5 ways to kick-start your language learning, fast.

 Start your language learning preparation now.

There’s always going to be something that pushes you to finally get down to do what you really want to do; speak another language.

• You know a friend who speaks another language fluently and you remember you have always wanted to do that.
• You are on your travels and desperately need to communicate with someone in another language.
• You overhear people chatting and would really love to know what’s going on.

and so on and so on…

There are so many scenarios you could find yourself in when you really wished you could understand or speak that other language.

How many times does that have to happen before you just get started and learn that language?

Learning a second or another language is, by its very nature, a process which will take time. There’s no doubt about it.

Learning another language is up there with other life-changing skills,  such as losing/gaining weight, giving up smoking, learning to drive, writing a novel (!)

 

Here are the five ways you can kick-start your language learning, starting today!

1. Make a short-term, achievable  goal

2. Choose a sensible time commitment

3. Choose your weapon

4. Choose a start date

5. Make yourself accountable

Still interested?

Read on to see how all of the above points are really not as daunting as you think.

After all, there are lots of people learning another language, greatly helped by all the resources that are available nowadays.

Do it the smart way and kick-start your language learning now!

 

Short-term achievable goal

and

Sensible time commitment

What this DOESN’T  mean is to dream about being a) fluent in a language (goal) and b)  in 3 months (time commitment).

There’s no doubt there are many skills you could learn in 3 months, with great dedication, but, unfortunately, becoming ‘fluent’ in a language is not one of them.

Consider these few thoughts before beating yourself up about not being able to learn a new language in a relatively short period of time.

Did you become fluent in your native language in 3 months?

Could you/ Did you become qualified in Nuclear physics in 3 months?(Why am I asking this?!)

Could you/Did you become an expert hairdresser in 3 months?

Could you/ Did you write a book in 3 months?

Could you/ Did you learn to play guitar in 3 months?

Just to prove me wrong, I know there will be some readers who might say “Yes, of course, I could, er…learn to …er…play the guitar in 3 months.   I would study 24/7 and I would live and breathe guitar practice.”

And you might be right.

You might be able to learn the guitar in 3 months of solid guitar lessons and practice.

Fabulous.

But really, would you have been able to become a professional guitarist after only 3 months? You might be able to play a few songs using those basic chords you have learned. Perhaps you could play a few of the easier Beatles’ numbers.

But even you know you wouldn’t be able to play like Paul McCartney or George Harrison after only 3 months. And how about playing like John Williams, Narciso Ypres, or the legendary Paco de Lucía .

Goals have to be attainable

Goals have to be achievable; if not they change from goals into dreams.

It’s great to have a dream which you can make into an attainable goal, but it’s not so great to  have a goal which just becomes an unattainable dream

Simple goals are always the best, then once attained, you can add on, increase, adapt, develop.

Examples of language learning goals:

• “I promise I will greet my Spanish-speaking neighbour in Spanish and ask her about her her family, husband, children, parents etc. in 2 weeks’ time.”
• “I will join a Facebook Group for Spanish Language Learners and post 5 comments in Spanish every day this week.”
• “I will study enough Spanish to have a very basic conversation to enable me to travel in South America by next January.”

Choose your weapon

HOW exactly are you going to achieve your goal?

This is where you will have to make a conscious decision about exactly how you are going to achieve your achievable goal!

Not for the faint-hearted…there are so many different methods, techniques and strategies available, both on and off-line for language learners.

You may have to choose Skype lesson, self-help books, language learning apps, find a language class in your area, listen to a podcast, youtube videos. there are also many language learning blogs with lots of hints and ideas for your language learning journey.

Take advantage of as many of these strategies as possible.

There isn’t one infallible way of learning language, other than being committed and practising the language on a consistent regular basis.

Choose a start date

 

You’re are getting to the easiest part, but also the most exciting part.

When all the above is in position, it’s time to choose a start date. This is the exciting part not only because it’s time to get started, but also because it marks a psychological commitment to this mission, for a set time period. The time period you choose to attain your goal hopefully will just be the beginning of many such times.

Make yourself accountable

This will probably be the hardest part, but well worth it if you’re serious about achieving your goal. Tell a close friend, or even tell a ‘not so close’ friend about your plans; write it on your calendar; pin a note with your goal on the fridge.

Take some action that will hold you accountable to the achievable goal you’ve committed to.

And why not? If your goal and timing are suitable, then you’ll have nothing to fear. You’ll get to your target!

Follow these five simple steps to kick-start your language learning and see how, little by little, you’ll be able to develop healthy language learning habits that will lead to lots of language learning goals achieved.

You want to get started right away?

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