How to Learn a Language
Investigate your local options., Contact the school., Attend regularly., Ask for tips for further study., Arrange conversation groups with fellow students.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Investigate your local options.
If you are keen to learn another language, one of the best ways to go about it is to join a class near you.
Joining a language class will give you opportunities to practice all the elements of the language.
A class will also provide you with a ready-made group of fellow learners to work with.
The teacher will often be a native speaker, and will be able to address any questions you have immediately and face-to-face.
One of the advantages of learning with a teacher is to ability to ask questions, and seek clarification for tricky areas of grammar or pronunciation.
Search online for language schools near you.
Often local schools and colleges will run adult education evening courses in foreign languages.
You can access contact information for a number of professional organisations through the website of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: http://www.actfl.org/about-actfl/resources/member-organization-map -
Step 2: Contact the school.
Once you have found a class that you would like to join, contact them directly and ask about the options.
It is likely that the centre will hold a number of classes for those with different levels of fluency and ability.
If you are an absolute beginner it will be easy to decide which class to join.
If you have some knowledge, and have learnt some of the language before, it’s best to talk to the people at the centre to determine what level class is best for you.
The classes will often run according to the academic year, so if you want to join a class look in advance of September and January.
There may be special more intensive summer school programmes available. , When you have signed up for a class, it’s vital that you stick with it and make the effort to attend every week.
Learning a language is all about practice, so if you find yourself missing classes it will be much harder to learn.
You need to maximise the amount of time you spend using the foreign language.The lesson will primarily give you opportunities to ask questions and to practice speaking and listening to your classmates.
The conversational skills you will learn in the classes will be especially important if you planning on going to the country of the language you are learning, and you want to be able to express yourself. , If you have one lesson a week of an hour or two, you should understand that this will not be enough time to really learn the language.
Your success will depend to a large extent on the amount of practice and revision you do outside of the class.
Be sure to talk to your teacher about what extra work you can, and what resources she recommends you use.
If you have trouble with a difficult grammar rule, ask your teacher to explain it in class and then assign you some tasks to practice at home.
Your teacher will be able to signpost you to freely available online resources that can help you practice.
Watching films and TV programmes in the language you are learning can help you get used to the sound of the language, so ask your teacher for some recommendations., One of the great advantages of learning with a class of people rather than on your own, is that you get a group of people to practice with.
Make friends with some of your fellow language students, and suggest meeting up a coffee every now and then so you can practice speaking the language.Try to only speak in the foreign language for ten minutes, and increase up gradually up to an hour as you get more proficient. -
Step 3: Attend regularly.
-
Step 4: Ask for tips for further study.
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Step 5: Arrange conversation groups with fellow students.
Detailed Guide
If you are keen to learn another language, one of the best ways to go about it is to join a class near you.
Joining a language class will give you opportunities to practice all the elements of the language.
A class will also provide you with a ready-made group of fellow learners to work with.
The teacher will often be a native speaker, and will be able to address any questions you have immediately and face-to-face.
One of the advantages of learning with a teacher is to ability to ask questions, and seek clarification for tricky areas of grammar or pronunciation.
Search online for language schools near you.
Often local schools and colleges will run adult education evening courses in foreign languages.
You can access contact information for a number of professional organisations through the website of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages: http://www.actfl.org/about-actfl/resources/member-organization-map
Once you have found a class that you would like to join, contact them directly and ask about the options.
It is likely that the centre will hold a number of classes for those with different levels of fluency and ability.
If you are an absolute beginner it will be easy to decide which class to join.
If you have some knowledge, and have learnt some of the language before, it’s best to talk to the people at the centre to determine what level class is best for you.
The classes will often run according to the academic year, so if you want to join a class look in advance of September and January.
There may be special more intensive summer school programmes available. , When you have signed up for a class, it’s vital that you stick with it and make the effort to attend every week.
Learning a language is all about practice, so if you find yourself missing classes it will be much harder to learn.
You need to maximise the amount of time you spend using the foreign language.The lesson will primarily give you opportunities to ask questions and to practice speaking and listening to your classmates.
The conversational skills you will learn in the classes will be especially important if you planning on going to the country of the language you are learning, and you want to be able to express yourself. , If you have one lesson a week of an hour or two, you should understand that this will not be enough time to really learn the language.
Your success will depend to a large extent on the amount of practice and revision you do outside of the class.
Be sure to talk to your teacher about what extra work you can, and what resources she recommends you use.
If you have trouble with a difficult grammar rule, ask your teacher to explain it in class and then assign you some tasks to practice at home.
Your teacher will be able to signpost you to freely available online resources that can help you practice.
Watching films and TV programmes in the language you are learning can help you get used to the sound of the language, so ask your teacher for some recommendations., One of the great advantages of learning with a class of people rather than on your own, is that you get a group of people to practice with.
Make friends with some of your fellow language students, and suggest meeting up a coffee every now and then so you can practice speaking the language.Try to only speak in the foreign language for ten minutes, and increase up gradually up to an hour as you get more proficient.
About the Author
Diana Russell
A passionate writer with expertise in home improvement topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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