How to boost your language confidence instantly
I have been researching extensively on various language acquisition methods and language hacks (short cuts). Based on these and my personal experience, I also have developed my own methodology that consist of seven steps.
learn most basic phrases (e.g. Hello, nice to meet you.) and meta phrases first (e.g. What is this in Japanese?)
learn the top 100 frequently written words and the top 100 frequently spoken words
write a thorough two pages long self introduction (about you, your family, hobbies, home town, job etc.) in your native language or in English, get it translated by a native who speaks the target language that you wish to learn, ask him or her to read the translated text while recording it for later reviews. Sit down together and translate together the entire text word by word and analyze each grammatical pattern.
learn the entire translated text by heart and practice performing it aloud
start thinking and talking in the target language and consume music and media entirely in the target language
start preparing for a test of proficiency in your target language and aim for the highest score or for the most advanced proficiency level (e.g. TOEFL for English or TOPIK for Korean)
rock the test
reap the fruit of your hard work: travel extensively through the country in which your target language is spoken and speak as much as you can to locals.
I argue that going through the first seven steps in full time study mode and thus mastering any target language can be achieved within one year. The basic idea about this approach is to achieve language confidence as soon as possible. This can only be achieved through preparing and memorizing high priority and/or high frequency phrases first. The next step practicing on how to introduce yourself in the target language extensively further boosts your active language confidence. Furthermore you will be able to actively form and understand the most important grammar patterns instantly because you have learnt them in the context of your own written self introduction. The importance of this self introduction is insofar significant for your success in your language acquisition process that it provides you with a good enough overview of the most important words and grammar patterns of the entire language you wish to master. After that you have reached the phase of conscious incompetence, meaning that you are now aware of the things you do not know in the respective target language. This is a very important milestone because it has made you an independent and self-directed learner. This does not mean that you must no ask natives questions anymore but you rather know exactly what to ask. Thereafter it is really about exposing yourself to the target language as much as possible. Try to construct an immersive language environment around you consisting of people, movies, music, podcasts, internet, books, comics and so forth. Even your inner thoughts should be part of this language environment. Try to think entirely in your target language. If you cannot think of the word or grammatical pattern that you want to construct with your inner voice, look it up, write it down and apply it immediately. If you wish or need an official prove of your newly acquired language fluency, start preparing for the test of proficiency in your respective target language. This last and intensive feat will ultimately force you to train and refine all aspects of the target language in a systematic matter. After you have rocked the test and officially mastered your target language, give yourself a treat and travel through the country in which your target language is spoken. You’ll taste the addictive cocktail of success, satisfaction and reward that makes you crave for more languages to master.
