Top Ten Tips For Learning A Foreign Language (Part II)
Here are more foreign language learning tips.
- Talk to someone who is fluent in both your native and target language. This person has likely experienced exactly what you are going through and will be able to anticipate problems and confusion.
- Figure out what kind of learner you are. I’m a visual learner. I need to see something written down in order to remember it and to pronounce it properly. I also remember things in the context in which I originally saw them. You may have better luck learning a foreign language if you hear things or can fit them into a song. Figure it out and replicate it as you continue to learn.
- Do dictation exercises. I don’t care what kind of learner you are. This helps everyone and is hard for everyone. Listen closely when people speak and try to write down what they say. It will train you to hear different accents and also enable you to follow through with the next tip.
- Buy a dictionary and use it. When native speakers come across a word they don’t know, they look it up. Do the same. An added benefit is that dictionaries very often include common usages of a word and sample sentences. If you hear a word you want to look up, use your dictation skills and try to find it. It may take a few tries (for example, was it a dental t or a retroflex t?) to find it, but you’ll get it eventually and maybe learn a few new words along the way!
- Start from the beginning. If you are reading this, you are probably learning a foreign language as an adult, with adult textbooks and learning strategies. Take some time to learn like a kid. Play nursery rhyme videos on youtube, get the first grade book for native speakers learning that language. Sure, the animal sounds you learn may not be useful in your everyday conversations about where’s the bathroom and how do you get to this tourist attraction, but it they will give you useful insights into the culture.