Have you ever wanted to learn a new language, whether for travel purposes or just for the sheer mental enrichment of the process? Here are some time-honored tips to make the progress of language assimilation as seamless and effective as possible:

 

The Importance of Phrases

When you’re learning a new language, it is useful to think in terms of phrases rather than individual words. Common phrases in a given a language are easier to recall during speech than isolated words. Phrases are also particularly helpful when learning a new language because they emphasize the relationships and associations between words and concepts, and research has shown that interconnectivity between elements of a language make it more likely for those elements to be effectively embedded in your memory. 

 

Develop a Good Listening Ear

Before you even start attempting to gain speaking ability in a given language, spend as much time as possible simply listening to the language spoken by native speakers. It is a good idea to spend time listening to audio recordings of people speaking, as well as radio broadcasts, podcasts, and songs in the native language. It is also an excellent plan to spend time watching visual materials of people speaking the language (DVD’s or online videos are great options). This will help you acquire an ear for the patterns, rhythms, and inflections of the language, as well as help you tune into common facial expressions and body language usages that accompany the language in its native culture. 

 

Take Advantage of Downtime

One of the best language-learning secrets is to keep in mind that every little bit helps – so, the next time you have even just a few minutes of free time on your hands – maybe you’re standing in line, waiting for an elevator, or passing time at an airport – use that period to reinforce your skills in the new language. You can carry flash cards with you or a travel-sized bilingual dictionary. Another great option, of course, is to take advantage of whatever portable internet-accessible electronic devices you might have with you (iPhone, Blackberry, laptop, etc) as tools to help you look up words and study the language. All of those short sessions focusing on the language will add up in no time.

 

Get Talking

One of the biggest mistakes that language-learners make is to hold back when it comes to talking in the language. If you worry too much about not thinking of the right word for what you want to express, it will cripple you. So don’t be afraid to make mistakes! The important thing is not that every single word and sentence structure that comes out of your mouth is perfectly correct – rather, what counts is that you’re able to get at the general idea of what you want to express. The more you practice speaking, no matter how mistake-laden your speech might be in certain aspects, the more confident you’ll become and the better you’ll be at truly communicating with speakers in the native language. So harness any opportunities you can for speaking the language out loud – whether dialoguing with native speakers, taking a class in the given language where you converse with classmates and teachers, working with a computer-based language-learning program that has a heavy speaking component, or simply practicing out loud on your own. 

 

Known Your Learning Style

The best way to learn a language is to design your course of study around whatever methods best suit you as a learner. For example, if you are a primarily visual person, then try to associate words with images throughout the learning process. If you are someone who learns best through associative patterns of thoughts, think up pneumonic devices and wordplay games to help you embed elements of the language in your memory. If you find that you learn best in the collaborative company of others rather than in solitude, make sure that you take a language-learning path that involves other people – for example, classes, group study opportunities, cultural immersion with a language guide, or tutoring sessions.