7 Tips to Learn a New Language
In this Sprouts video, we introduce 7 ways to learn a new language.
Drown Yourself to Swimming
Leave the comfort of your home and go to the place where they speak nothing but the language that you want to learn, then live there for the next 6 to 12 months. It might be painful and lonely at times, but you will surely learn how to speak the language and enjoy some memorable experiences.
Immersion
Perhaps easier and also effective is immersion, or when you learn a new language through exposure and context.
So, for example, if you are learning Italian, do so in a Pizzeria. You can try to read the menu or maybe even go as far as order in Italian: Antipasti, Pizza Tonno, or Gelato anybody?
Mnemonics
Mnemonics is a method to learn new vocabulary by creating an association that makes it easy to remember.
For example, let’s say you want to remember the French word “chou”, which means “cabbage” in English. “Chou” is pronounced like “shoe” in English, so you could imagine putting cabbages on your feet instead of shoes. Then, when you need to remember “cabbage”, your brain will think “cabbage – shoes – chou”.
Scriptorium
Scriptorium is an exercise in writing.
Students write the language while simultaneously speaking it out loud. Before you write a sentence, you should first read it out loud; second, say each word aloud again as you write it, and third, read the sentence aloud again after you have written it.
The purpose of this exercise is to force yourself to slow down, and pay attention to detail and then review unknown words and refresh your grammar.
Shadowing
Shadowing is used to learn vocabulary.
You listen to new words through headphones and try to repeat, to “shadow” them out loud as quickly as you can.
Inventor Alexander Arguelles, who speaks 50 languages, suggests that you do it while walking swiftly to maximise alertness and blood flow.
Tech and Apps
If you want to learn a new language, but you don’t have anybody who can help, check out what’s available online.
Duolingo, for example, teaches many languages entirely for free. It’s fun and effective as they make you practice reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Quizlet is a great tool to study vocabulary. It allows you to explore audio-supported flashcards. So you can learn new words and get the pronunciation right.
Get a Study-buddy
If you are not into technology and would rather learn with others, do what popular YouTuber Timothy Doner, aka Polyglot Pal, recommends: Connect with people from around the world to teach and learn from each other via Skype. It’s one of the things that work for him and he already speaks 20 languages and he’s not even 18.
Thanks for watching. Also check out other Sprouts Learning Techniques, as they can complement the methods explained in this video. Please use the comments below to give us feedback or tell us which of the techniques is your favorite, if any.
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