Want to Learn a New Language? Time-Tested Tips for Learning a Second Language as an Adult
Conventional wisdom says that children have an easier time learning
languages than adults, but that doesn't mean you're out of luck if
you're over the age of five. These days, you'll find lots of cool tools
to help make the process relatively quick and easy. Here are a few ideas
that can help:
What's Your Learning Style?
Before you purchase anything to help you to learn your new language, you
need to figure out your learning style. Are you a visual person who
would learn better with a DVD learning program? Or are you an audio
learner, who should have better success with a CD or mp3 course? For
some people, books are a better option, though learning with text alone
often creates a less effective learning experience. There are also
interactive software programs on the market today that can be very
effective.
Immerse Yourself
The second aspect to consider is how the language is spoken. A lot of
adult language education is focused on the rules, regulations and
structure of the new language. However, this is not the way that
children are taught naturally. Even though there are some significant
cognitive differences in the way that children learn versus adults, it
doesn't mean that they are entirely different. One of the key
similarities is that exposure to the language as a whole is important in
learning the language.
Think about it this way: Before children start speaking in their native
language, they are exposed to the way that the language is spoken for
years previous. They grasp the natural flow of the language and are able
to tap into how the language is used. By contrast, many adult language
learners are forced to learn grammar rules and structure first in order
to learn the language.
Make sure your language learning material has some sort of immersion
component to it. Do you hear the language on a regular basis while you
are taking the course? Are you being taught to listen to the way the
language is formed? If not, make sure that you make an effort to immerse
yourself. Listen to television programs in the language you are trying
to learn. With the Internet and sites such as YouTube, it's possible to
access a wide variety of programs from different languages, even if
nothing is available on your television.
It's important that you begin to think in your second language, just as
you do in your first. A good language-learning program will help you to
make connections from objects in your surroundings to the second
language. Instead of seeing a red car and thinking, “Red car. That would
be coche rojo in Spanish,” you should be able to see the car and think
“coche rojo” instantly.
New Tools
If the standard materials aren't helping you learn, there are a lot of
new language learning tools that can make the process a lot more fun.
Language video games can help you internalize your new language. There
are games for your computer as well as for video game systems. One
product that gives rave reviews:
Rocket Spanish
(Read the rave review on Momscape here:
http://www.momscape.com/product-reviews/rocket-spanish.htm
Another fun idea to try: look for a few comic books in your second
language. Comic books make learning the language easy because you have
the pictures in the book to help you make meaning out of words you may
not know.
By following these tips and getting a sense for all the cool tools that
are now available for second language learners, you'll begin to see that
the process is definitely possible – and may even be fun!
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