Learning a foreign language can be a daunting task. But when we
break it down, it's really a numbers game. How much time you are
putting into it and how many words do you know? In most cases,
you will require a few hundred hours of study time and overall
2000-3000 words of active vocabulary to be conversational with
any hope of one day being actually fluent. Once you learn it to
that point, it pretty much becomes self-sustaining, if you
maintain it and continue to use it.
This sounds like too difficult a task for someone who casually
says "hey i'd like to learn spanish!" but the reality is, you
can learn to speak a language at a daily conversation level much
more quickly if you apply a few additional techniques to
supplement your language method or class. You can be functional
with a lot fewer words and you can significantly reduce the
number of hours necessary to learn the foundation of the
language.
Flashcards Pound for pound the single best and most
efficient use of your time when learning a language. Ten seconds
of free time becomes a quick quiz - whip card number one out of
your pocket "what is the spanish word for ... food? comida? flip
the card over ... correct!" Two minutes is a major review
session. Look at it this way - if you spent ten seconds on one
word, for two minutes - that's twelve words in two minutes.
Twelve words a day for five days a week is 3000 words in one
year. All the words you need to be conversational in just two
minutes a day. That doesn't account for grammar and
pronunciation, but still - one year to learn all the vocabulary
you need. Don't say you don't have time to learn a language.
Remember this the next time you are on line at the bank or the
grocery store, doctors office, waiting at a red light etc.
Read Once you have some basic understanding of the
language, get some reading material. Here's the important part -
something you are interested in. If you're into gardening then
get a magazine or print out an online article on gardening in
your target language. You'll be learning vocabulary and phrases
that really interest you, and that will help you pick it up that
much quicker.
Audio If your language method doesn't have an audio
component then get one. If it does then get another one anyway.
Hearing the language is the most important aspect of learning if
you intend to speak it. Give yourself opportunities to use it
during otherwise non-productive times like while driving or just
relaxing.
Internet Radio Following the above advice, give yourself
more (and free!) opportunities to hear your new language. Radio
can expose you to new vocabulary and fresh content daily. Don't
overdo it with your one audio cd. Mix up your audio with other
sources, and constantly changing ones like music and internet
news broadcasts from other countries. The more sources you have
to hear from, the better.
Daily Contact This is probably the cardinal rule when it
comes to learning languages. You must expose yourself to the
language every day if possible. Studying ten minutes a day is
better than cramming for an hour once or twice a week. Frequent
review, even if only a few minutes, is essential. This is true
for maintaining a language after you have learned it too. Long
periods off are deadly.
Penpals Use the power of the internet to hook up with
other people around the world who speak the language you are
learning. They can help you immeasurably. You can help them with
English and they can help you with your target language. There
are plenty of free sites and forums to find people who will be
happy to work with you.
Study With Others Studying and practicing with other
people can give you instant feedback and interactivity that you
just can't get from a book or even audio or software. Even if
you only know very little, you will absorb it quicker and with
more enjoyment than just studying alone. Ultimately, that's the
purpose of learning a foreign language anyway - to communicate
with other people.
Try applying some different techniques to your language learning
regimen. You will probably find that you can add a few
techniques without requiring any more time from your already
overtaxed schedule. You may find that you can actually use less
time studying as you streamline your learning process. Learn to
learn more effectively and remember to keep your eye on the goal
whether you put a number on it or not.
About the author:
Ron is a long-time language enthusiast, exploring Spanish,
French, Swedish, Esperanto and others. Learn more about studying
a language on your own at Language
Learning Advisor This guide for self-study language learners
has reviews and recommendations of language learning methods and
products, links to online learning resources, learning tips to
maximize your study time and effect
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