We've all been there......you know you should do your homework, study and practise a bit, but we fall out of the habit and routine and then we get busy and then, and then......and then we have completely lost touch with our language learning. It does help if you live in the country of the language you are learning, but not everyone has the opportunity to do that, and to be honest it only helps until a certain point. Unfortunately, you're not going to learn by osmosis, so, well, that means that time and effort and hard graft is needed to learn.
So, sit down and organize yourself to get yourself back on track and motivated.
1. Think and rethink about why your are learning the language....
.... Is it for work? To study at a foreign University? Will it help you get on in life? Is it to travel, Make friends? Or is it just a hobby to keep your mind active? Knowing why you are studying makes it a lot easier to actually study - we all need a good reason to make us motivated. The better and more directly the reason is connected to us and our needs, the easier and quicker we become motivated and enthusiastic to learn (or do anything we want for that matter!)
2. Set a goal...
...... and then decide how much time will be necessary to reach your aim and then work out how much study will it take each week .
3. If you live in your home country have a ‘foreign language’ day once in a while, or better still have one once a week!.....
...... It's important and fun to immerse yourself in the culture of the language you are learning: watch a foreign movie or TV show in the original language, there's so much available on the Internet these days, listen to songs, or cook a typical foreign meal. All of this helps you to get into the frame of mind of learning and more interested in what is behind the language.
4. A great way to keep in touch with the language and culture of the language you are learning is to read the newspaper.....
....... this is a form of current language which is alive and represents what is happening daily, it will help you keep your interest peaked. Pick out an interesting topic and write a review about it. Your desire to express your opinion will give you extra motivation!
5. Something that a friend of mine does is to make a list of your favourite words and expressions.......
........ this is a constant source of fascination for her, and her English is now great! She loves trying to find the opportunity of popping one of these expressions into a conversation. Whenever you come across a word or expression you find particularly interesting, write it down and create a list of your favourite words from the language you are learning.
6. It goes without saying that talking to native speakers .....
........ is a great way of keeping up your language and friendships are a wonderful way to help stay motivated – It’s an essential part of learning. There are so many language exchange groups and clubs to join and make friends. Of course, starting a relationship with someone from that culture is a sure-fire way of keeping up motivation and improving your language skills :-)
7. Even have conversations with yourself in your head......
........ you feel crazy doing this at first, but believe me it works! Especially at the beginning when it takes time for you to form sentences and you worry about fluency and your mistakes. Well, this way if you make mistakes, only you will know! And, before you know it, you'll be smoothly forming sentences and creating dialogues in another language, so that when you take the next step of actually speaking all this out loud will come so much more quickly and easily. Take a walk when you do this, get some fresh air and go with a notebook to make notes of your translations later. If there’s something you can’t remember, look it up when you get home!
8. A popular way is filling your home with post-its .......
...... of course this does depend on who you are living with, but it's a great way to stay motivated and help other people along too. Every time you want to remember a phrase or word pop it on a post-it and stick it to the doors of your home! Make sure you get into the habit of seeing if you remember the words on leaving each room. How about putting letters on the fridge door and creating messages and notes in the other language there, such as, things to remind yourself to do each day.
9. Everyone's downfall is confidence or lack of it, so be brave!
....... Everybody makes mistakes when learning a foreign language, so take a deep breath and jump in, correct other people's language and they will correct yours. Smile and enjoy it!
10. Don’t stress, have fun!......
...... Remember that it is all about your learning experience. Here’s the key: the fun you have during the learning process and the confidence you will acquire will make it all worth it!
And don't forget to keep your eye on your goal and reminding yourself of the great benefits you'll get by carrying on.
Does anyone have any good other ideas?
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