Making mistakes is an integral part of learning a language, but only if they are productive mistakes. Mangling a verb tense or using the wrong noun gender provides a learning opportunity. More serious mistakes, like using the wrong materials or burning yourself out, on the other hand, can be detrimental. Find out which mistakes haunt language learners, and how you can avoid them!
5. Wanting to learn a language is not enough,
you need to have a specific plan for how
and when you’re going to learn it.
Image by Kyna Borlasa on Flickr.com
7. Set specific constraints and
deadlines on yourself.
I want to improve my
pronunciation in Greek by
hiring a conversation paper
once a week.
Every day, I want to read
one chapter of “Le Petit
Prince” in French.
8. In other words, set SMART goals:
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time-bound
9. Scheduling specific activities or buying specific
resources will not only give you structure, but also
give you a sense of accountability for your
language-learning.
12. So, you’re excited to start learning a new language.
(We’re excited for you!)
13. Just be careful not to burn yourself out! One of
the best ways to sabotage your language
learning is to do too much too soon.
Image by Laszlo-Photo on Flickr.com
14. Slow and steady wins the language-
learning race. The key is to develop a
consistent routine that you can maintain.
Image by Jason Hollinger on Flickr.com
15. Slow and steady wins the language-
learning race. The key is to develop a
consistent routine that you can maintain.
Image by Jason Hollinger on Flickr.com
16. As you progress, gradually add more
engagement time—and don’t forget, traditional
“studying” isn’t the only way to learn a language.
Make time for music, conversations, and beyond!
18. Seek out a variety of language resources across
different media.
Image by Shutterhacks on Flickr.com
Image by Paul Hudson on Flickr.com
19. Relying on a textbook alone limits your skill development.
Multimedia materials provide opportunities for
reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
20. Don’t forget to acquire materials for different
occasions, so you can learn at home, during
your commute, on lunch break, or while
waiting in line at the store.
Image by Mo Riza on Flickr.com
21. Don’t forget to acquire materials for different
occasions, so you can learn at home, during
your commute, on lunch break, or while
waiting in line at the store.
Image by Mo Riza on Flickr.com
23. Mixing up your learning materials is a
good start. Do yourself another favor
and stir in a large portion of
authentic resources.
Image by gonmi on Flickr.com
24. Textbooks, audio tapes, YouTube videos, and the like
that are designed for language learners are ideal for
beginners… to an extent.
25. These kinds of resources can sometimes be guilty of
oversimplifying for beginners.
26. These kinds of resources can sometimes be guilty of
oversimplifying for beginners.
27. Resources targeted at learners can also have a
certain element of awkwardness, contriving
nonsensical phrases or dialogues just to point out a
grammar concept.
28. Resources targeted at learners can also have a
certain element of awkwardness, contriving
nonsensical phrases or dialogues just to point out a
grammar concept.
(“The dog has a moustache.” Very useful.)
Image by ginnerobot on Flickr.com
29. Jumping in to authentic resources—newspapers,
books, music, TV shows, you name it—will expose
you to more natural language use, as well as
slang, idioms, and expressions you won’t find in your
textbook’s glossary.
30. Don’t trick yourself into
believing that you can’t use
authentic resources as a
beginner. Start out slow with
children’s books and movies,
comics, short recipes, etc.
and build up to the news
and sitcoms as you go.
31. Don’t trick yourself into
believing that you can’t use
authentic resources as a
beginner. Start out slow with
children’s books and movies,
comics, short recipes, etc.
and build up to the news
and sitcoms as you go.
33. When it comes to languages, there’s a lot to memorize.
Image by drcw on Flickr.com
34. When it comes to languages, there’s a lot to memorize.
Image by drcw on Flickr.com
35. But it’s not just about memorization,
it’s about understanding.
36. When studying the grammar of a language, look for
the connections between words.
For example, you could memorize the French
phrases “le poisson bleu” and “la maison bleue,” but
that doesn’t mean you understand that bleu(e)
takes an –e when describing a feminine noun.
Image by Francisco Gonzalez on Flickr.com
37. Once you understand the connection between
noun gender and adjective agreement, you can
apply that to thousands of other phrases.
38. Don’t undermine your efforts to learn a language by
trying to memorize everything. Exploring grammatical
patterns and connections will eliminate that need.
40. Speaking of undermining
your efforts, don’t fall in
to the trap of relating
everything back to your
native language.
Image by Bill Selak on Flickr.com
41. Some words and phrases just won’t translate, word
orders will differ, and you’ll come across concepts
you’ve never heard of before—gender, case
marking, and tones, oh my!
42. Keep your mind open and your slate blank.
The less you use your native language as a crutch, the more
comfortable you’ll become with using your new language.
Image by IntangibleArts on Flickr.com
44. There is such a pervasive fear of speaking in a
foreign language that it even has it’s own term:
xenoglossophobia.
45. Giving in to that fear is
a major mistake for
any language learner.
Image by Geoffrey Fairchild on Flickr.com
46. Speaking in another language gives you the
opportunity to practice your pronunciation,
wrapping your tongue around new sounds.
47. But there’s more to speaking than just
pronouncing the words correctly.
48. But there’s more to speaking than just
pronouncing the words correctly.
49. But there’s more to speaking than just
pronouncing the words correctly.
50. Don’t wait until you’re “ready” to
start speaking—let go of your fear
and start yapping right away for
maximum results!
Image by ddqhu on Flickr.com