests or play online games. Online practise tests are available in nearly every language. Planning to take a standardised test several months to a year after starting to learn a new language can also keep you motivated, and having the results can help you declare your language level to potential employers, schools etcetera 

Try the ACTFL OPI test; ACTFL IS a well-known and credible testing authority in many language-learning circles that tests learners language skills effectively. It evaluates oral proficiency and assigns a score ranging from “Novice Low” to “Superior.” Some languages also have their own standardised test, such as the JLPT for Japanese or the HSK for Chinese. Inquire with teachers or professionals who are fluent in the language about the tests they recommend. If you enjoy tailoring, for example, study tailoring-related words in your target language, watch instructional tailoring videos, and converse with tailors who speak your target language. Make friends who speak or are interested in learning your target language. Languages are not designed to be learned in isolation! Conversations and real-life social events are what make language learning enjoyable and worthwhile. Make an effort to converse with people and learn about their lives and cultures.

You might be surprised at how eager they are to share information with you, and how quickly you form long-lasting friendships as a result.

Start learning a language today with Multibhashi!