Give Learning a Second Language a Second Try
Raise your hand if you were one of the many students that took a second language in school but have little to retain outside of asking where the bathroom (or library) is? It’s a bit discouraging having not learned the language when your mind was fresh and moldable but there’s still time.
Here’s what you’ll get into with this article:
· Why you’d want to learn a second language
· Tools and resources to help get it started
· Tips and tricks to help with the study
With enough practice (and the right resources) you will eventually reference yourself as bilingual. With so many popular languages there’s no wrong choice – pick one that interests you – and stick with it.
Reasons to Learn a Second Language
Two spectacular reasons why you’d want to pick up another language:
Jobs/Career – Bilingual workers have access to plenty of positions at work or finding yourself in new fields such as translator or teacher. A new language would allow you to command higher pay if you’re able to fill the position!
Cultural Enrichment – Think of how much is walled off behind movies, books, music, and other forms of entertainment. Or what it would be like to have a full conversation with a local when traveling. Knowing the language of the people will unlock this opportunity to explore cultures.
Of course, to each their own but these will get you interested to begin today!
Getting Started with Learning a Language
Now let’s get into the finer details of picking up a foreign language:
Classes & Courses – These two options are generally your best bet to get acquainted with a language since you’re learning from experienced speakers, learning the grammar, and having a process to the learning. You can find all types of options whether it’s an online Chinese course or attending a weekly workshop to practice Spanish via language exchange programs.
One-on-one Tutoring – Those that can afford a private tutor are likely to get their language learning down pat. Skype lessons are a popular choice for language learning though there are plenty of other apps and conferencing services that can take its place. You could cut out the costs by making friends during your travels abroad and creating a way for the two of you to talk regularly over Facebook to practice the languages!
The basics of the vocabulary and grammar are the building blocks. Tools like Anki (a flashcard program) is highly recommended for learning these items. Yet, don’t fall into the trap of only focusing on these two since you’ll learn faster when you’re using the language.
Once you’ve got a command over the basics of a language – I’d recommend the following to improve:
Live chats – Livemocha may have closed its doors but many others have sprung up from SharedLingo to the HelloTalk app. These are valuable resources to strike up conversations and practice your new language with locals.
Travel – Nothing’s better at helping you learn a language than spending time in the host country. A week-long excursion to the country where you’re forced to use the language daily will reinforce what you’ve learned, teach a whole lot more, and give you a better appreciation of its cultures and everything it offers.
It’s hard to put a value on learning a foreign language but if you wanted hard numbers it’s a 2% raise in earnings for Americans. That’s a wonderful incentive for the business-minded. Though, we’ve covered plenty of other reasons to get started.
Explore the resources included in this article to explore the world. Now’s the best time, more than ever, to begin learning a new language. Wouldn’t you agree?
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