I hope you have put into practise some of my tips from the last blog. Please share any that work well for you, with me and the VLLC community. Here are a few more.
Tip 7. Consistent learning will achieve a better result for you than having intense periods of learning followed by periods of no learning. The same principle applies to fitness – regular consistent effort is more effective in the long run. Try diarizing 15 - 30 minutes at least 3 - 4 times a week (or better still each day) to do something in your new language (online lesson, homework – even listening to music will be of benefit).
Tip 8. Start with 100 words and then make sentences with them over and over again. You don’t need to know lots of grammar to be able to do this – just use what you know and you will begin to become comfortable with thinking in your new language. E.g. “Where is ……..? I want to ………; Do you want ……..? etc”
It’s amazing what you can actually say with 100 words. I remember reading somewhere (sorry, I can’t remember where….) that the most common 100 words in any language account for 50% of all spoken communication; the most common 1,000 words account for 80% of all spoken communication. Amazing isn’t it, how few words we actually need to communicate with each other. Many students get ‘stuck’ because they continually focus on what they don’t know rather than using what they do know.
It’s amazing what you can actually say with 100 words. I remember reading somewhere (sorry, I can’t remember where….) that the most common 100 words in any language account for 50% of all spoken communication; the most common 1,000 words account for 80% of all spoken communication. Amazing isn’t it, how few words we actually need to communicate with each other. Many students get ‘stuck’ because they continually focus on what they don’t know rather than using what they do know.
Tip 9. Practise your new language in your head. Practice sentences and conversations in your head in your new language before speaking with a native speaker. This is like role playing and leads to much easier conversations when you actually have them. I am continually amazed at how fluent I am in my head!!! Obviously this does not replace real conversations but can be a useful tool to help you learn to ‘think’ in your new language.
Tip 10. ‘I understand; I don’t understand; please repeat; please speak slowly; one more time’ are the some of the most important phrases you can learn in your new language. Use them all the time when you are having a conversation (even in your head) rather than reverting to English. It is critical to stay in your new language zone…….
Tip 11. Speak – speak – speak. You must create the new habit of speaking out loud in your new language. Create as many opportunities as you can to have conversations. At first it may be awkward and you will be out of your comfort zone, but as you persist you will create new comfort zones for yourself. Having real conversation with native speakers is completely different to doing an online lesson or practising in your head as you are being forced to formulate meaning and significance in your new language on the spot. Use Tip 10 to help you.
Tip 12. Make it fun - Engage your emotions. We all know that emotion (or passion) is the language of the subconscious mind. If you are going to stick to your goal of becoming bi- or multi- lingual, you have to find a way to engage your emotions and make the learning journey fun. We all learn better when we enjoy the topic or the learning process - find people you enjoy talking to; talk about topics that you are interested in; listen to music that you love; make it personal…
Try these tips and let me know if you want me to expand on any of them. My next blog will be on ways that you can practise your language skills.
Happy learning, Jo
Try these tips and let me know if you want me to expand on any of them. My next blog will be on ways that you can practise your language skills.
Happy learning, Jo
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