In this world, there are two types of people: those who learn languages fast and effortlessly and those who struggle when it comes to learning languages.
Those who learn quickly are confident in themselves and know that they can learn any language they want without too many difficulties. This may lead to others thinking they're incredibly gifted but they're just like us; flesh and blood.
It doesn't have anything to do with their physical abilities so what makes one person learn languages quickly and effortlessly while another struggle? What is the separating factor?
It's the person's attitude. Our attitude changes the way we perceive things and deal with them. For example, students who have a negative attitude towards a certain subject tend to fail terribly in it no matter how hard they study. On the other hand, a student with a positive attitude towards a subject has a high likelihood of excelling in the subject.
That’s why some people excel in a particular field and others struggle. The problem is that they may never understand why they are failing and may end up coming up with plenty of different excuses.
When you change your attitude, the world around you changes. This doesn't mean that those who learn languages effortlessly don't go through the problems you experience when they're learning languages. However, rather than complaining about or criticizing themselves, they look for solutions.
Individuals who seem to learn languages effortlessly have a set of habits that can make them look super-human when it comes to languages. You can be super-human too. Let's have a look at the habits that will make you a confident language learner.
1. Revise before learning
As human beings, we tend to forget what we don't review. Forgetting means you've wasted a lot of time and energy.
That's why it's always important that you review what you learnt in your earlier study sessions. Go through your notes and flashcards before moving on to a new study session.
If you start a study session without reviewing the previous, you'll complete your course sooner but you won't remember as much of it. Technically, you'll be falling behind each day. Even if you're tired, make sure to revise before moving onto something new. It's better to consolidate what you've already learnt than to move on.
2. Study and improve yourself a little bit every day
Learning a new language takes time. Successful learners know that it's the small improvements that add up to huge results. As the popular saying goes, "Rome wasn't built in a day". Everything worthwhile takes time.
It's better to learn and remember how to pronounce five new words each day than to learn fifty words and forget all of them by the following week. Learning a lot of new things is great but if you overdo it you could burn out.
Never mistake progress for improvement. As we said earlier, you might be flying through your course but not actually remembering anything. If you push yourself too hard, you may end up giving up.
A five or ten-minute study every day can be more efficient than a two-hour study session once a week.
3. Have clear goals and use the new language for something you enjoy
Use the language whenever you can: while on holiday, horse riding, hiking, playing with your dog, etc. If you do this a little each day, your brain will associate speaking that language with pleasure and you'll find it more enjoyable.
4. Don't look for shortcuts
For something difficult like learning a new language, a shortcut might seem more appealing. Effective learners don't look for an easy way out. They know it's a waste of time, energy and money. They make a wise decision by choosing an effective method and sticking with it to the very end.
They don't have a load of books or apps that they've never used. People don't realise how much time they waste looking for new learning techniques when they could have spent this time learning the language. Choose a method that works for you and stick with it.
5. Use your new language
Successful language learners concentrate on both comprehension and language production. For every word they read or listen to, they make an effort to pronounce aloud.
Studying heaps of words won't help you learn your language. You'll quickly realise this the second you enter into a conversation in your new language. If you want to learn faster and be fluent in the language, dedicate time to practising what you learn through expression. Speak to friends, write about it a blog or social media page, etc.
Have you seen how a small child learns a new language? Through listening and repeating words. The child might pronounce words wrongly a few times but as the days pass, they get better at it.
Don't be afraid of getting it wrong. After all, that's how you are going to learn and become fluent. Get out of your comfort zone! Expressing yourself using the language will improve your memory and enrich your vocabulary.
If you can form some of these habits, your lessons will be fun and engaging. You'll read and speak the new language effortlessly and become very fluent. So, what are you waiting for? Start using these tips today. Remember, don't wait around for the perfect time to start. Start today!
Jack White is optimistic that he will carry his past success into the future. He managed to work his way up from the bottom and today he is an excellent writer who also works at EssaysScholarAdvisor in the PR department.
Jack White is optimistic that he will carry his past success into the future. He managed to work his way up from the bottom and today he is an excellent writer who also works at EssaysScholarAdvisor in the PR department.