Are you learning another language? It is a common goal among people, it’s also what we want our children to do, but learning another language goes above and beyond and it is not an easy task. Sometimes when we have a second language or we come from a cross-cultural family or when we have the so-called “Third Culture Kids, we take for granted the fact that belonging to many worlds gives us the keys of those worlds in our hands: language. Do I have your attention already? Keep on reading to learn tips to improve a language in the real world.
In the real world we need many keys to open doors, not only in terms of businesses or careers but also in terms of connecting, belonging, exploring, interchanging and understanding “local” culture; we also have the magic words to break the ice, get a smile o say “Thank you”. Besides, the real world and our busy lives make difficult to get enough time to learn another language and when we want to do it we need to invest lots of money, time and effort and that is when we value and appreciate the opportunity of having intercultural families, travel opportunities, expat life or having kids immerse in a Third culture.
If you have set a goal to learn or improve another language, these are 5 easy TIPs to improve a language in the real world and make that goal achievable using your free time and getting one step forward towards your objective. The key is practice and exposure and with these simple tips, you can improve your vocabulary, train your hearing, refine your accent and of course achieve your goals.
TIP 1: PODCASTS
Use your boring/spare time to get the most out of everyday tasks or errands: Get into your mobile and subscribe to a Podcast I recommend BBC, 6 Minute English or “Podcast en Spanish”. You can listen to the podcast while driving, working out at the gym or waiting for your kids at their extracurricular activities. There are many free options and you can play them many times making understanding easy and getting the best out of it.
TIP 2: APPS
Free or paying. I’m not talking about courses, I’m talking about News! Some feature different topics or trending news but they focus on delivering news at the right pace for language learners, Slow, plus news open your mind to new vocabulary, context, accents and make learning interesting because topics are real from our daily life and current events helping your brain to connect your previous knowledge with the one you are acquiring now.
Download apps that can help you improve while doing your daily chores like making beds, ironing, cooking or while doing any other housework, commuting or waiting. I love LINGUISTICA an app in which you can listen to Slow news in Italian, French, Spanish and German.
TIP 3: FRIENDS
Get more variety of friends! I don’t know which one comes first: learning a new language that brings you to more friends or friends that help you get into another language. New words open your environment to new people then new people expand your learning to another language. I’ve been living in the UAE where exposure to different cultures is huge. The official language is Arabic but the everyday, business and more spoken language is English but guess what I’m learning Italian and now I enjoy the company of my beautiful Italian friends! Through these friendships, I’ve been able to practice more, improve my vocabulary, pronunciation and fast-track to my goal. I speak more, chat via WhatsApp and share a coffee with my Italian friends and the best is that I’m learning Italian without living there or joining a formal language institute but I’m learning from the best: Natives. While it is not easy to make new friends during this pandemic, joining a language club like TLC will connect you virtually with native speakers allowing you to practice the language in the comfort of your own home.
TIP 4: MOVIES
It is somehow frustrating when you try to watch a movie and you can’t understand the plot or missed the context of the movie. If you don’t have the appropriate level, you end up giving up and backing up from trying movies in another language. I have a TIP: watch your favourite movies in your new language, it’s entertaining and you don’t have to worry about understanding, you already know what happens and that helps you to focus on connecting new words with meaning, training your hearing and getting better accent. Practice makes perfection, there is no harm in that, and you can play and replay. Why not watch a movie while you are doing something else? It’s an opportunity to make your daily routine worth it and investing in your interests, yourself and the future.
TIP 5: READING FOOD LABELS
Don’t be scared! I’m not telling you to read big novels or technical books. I’m talking about reading words everywhere. For example, read the food labels on your table, the ketchup, the dressing, the milk. With a globalized world and products from around the world, we have access to an endless vocabulary list. We have labels on every product in at least 2 or 3 languages! Read your shampoo while waiting for its action, read we you are in the supermarket, buying clothing, warning signs, read everywhere. Read brochures at your dentistry, read your children’s books, read it all. You’ll be amazed at how much vocabulary can you learn when reading labels! After a while, you’ll be able to share recipes in your new language.
Every time you have an opportunity take it, think about the money you are saving, the time you are using wisely, the steps you are walking towards your goals, the opportunities that you are producing and the doors that you are opening.
Get the keys for free!
