The Art of Learning a New Language

The way in which human beings communicate is incredibly fascinating and interesting. Have you ever found yourself going down a rabbit hole of how languages were first created? How did they know what each over meant? Scholars claim that languages date back to around 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. This shows that the desire and need to communicate and express ourselves have always existed in some form or another. Unlike thousands of years ago, we now have the privilege to access many ways to learn a language. This can invite us to understand more about the world we live in and the people within it.

In today’s day and age, so many people are at least bilingual. This is because some school systems demand it more and more. Additionally, there is a real want and need for languages among the people; more determined and dedicated students are more likely to succeed than the ones who don’t feel the need for it. Some people just don’t seem to realise that there is always a need for language learning.

Let’s dive into the beautiful and world-changing experience of learning a new language! Hopefully, this article will light that fire within you to get started. No matter who you are or where you are in life, there is always room to learn and grow. So, I’m going to show you how. 

Benefits of Learning a New Language 

The benefits of speaking another language are vast and wide, benefiting your professional and personal prospects. Studies have shown that learning a new language can enhance cognitive functions such as memory, problem-solving, and multitasking abilities. Speaking another language exercises the brain and strengthens neural pathways, potentially reducing the risk of cognitive decline later in life.

Mastering a new language improves overall communication skills, such as listening, speaking, reading and writing. Learning another language fosters your cultural understanding, as language and culture are deeply intertwined. It provides insights into different cultures, traditions, and customs. It also improves our virtues such as patience, empathy, and understanding, allowing you to expand your perspective; languages may open up career opportunities, enhance your travel experience, make more meaningful connections, and so much more! 

Advice, Tips, and Tricks

Firstly, you must eliminate those self-limiting beliefs, as they are unwelcome here and will hinder your progress. You are smart and capable and will achieve your language goals! If you believe you can’t, you won’t. This is because you won’t have the drive and determination to keep going, which is very needed. Be prepared, as it will not be easy. You will face struggles in your journey, but remember that there are ebbs and flows in journeys.

Remind yourself why you’re doing this and how rewarding it will be when you can confidently speak the new language. Trust me when I say I know the struggle of learning a language. However, it does get better! Learning is possible- as 3.3 billion people worldwide can testify (this is the estimated number of bilingual people worldwide). Do not write yourself off before you have even begun; you owe yourself much more than that. Your potential is up to you. 

How to Keep You Motivated

Scheduling allocated time will help keep you motivated, organised, and on track. Do you have a certain time each day that you can dedicate? Can you find certain times throughout the week that work best for your schedule? Mark them down, along with how long you will dedicate, and create a schedule for your language learning.

Ensure that the schedule is realistic, as creating an unrealistic schedule could result in you being unable to fulfil it, leaving you discouraged. You can always edit your schedule when you know you can show up for yourself in that way. Make the schedule look fun by using different colours, maybe making some swirly patterns/designs around it (make it look inviting). I would definitely recommend writing some words of encouragement on it, too. Then, put it somewhere you will often see to remind and motivate you.

Resources 

Resources are incredibly powerful tools when learning a new language. Of course, taking lessons in person or online can benefit you massively; however, don’t be discouraged if you do not have the budget, as you can still learn a language without it. Firstly, there are free videos on YouTube, for example, that you can follow, learning the basics and building your knowledge as you go through each episode (this is also great for hearing how words are pronounced).

Secondly, buying yourself learning books is important, as it will begin teaching you the foundation of words, sentences, verbs, adjectives, and meanings, allow you to follow tasks, practice writing and speaking, and expand your vocabulary. You can get very cheap learning books online, for example, on Vinted.

Duolingo is also great at topping up your skills every day (and keeping that streak is addictive). However, this alone is not enough to become fluent in a language, but integrating this method with others can be very useful. Printing out worksheets is another free and effective method to use alongside the others. Dedicate a notebook and folder for your studies, as being organised and revisiting your work is critical.

Immersion

 Immersing yourself is crucial; to fully grasp the language, you need to live and breathe it.  Change the language on your phone to the one you are learning, watch TV shows and films in that language, too (general TV shows and ones at your level, such as for kids to get used to it), and listen to music in that language. You don’t have to understand it to do this; get your eyes and ears used to the language, the accent, the words, and understanding will come later (with the work you’re putting in). This allows you to be automatically introduced to new words, which you will look up and make a note of.

Write between 1-5 sentences each day in the language, sentences that you would normally say in your everyday life, and keep going over them. Have a shopping list or a to-do list? Write it in the language, look up the words if needed, and allow your mind to adapt and adjust, as this forces your brain to understand the new words, along with practising your writing, reading and speaking skills (and watch your vocabulary increase tremendously)!

Also, write cue cards with keywords and phrases, ask people to test you, test yourself, and stick them in places you often see, and once you are confident with these words, change the words and repeat. Immersion is useful for learning a language because it provides constant exposure to the language in authentic contexts, accelerating learning and improving proficiency (immersion is a real gem)! Don’t be scared to make mistakes, as that’s part of the process and will inevitably get you closer to your goals. 

The art of language learning 

I believe we need to change our mindset a lot when it comes to learning a new language, specifically native English speakers, as our mindset tends to be lazier. Instead, we expect others to speak our language.

We shouldn’t view language this way; instead, we should view it as an exciting opportunity for everyone to learn. Take this car analogy, for example; learning to drive a car is expected, and it’s needed to go to work and to have more freedom in your everyday life.

Some people find it easier, others find it harder, some find it scary. However, everyone says that you will get better the more you practice, as no one is perfect, but the more you drive, the more at ease you become. You can still learn to drive no matter how old you are as an adult, and it is seen as something that is necessary. Let’s start viewing language learning this way as something that everyone can and should all be doing.

The art and beauty of learning a language are timeless and endless, filled with boundless opportunities and possibilities. Unravel a whole new world by believing in yourself and your abilities. Take yourself seriously and show up for yourself, as if you do, one day soon you will realise that you can now understand that TV show or speak comfortably to someone in that language, words will start to make sense to you, your hard work will show, and it is the most exhilarating and rewarding feeling when it does. It’s only a matter of time… I believe in you.