5 great reasons for language learning with a buddy
When you are learning a new language, your motivation is often rooted in appreciation of how people connect and communicate. Language learning is social by definition, and it's clearly most fun when you can practice and learn with others. All good on paper, but what if you don't know any fellow learners?
5 great reasons for finding a learning buddy
Just like a lot of language learners, I'm not averse to a bit of a challenge. Teaching yourself from books is definitely one of those, but my advice would be that you stay away from challenging yourself to learn in isolation. Here are 5 good reasons why sharing the language learning journey with a buddy (someone at your level, a friend or tutor) makes a lot of sense.
- You'll open up
Expressing your feelings is super-beneficial, no matter if it's through talking, drawing, writing or singing. In the context of language learning, this means you will benefit a lot from speaking about the language learning experience. Shared frustrations and worries are often halved when you have the chance to talk to someone who knows what you mean. - You'll keep going
Giving up is much less of an option when people know about your commitment to really making this work. Yes, this tip is just one of my whole library of tips that work both for diets and language learning :) - Double the research power
Have you been on the internet these days? It's so full of great resources and media and music and articles that I barely have time to watch Game of Thrones! Even if your chosen buddy isn't one who shares your fluency ambitions, they can help you by keeping an eye out for the best resources, recommended tutors or fellow learners. A network is a powerful thing, and it's so easy to start. - They can quiz you
There is rarely a thing more efficient than asking a friend to quiz you on your vocabulary lists - they'll be able to engage with your experience with all the pressure taken off, play teacher, set challenges or even grade you.
I can imagine that this works particularly well in married couples - wouldn't you just LOVE to have the licence to educate your other half?! From my own experience, I also love how it enables my partner to help me with things like my Russian, without having to understand any of it himself. - You might save money
From borrowing dictionaries to taking cheaper private classes with a tutor (like me), you might find that sharing the language learning experience can really save you a lot of money. This doesn't have to be an expensive experience and not every book or course will do the same for all people, but even if you spent no coins at all on it, you might benefit from a shared cost trip to the exciting destination of your dreams!
How to make it work
There's no straightforward recipe for success for learning with a friend or loved one. Some of us are reassured by having fellow learners, others feel particularly shy about it. You might also want to learn at a different pace to your friend, or work best at different times. If you aren't attending classes together, consider texting in the other language or sitting down just for a monthly catch-up. And if you have found someone who is not a learner him- or herself but wants to cheerlead and support you, how about planning that great trip together?
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Fluency Masterclass, Part 1: Reading
After my recent blog post
on training four core skills, we know that fluency is a product made of
all components. So in this Fluency Masterclass, I've got some tips to have you reading better than ever before.
After my recent blog post on training four core skills, we know that fluency is a product made of all components. You need the core skills to be strong to produce and consume language excellently. So in this Fluency Masterclass, I will have a look at each one of the four skills and give you tips on becoming the best you can be. Let's start with..
Reading
Everyone has a natural preference for how they consume information, so there is no common base level for all. Some may get excited by the idea of having a book to get their head into, while others swear by hearing key phrases on their mp3 player everyday.
©Christian Cable on Flickr
This is a step-by-step guide to leveling up in your foreign language reading skills. The steps start at an easy level and you can work on this as a path to becoming a great reader, no matter how long each step takes.
1) Become comfortable
When you are starting new reading exercises, make sure you keep your texts short and focused. The first stage should be appropriate to your level. If that means you stick with isolated words for a week or a month, then don't worry. Make sure you read little and often at stage 1. It is a great time for combining writing and reading by creating flash cards, examining fun materials for kids and playing spot the word games.
2) Find interesting content
No one's going to stick with the words and sticky notes forever. What do you enjoy reading in your first language? What do you like reading about? Find something interesting to yourself, be it classified ads or wedding blogs, and you'll stay motivated for longer. The key at this stage is to start with short texts and move on to longer texts gradually. For example, you could start with the TV listings, then the blurb on the back of DVD packets, and finally full reviews.
3) Aim higher
Here is where you need to bring some attitude. Challenge yourself, attempt a book or a newspaper article. Reading is practice in language consumption, with no pressure on you to keep up a certain pace or skip words. Using a dictionary 15 times per page is NOT a sign that you are bad at language, it's a sign that you are on your way to becoming really good at it.
So make the most of this fact and use reading for what it can deliver best:
- a growing vocabulary
- more familiarity with when which words are appropriate
- visual support for your spelling and writing practice.
4) Mix it up
At
all stages of this process, you have got to see reading as a skill in
the package of four, which means it's important that you combine it with
the other skills. Here are some tips for "fluency mixology":
- Read out loud wherever you can.
- Listen to recordings and read the transcripts. Sorry to all fellow Pulp fans, but for this one exercise you do have to read the lyrics whilst listening to the recordings.
