Journey how to learn a languageJourney to learn a language The journey of learning a language can take a lifetime and those that wish to consider it a sprint to the finish line rarely have the patience to be successful. There is not a project manager defining a beginning, middle and an end. How do I learn a language? My experience is as a language learner as well as English as Second Language volunteer and it was during this time I was fortunate to see both sides of the coin. As I was learning what methods of instruction I responded best to I was also seeing which strategy I should use to teach English based on the response of the student. When one is a student and a teacher at the same time it gives us a tremendous advantage to heighten our sensitivity and be patient in order to instill confidence and emphasize successful landmarks. In this way it is a practice and not a project that ends. Goal setting is important for any endeavor and there is a place for it in learning a language too but it must be set with attainable goals and timeframes to be effective. The method I used was to tell myself I need to be able to memorize articles of clothing so I can look at them every day and practice with myself and others. Instead of merely getting dressed I would challenge myself to name each piece I was wearing, eventually I was able to move on to parts of the body which I incorporated into my routine while getting dressed. Family and friends were not always the best people to practice with because they always thought of me as a native English speaker and were reluctant to begin the slow process of adjusting to simply naming items with both English and my second language instead of using full sentences to express my ideas. There is an old adage which states ( I am paraphrasing ) “If you want to eat an elephant, eat it one bite at a time and eventually you will finish the whole thing” Learning is a visual process for me and even my goals and rewards are reinforced visually by keeping a written record and a timeline. My reminder to be slow and steady is to think of eating the elephant! I believe in immersion when possible and if I can carve out uninterrupted time to spend half a day in a neighborhood wherein I can hear the language I want to learn, it becomes less mysterious and provides valuable modeling and before I know it I can practice with native speakers. The main thing I have learned is how to channel my passion by giving myself a measurable goal and holding myself accountable by routinely changing my topics within my vocabulary expansion.I also insist on practicing every chance I get with strangers and fearlessly moving forward instead of pecking away with intermittent practice times and if I know every weekend I scheduled a block of time(the same time everyday seems to work very well for me)to make a field trip where no English is spoken I can stay focused. Learning another language is no longer a luxury, it is a must in this age of globalization. Ken Bownes Learn a language BlogHave A Great Story About Learning a language?Do you have a great story about this? Share it! Navigate from learn a language to Home page |
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