3 Mistakes to avoid when learning a new language
Many people who have already learned foreign languages tend to find it much easier to learn another one because they’re already learnt a lot from their previous mistakes.
We know exactly what to avoid for the next time round. While everyone takes their own approach to language learning, here at Lingo Online we’ve chosen to give a few tips on common mistakes people make when learning another language.
These tips will help you in the process, no matter what language you’re choosing to learn! The most important thing to consider before you do anything of course is to have a real purpose for why you want to learn another language so that when times get tough, you can remember why you started!
1: Don’t rely on books
This may seem counter productive, but it’s true! Books are very useful when it comes to learning grammar and vocabulary, but when you’re faced with holding an actual conversation in real life; you’re likely to struggle if you focus entirely on learning from books.
In reality, language learning is all about forcing yourself to think on your feet and translate what you’re hearing into something you can actually understand!
Reading books is a great way to learn the absolute basics of a new language, but make sure you’re speaking with native speakers as well! This way, you’ll learn much faster and someone else will be able to correct any mistakes you’re making straight away.
2: Don’t forget to set goals to mark your progress
Language learning is a large, long-term goal that you’re ultimately aiming for but you need smaller goals along the way to help you keep moving.
Setting smaller goals allows you to track your progress and gives you encouragement along the way. These goals could be things such as “I want to be able to introduce myself confidently in 2 weeks time” or “I want to be able to describe what I do for my job, in one months time”.
If your mini goal is related to family or friends, for example you want to have a basic understand of Spanish before you go on holiday with a friend to Spain, then this is a good target to aim for!
3: Don’t try to avoid the culture when you’re learning a new language
Language is made up so many expressions of culture, which books and courses never adequately cover.
This relates to the way in which the average person interacts with other people in his or her community — gestures, intonation, slang, proximity, interjections and cuss words, fillers, etc.
These things take years to pick up even for the best learners but it’s important to realise that they’re part of the whole package. If you take an interest in the culture whilst you’re learning the language, more of the slang, informal phrases will make sense to you and this will make it easier overall.
It’ll also mean than if you visit the foreign country in the future, you’ll already know the background and fit in with the locals!
A good way to learn about the culture of another country is to speak with native speakers, as you’ll learn exactly how certain words and phrases are spoken without sounding too formal or out of place.
Here at Lingo Online, that’s exactly our aim. To connect anyone who wants to learn another language with a native speaker of that language, instantly via a phone app. Live video calling is the best way to do that, as its informal and you’ll be surprised how much you can learn!
To find out more about our live video calling app, and see how you can use it to learn another language for free, visit our website and social media pages below:
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