Just started learning a foreign language but aren’t happy with the way things are going? Or are about to go study, work or move to another country and want to feel like a local soon and be able to communicate with everyone?
Or maybe you have to learn a foreign language due to a new work project, or something else that came up, and you need results fast. Well, there are some easy ways you can hack the process and learn it much faster and with even less effort. They are even backed by science.
Let’s see what methods are proven to work every time for better language learning:
1. Figure out how bad you want it.
You know that motivation is a key factor to anything we’re trying to achieve in life. But it’s even more powerful than what we give it credit for.
Studies show that the more determined you are to learn the language, the faster you’ll get there. It’s even closely related to the level of proficiency you’ll get to, not just the speed of the process of learning.
What are some ways to be a motivated language learner?
Start by clearly outlining the reasons you’re doing all this. It must be a desire the motive for which is so powerful, that it will encourage you to set this as a goal. But to stay consistent long enough, you need to find this within you by honestly asking ‘Why?’ until you are sure the answer will help you get there.
Then, make a plan. That’s a proven step to be productive, stay focused, always know what’s next, and be able to track progress.
You can make the process fun in many ways too, either by joining groups, practising with strangers, using apps, turning it into a challenge, or else.
2. Hack your memory.
It’s worth doing a research to understand how your memory works when learning a new language, and also what happens in your brain when engaging it in something like that.
To make the language learning much simpler and less stressful, you should tap into the power of your memory and use it to your advantage. There are plenty of techniques you can try in order to learn new words immediately, understand grammar, and even avoid the need to revise consistently.
One such exercise is the so-called space technique. Where you’ll need to repeat a new piece of information a few times in the very beginning, then one or two more times in the next few days, and can then go without using it for a long time, but it will still be in the back of your mind when you need it.
3. Let’s get visual.
Your brain isn’t good at remembering what you hear, but it has mastered visual memorization. It’s just something we are all naturally equipped with, and that’s the ability to build up visual memories of a place or situation in no time.
If it’s something we already possess, why not use it to make foreign language learning easier and even more fun?
A super easy way is to use flashcards. Do it the old fashioned way by writing them down on pieces of paper, or just use one of the many apps out there created specifically for that.
Good luck in using the tips to use your potential to the fullest!