A few weeks ago I was sharing with you my strategies for learning languages. Today, as I promised in the previous post, I’m going to reveal the tools I use to help me learn more efficiently and stay on track every day.
Introduction
If you’re like me, you probably practice foreign languages every day. There’s a lot of benefits to learning new languages, but you already know that! So I’m going to save your precious time and not lecture you on that. Instead, we’re going to focus on the gist, but just before we move on, let me introduce you to what I call the “two step process”.
The two step process
To apply the tools most effectively, we need to know when and where to apply them. To answer that, I’ve created the two step process, which basically goes like this.
The first step corresponds to the beginning of learning. I’m not an insider in the culture, I’ve not internalised the main verbs and I’ve not learnt the 1000 most common words yet.
I’ll explain what I mean by this later when we’ll be talking about the inventory of tools. However for now, to keep the momentum going, let’s smoothly transition to the next step.
The second step corresponds to the maintenance of learning. I have already internalised the main verbs and the 1000 most common words.
Pretty simple, huh? Someone once told me “complexity is the enemy of execution”.
Now as you’re familiar with the two step process I split my learning into. I’m going to take you deep inside the jungle where the danger and uncertainty lurks on almost every corner. However, as your trusted guide, I promise that the tools we’re about to explore are going to keep you save and protected.
The tools in the first step
I’m really excited you’re with me on this journey! Remember though, I can only share with you what I know fits and works for me. So if I were you, I would have started off by googling, for example “1000 most common words in Spanish”. There’s plenty of websites which contain such lists. Get one and save it in your smart phone for now. These words are the 20%, producing 80% of the result. Subsequently, I’d internalise the conjugation of the main verbs like “to be” and “to have”.
Once I have done so, I’m going to change my mobile phone, laptop and tv menu to the target language (in our example, it will be Spanish). Also, I’m going to find a Spanish radio station online. Then, I’m going to install Duolingo App.
I’ll be listening to the target language using my N.E.T time (Not Extra Time) for around 8 hrs a day when I’m in the gym, commuting, or running errands. In the evening, I will spend 5-10 minutes for active practicing the 1000 most common words for around 5-10mins. Duolingo is a great app to do so.
That’s it when it comes to the first step. It usually takes me around 6-12 months before moving on to the second step – language maintenance.
The tools in the second step
You’ve gone a long way inside the jungle and you’re more familiar with it. You’ve built your safe cottage to protect you from dangerous animals, you found exotic fruits to feed yourself, and you made friends with the local shamans who openly share their wisdom with you. So I wanted to congratulate you for your effort and perseverance, because most of the people will never make it here. They will give up saying “I do not have the talent”. You deserve to get access to the promised treasure.
The first precious diamonds you find here are the powerful cognates. What are cognates? A cognate is a word that means the same thing as the word you already know. For example attention in English means the same as atención in Spanish. Cognates are basically words with shared origin. That’s extremely helpful, because you’re using a leverage and do not have to memorise thousands of new words. There are still a couple of things in the treasure for you, so what’s the next gift you’re looking at?
Wow, you’ve just picked up the ancient scroll which guides you to the shaman who is going to be your companion in the maze of this tremendously huge jungle and who will help you build your new tribe. Translation: what you need to do is, download Tandem App and go look for a language exchange partner. Utilise the great advantage of technology ere we live in and speak with your partner as much as you can. The treasure has one more thing in it, are you ready to grab it now? Go ahead, it’s yours!
Last but not least in this step. At this point, you can get yourself a simple grammar book if you like, and have a skim through it. As you have noticed, I’ve not mentioned a word about grammar so far. That’s because, initially, I believe in learning by context, not by studying grammar. Nonetheless, as you progress and you listen, read and write. You will naturally become interested in knowing the structure of a language deeper.
Conclusion
Before you go out and use all these wonderful tools you’ve learnt about today, there’s only one thing you should always keep in mind when it comes to learning languages. It’s the attitude to never stop and never give up on learning.
So now, I want you to imagine you’ve decided to start learning this new language you have always dreamt of learning. And as you’re beginning, you don’t even know a single word in it. Sure, it looks scary at the first glance, but you now are equipped with the right tools and you feel certain there’s nothing to fear, but fear itself. And while you hold this feeling of complete confidence that you can do it. I want you to take a deep breath, close your eyes and see yourself vividly speaking the language you have always been wanting to learn. And as you’re looking at yourself being confident and calm, notice how people smile at you, how they respond positively and how they want you be around them because they feel really good when you’re there. Now, step into this confident you who fluently communicates in this new language. And from this first position, I want you to see what you would see, hear what you would hear, smell what you would smell, and feel what you would feel at that time. Because now you’re absolutely certain that’s going to happen for you as you’re floating back and slowly opening your eyes. Now, you’re ready to rock and roll!