- Write yourself notes to read again and again. Yes, sticky notes. They're my number 1 learning method.
I hope you enjoyed the first part of the Fluency Masterclass - why not share your own reading tricks in the comments?
Other great articles about reading in language learning
How can Music help you learn a Language? - Part 2: Where to Look for Inspiration
After my recent post describing some of the reasons why music is such a great learning help, let's get into the groove today and find some song ideas! My examples in this post are in German, but you can use this inspiration for learning other languages too!
CC Licenced from SpecialKolin on Flickr
How To Use a Song for Language Learning:
Find a few songs in your target language - you won't have to look a lot further than the local google searchbox, youtube or library. Below, you'll find many ideas for easy starters.
Pick out a song that catches your attention and sounds fun - no matter if you understand the words at this point! Then listen, maybe a few times, and keep it around. Stick it on your iPod or put it on a CD for the car.
After you've become pretty familiar, you will catch yourself humming along and maybe even picking out words that you sing along to. Now get the lyrics and dictionary out. What's this song actually about?
Keep listening, sing along, sing it to your kid/pet/best friend. I bet it's almost normal by now!
Make a note of 10 new words the song has taught you. Then look out for how the verbs and sentences are used. You should recognise some previous grammar lessons or verb tables.
Congratulations, you can now sing in another language AND you revised without the boring effort.
1) Raid the Kids Section
Kids are full-time learners in their own right, and music for them can do the language learner many favours: a simplified range of vocabulary, many repetitions, perhaps actions, all aimed at making sure the song sticks! Think "If you're happy and you know it" and you've got the idea.
Beispiele (examples):
Germany's award-winning songwriter Rolf Zuckowski has given us a beautiful list of songs to choose from. My recommendations, based on them being so catchy that they are curently stuck in my head even though I sang them in the 80s, are:
Christmas favourite "In der Weihnachtsbäckerei" - perfect for seasonal vocabulary
"Sommerkinder" and "Winterkinder" - one composition, several versions based on the seasons
Another great example is the (slightly retro..) Sesame street theme in German - so great for question words. And general cheeriness.
2) Learn from Lovesongs
I'm thinking boybands here, and Céline Dion. Lovesongs have distinct advantages for the language learner. They are usually sung more slowly, giving you a chance to keep up with the pronunciation. The topic is predictable and the lyrics usually stay away from tricky stuff like world politics.
And auf Deutsch: Schlager
The Schlager genre is an absolute treasure trove for any German learner. These cheery hits from the 1960s and 1970s stick in your head for days. The lyrics largely restrict themselves to flirting and having fun and they always come out in a group of merry Germans so these will really give you the edge for making quick friends in the pub.
A few favourites of mine are Mendocino, Michaela and, best and surrealest of all, anything by Dschinghis Khan (these are more complicated lyrics, but the topics are easy to guess from the costumes!).
3) Not for the faint hearted: Drinking Songs
All right, now I don't know how far this will get you if you're trying to learn Arabic or Tamil, but for many European people a good party is never complete without a bit of a song.
German learners rejoice, you have a big range to choose from. If the Schlager genre was your thing, then I would recommend the gem called "Sieben Fässer Wein" (seven barrels of wine, no really, that's what it means) by Roland Kaiser. It has everything - drunken irresponsibility, a spoken section from a priest and that 70s humour where the wife is every man's nightmare
Other useful drinking songs are the regional ones, often blurring into folk song territory. For example, my own home region offers absolute beauties like "Oh Mosella". I have heard this song accompany the happiest wine festival memories of my whole life, for as long as I can remember.
CC Licenced by punk17er on Flickr
4) Pop Music
The big advantage of using songs that you love in your target language is that you'll look very cool and won't feel as silly as when you are singing a kids song. There is a huge range of songs and artists to discover who are making music right now. But handle these with a bit of caution - if you're into rap, for example, there will be an awful lot of words and lyrics to handle!
Germany for example has a strong indie scene represented by bands like Tocotronic, Blumfeld and Tomte. The rappers and hip hoppers are even more active - try Kool Savas or Samy Deluxe.
After all that, a deserved reward!
With any music from artists which are active and out there, I urge you to add a final step 7 to the instructions of using music in language learning. Get involved! Go buy a ticket to see your new favourite band, maybe discover a soundtrack written in the language (Disney films, for example, tend to have translated versions of all their songs), find other fans in online forums and really get out there and enjoy it! That way, not only will you have fun but you'll also be using your amazing language skills before you even notice.
Fancy reading more? Tofugo has a post about learning Japanese through kids songs and the topic is also covered by Everyday Language Learner Aaron.
Struggling with listening? Discover realistic tips, challenge prompts, and the best tools for improving your listening skills as a self-guided language learner