Tips and Tricks for Learning a Language

For many of us, language learning takes the shape of a half-hearted attempt at Duolingo, or struggling a couple of times a week in a language class. Some say “language acquisition” classes even serve as a deterrent for being an IB diploma student. As an avid Spanish student who uses my second language in school, at work, and abroad, I’ve always found the lack of interest that US students have towards language learning to be disappointing. But I also understand that self-doubt, frustration, and just plain old forgetting how to conjugate verbs, are real issues. So how do we change our habits to make language studies interesting and beneficial, rather than an endless stack of vocabulary flashcards?

Experts have many different opinions on effective language learning, and new apps are constantly being developed, claiming that they can help you gain travel vocabulary, school and work vocabulary, and more. To clear up these confusions, I talked to Dana Capage, who teaches German at Portland State University. She claims that the first step to successful language learning is finding a motive.

“If [you’re] going to actually use the language for something that [you] care about, [you’re] going to learn a lot faster,”  Capage explains. She often helps her students find a motive for learning German. They might want to learn in hopes of communicating with a friend or relative, or within a country that speaks German. Whether your motivation is intrinsic (e.g. I would like to develop into a better communicator) or extrinsic (e.g. I would like to get a job that may require me to understand mandarin), finding purpose within your studies will be key to developing strong language skills.

The second thing that Capage asks language learners to keep in mind is the idea of fluency levels. Just because you don’t finish a language class or online course with total fluency doesn’t mean that you haven’t gained valuable skills. If you go into the language learning experience hoping to speak your chosen language like it’s your first, you may need to temper your expectations. There is however, a level of fluency that is accessible for anyone with a motivation to learn a language. You can learn to speak enough of your language to discuss things that are important to you and your goals.

“That’s another level of fluency, right, is to just be able to sort of get by in the stuff that you want to do for a really, really specific purpose. And you can get that fluency really quickly,” says Capage. After about two years in her college level German class, Capage’s students have gained this fluency, and can communicate fully in German about their own lives and interests. This accomplishment can come to other language learners like you, as long as your dedication and motivation continues to inspire you to practice.

In order to practice however, you must first choose a program. Many Northfield students learn languages primarily through the school. That being said, anyone that has tried to expand their scope beyond this has likely been confronted with a tangle of different tutoring options and apps, all presenting a different gimmick about how they get you speaking a second language in only so many months. When prompted about the vast array of language learning courses available,  Capage said “I’m sure this is true for every language: there is some book or some set of materials that lets you do all of the learning modalities…reading, writing, listening and speaking.”

This is a crucial element to assessing the quality of a language learning app or book. Does it have you reading, writing, listening and speaking the language of your choice? This is where apps and websites begin to come in handy, as they can “listen” to recordings of you speaking, as well as play clips of native speakers. I have personally had luck with iTalki, a platform that allows you to talk directly to people who speak your chosen language. Conversing with a native speaker may seem daunting, but it’s a critical leap forward for language learners.

Everyone’s motivations and methods for learning a language look different. Whatever language you’ve chosen to explore, remember to find joy in the process. Who knows, you may even be inspired to travel, take a future class, or communicate with someone new in your second language. As polyglot Charlemange put it, “To have a second language is to possess a second soul.”

Want to share your language journey?

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