Language is a primary means of communication amongst a group of people. When you are amongst new people, it is fascinating to understand and speak their language. It can start from simple words like “hello, hi, and Thank you”, to more complex statements. Plus, there are numerous benefits to knowing a new language. Language fosters a sense of belonging. It also cuts off trading barriers.
Ways to Learn a New Language at Home
Unlike popular belief, learning a new language can be easy. Interestingly, you can also learn a new language from your home’s comfort. The internet has made it much easier to learn from home. With mobile apps and online learning platforms, you can go from basic to an advanced speaker of any language.
If you are curious, this article will reveal steps for learning a language from home. Keep reading!
Start Immediately
There is a good scare that comes with learning something new. It isn’t different for language learning. You may quickly become worried or overwhelmed. However, you need to understand that it is impossible to learn everything in one sitting. So, don’t overthink it. You can start learning immediately by installing a mobile app on your phone. Learn the basics, and then advance to more advanced lessons.
Create a Program
A program is more or less like a curriculum. A curriculum guides the teacher and students and helps them learn the right thing at the right time. So, as a new language learner, you should draw up a program.
The purpose of taking language classes should determine the program you map. For instance, migrating to Spain for work requires a different program from traveling to Italy for a vacation. Hence, creating a program implies you have a strategy or control over what to learn.
Additionally, you can utilize a learning app like Babbel or Duolingo. These apps have programs that match different levels of learning.
Begin with the Basics
Learning languages is not easy. If you don’t have any knowledge of that language, it can be daunting. Starting from the basics sounds like regular advice, but that is what you need. This is because there are thousands of words in a language, and it takes time to master every word.
Many apps don’t lock their levels. You can decide to skip the basics and dive right into the meat of the lessons. However, this should be done only if you have the basic knowledge. For instance, those who took French classes in high school but need to brush up their knowledge can skip the basics.
Speak the Words
Saying the words like native speakers is the hardest part of learning a new language. Even though it is good to read and understand a language, it is not enough. Hence, you must listen to native speakers and practice the sounds and intonation. One of the best ways to learn to speak the words is to listen to podcasts and watch movies—without English Subtitles.
Nevertheless, it is not limited to movies and podcasts. Just watch your favorite media in your target language. If you love the Korean language, watch K-drama. Watch a Mexican movie without subtitles or watch an English film with Spanish subtitles. You can listen to French songs, Russian cooking shows, news clips, movie trailers, and much more.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to overwhelm yourself. If it gets intimidating, check the meaning of lyrics, use English translation, or read movie reviews in English. The goal is to understand the language on your favorite media.
It is also crucial to accurately pronounce a foreign language. After learning the tonations, you can repeat those words and check if it sounds similar. Interestingly, some learning apps encourage practicing sounds. An example of such an app is Babbel. Babbel is an app designed with speech recognition. With Babbel, learners can pronounce a word and compare.
One Step at a Time
When you start taking language lessons, you may be tempted to take many classes in one sitting. It is understandable as many people are used to this style of learning. However, learning languages is a different ball game. So, rushing through lessons is not an effective strategy.
Remember, we mentioned a language has thousands of words. Hence, it would be best if you slowed down your learning so as to commit new vocabulary to long-term memory. Instead of binge-watching lessons for two hours straight, why not take 15-minute classes daily.
Interact with the Language
Earlier, we’ve mentioned how you can utilize mobile apps for language learning. However, apps and software can only get you so far. So, those who seek fluency and mastery need something extra.
To effectively learn a new language from home, you need to interact with the language in real-time. It is best if you practice with a family member or friend who has a mastery of that language. With a practice friend, you get to see the language in different ways and understand the grammar better.
Alternatively, you can join a virtual tutoring group. With a virtual tutoring group, you get a natural mentor and learning pals. A virtual tutoring group can be fun and interactive.
There are also fun ways to master a new vocabulary. One way to do this is to update a word list daily. Pick a word, and write it down on a piece of paper.
On that paper, include the meaning, pronunciation, part of speech, and sample use. Then, throughout the rest of the day, you practice the word. You should use this word everywhere and anywhere. It could be used on Twitter, on your Instagram caption, with friends, the cats, in your daily journal, etc. Try to use the word at least 15 times that day.
The most crucial part is repetition. With repetition, you understand the language in new ways and contexts.
Go-over Previous Lessons
Retaking previous language lessons is like a chore—boring. However, it is an essential part of mastery. You need those messages, words, and sentences, to stick. Hence, it is crucial to review previous lessons for mastery. Doing this will ensure that you don’t forget the language.
Practice Activities to Help Learn a New Language
Have you ever noticed how you usually incorporate your first language into all your activities? From cookbooks to wall arts, bedtime stories, movies, music, conversations, and much more.
Language is an integral part of life. So you need to incorporate your target language into everything you do. To learn a new language, you need to fill that language into aspects your native language would fill.
You should start by labeling your home objects with sticky notes. If your target language is French, your cup will be labelled with the French word, “tasse”.
There are so many fun ways to practice a new language at home. Let’s look at some fun activities to try in your target language.
1. Play Family Games
If having fun is an essential part of learning, then playing games makes the cut. Interestingly, there are many games to try at home when learning a new language. One of many games to play is Charades.
To play charades, you will need a few friends who understand the language. Then, you write down 10 to 20 words on paper with your target language. When playing charades, there would be two teams. A member of one team picks a piece of paper with a word, and that person demonstrates the word. Then, the remaining team members have to guess the word.
2. Cooking your way into a New Language
Taking a break from your language lessons and diving into cooking can be educational. I’d guess you never knew cooking had some linguistic benefits. You may wonder, how do you learn a language via cooking? Well, the following are some ways to learn a language while cooking.
- Food Labels: On food labels, you’ll find the French (or other target languages) version of instructions and other details. You’ll learn new words like Eau, sef, and arome, meaning water, salt, and flavoring, respectively.
- Cookbooks: Recipes and cookbooks are also written in foreign languages. You can find recipes online or pick one from a store. Inside recipes, you’ll discover food-related Italian words like manzo(beef) and pesce (fish).
- Menus: It’s not uncommon to find special meals called their local names. So, when you go through menus, you’ll find meals such as Japanese Yakitori (grilled chicken).
- Read Bedtime Stories: When you were a child, you probably read a lot of bedtime stories. These stories were entertaining as well as educating. They helped you gain mastery of your first language. You can also do that again as an adult, but with your desired foreign language. You may have to look at the colorful drawings and pictures. However, your aim is to understand the grammar structure and master simple sentences.
Language to Practices With at Home
To master a new language, you’ll need to practice consistently. Take your classes regularly. It is also vital you incorporate a routine. To do this, set reminders for the same time every day. Below are helpful resources for the following languages:
- How to learn Portuguese at home
- How to learn Japanese at home
- How to learn Chinese speaking at home
- How to learn German speaking at home
- How to learn French at home
Conclusion
Learning a new language from home is achievable and exciting. As a new learner, you’ll need to utilize the right approach to gain mastery of your target language. Plus, bear in mind that it takes time to achieve meaningful results. Hence, it is essential to be consistent and patient.