On The Need For Fun And Creativity In Languages
What do you think of when you see the word “creativity”?
For me, creativity used to mean being particularly gifted in visual arts. Painters and sculptors were creative. In school, it was clear that being creative was how you got good grades in art classes.
I was a pretty terrible artist, and so I always assumed that I’m not creative at all.
But then I got a job and started noticing things. In work meetings, ideas for alternative solutions to problems would bubble out of me. When I started teaching and learning languages on my own, I felt constrained by the ideas of learning with a textbook and classroom structure.
Instead of putting off my ideas as delusions, I started to listen to them and put a few into action. And slowly I realised…I’m creative after all!
You Have The Tools to Be a Creative Language Learner
My own discovery encouraged me to start looking differently at language learning. I quickly discovered that adults learn best when creativity and fun come along for the ride. So I started to seek out creative ideas of learning.
If you are a first-time solo language learner who’s busy in her life and wants to know how to become fluent without sacrificing all your leisure time, creativity is what will get you to your goals.
I know lots of people who start off and and think “learning is the books and the app”, and when you box your language learning in like that, your motivation suffers as a result.
Creative Ideas For Language Learning
In this episode of the Fluent Show, Lindsay and I discussed the easiest ways to start building a fun and creative language routine.
Listen to the show here to get our full discussion:
Warning: These may not feel like study, but you’ll learn a lot anyway.
Language Learning With Music
Research and discover songs in your target language and music from the target country. Learn new words and expressions by understanding the lyrics of the songs you listen to.
Playing Games
It’s a common theme on this blog: We learn best when we’re having fun. Playing word games like Taboo, or even classic board games in your target language gives you a subtle way of creating a space where you learn a few new words free from pressure.
When you’re on your own, video games create another interesting option for language learning, and some of them are even [developed with language learners in mind.]
Games are especially handy when you want to share your language with kids.
Poetry and Literature
You might think you have to be an advanced level language wizard before you can even touch a book of poems in your target language, but that is not true! Enjoy a story with tools like [Interlinear books], try your first ever haiku, or lose yourself in a rhyming dictionary.
The key here is to express yourself freely and have fun in the process, getting out of your head and into the feeling that you want to have.
Technology
It’s the 21st century, which means you’re more likely to be reading this on a phone than on a desktop computer right now. And that means it’s time to get creative with tech in your new language.
Lindsay recommends creating a language space in social media that’s dedicated to learning your target language, for example a “Norwegian only Instagram”. I’ve tried this too through Twitter lists. The result is fabulous: it’s instant mini lessons, whenever and wherever you want them.
Exercise
Movement boosts memory! Have you ever thought about combining a language workout with a body workout? We had lots of ideas in the podcast, like example looking for exercise videos in your target language, and taking a language podcast out on a jog.
This one’s great for teachers of any age group, too, as you can create a whole new lesson plan when you think about different ways of moving around your classroom (or outside!).
Bricolage / Crafts
For thousands of people, getting creative means creating cool craft projects like woodwork, scrapbooks, or small art. With craft projects, you have so many options of incorporating language.
Of course you can search online for videos and instructions in another language.
Or you could take printed items from the target country and use them to decorate your home. Or make special art pieces celebrating the words you love the most. Or create a photo essay based on inspiring expressions.
Listen to the podcast to hear more about the special things I created as a teenager (Lindsay calls them ransom notes!).
Cooking
Everybody’s got to eat, and most people have to cook. So what could be more practical than cooking yourself a meal in your target language? From seaweed scones to the secret cuisines of Paraguay, we’ve tried this out and recommend it whole-heartedly.
It’s SO Easy To Get Creative in Language
When it comes down to it, we found that it’s almost impossible to be anything BUT creative in language learning. Yet…many learners avoid getting involved.
Or when we do play and enjoy in our target language, we feel guilty as if this isn’t “proper learning”.
So this made Lindsay and me wonder: why the heck did school teach us that language learning has to look like classroom-exam-teacher-class-snoozefest?
STUDY and LEARNING are concepts that feel like they should look a certain way, when in reality they are not.
Creativity is about permission!
In the podcast, Lindsay and I looked deeper into this idea of permission and allowing ourselves to let go of language learning guilt. Guilt does not do us any favours at all so we should learn to let it go.
Whenever you feel like your activity is not “real learning”, it might be time to reconsider and remind yourself to:
- Accept our mistakes (both in language and process and habits and study)
- Be kinder to ourselves (does it really matter if we break a streak?)
- Impress NOBODY but ourselves
How do YOU get Creative in Language Learning?
Do you cook, craft, run, or rhyme with your target language? Or are you worried that these activities mean you won't learn anything?
Leave a comment below and hare your thoughts!
#clearthelist March 2019: Surprising Gigs, Welsh Friends, Big Things to Come
Clear the List is a monthly round-up of my language goals and progress. This month, read about
how I ended up at a political rally without noticing
how having friends is my language constant in Welsh
how to start learning Chinese (if you’re me, haha)
Welcome to the March edition of my #clearthelist goal tracking post. Clear The List is a support and accountability blog group sharing monthly language learning goals, hosted by my friends Lindsay and Shannon.
Anyone can join and you're welcome in the blog round-up. Lindsay has more information on how it works on her website.
What Happened in February 2019?
February is a short month and full of joy for me as one of the co-organisers of the Women in Language conference. I spent a big chunk of the month emailing speakers, creating a schedule and booking everyone in for their individual speaking slots. And then of course there’s marketing - I hope you spotted us on the blog or on a podcast you listen to.
As I write this, we’re just 2 days away from starting the conference. I’m feeling nervous and excited, and ready to enjoy 4 days of straight-up fun. All the information you need is at Womeninlanguage.com.
During this month, I also put together everything I need so I can open my new course German Uncovered in March. I am excited to be taking the first Fluent students and made a free mini course for all of you to enjoy. Sign up at www.german2019.com site to find out more about that one.
Surprising Gig Experience
February wasn’t all work. I took a fun trip to Cardiff (the Welsh capital) with my friend Gareth and saw a fab selection of bands for the Yes is More! gig. I attended for the bands…didn’t quite realise the gig’s political dimension as it was a Welsh independence campaign rally too!
Ending up dancing at a concert that supports an “independent, socialist Wales” is EXACTLY why I learn languages. It’s the kind of thing I would never ever get to do if I didn’t speak the language and let that pull me deeper under the surface of a country.
What language-based adventures have you had in your life?
And finally, I was excited to be commenting on Britain’s less impressive language news on BBC Radio 5 Live. Here’s a glimpse of their high tech local studio!
The Fluent Show
February’s episodes were fabulous - I shared the results of the big audience survey in episode 123 and got to bring you a brand new bilingual podcast. This time, I spoke French and English with Khady Ndoye who can teach us a lot about the many languages of Africa.
Listen to the bilingual episode about African languages here
Language Goals and Progress
As I mentioned above, the Women in Language conference is just 2 days away. So this time I’ll breeze through the goals and give you a very short summary.
extremely short summary: Chinese learning not terrible, Welsh learning mostly speaking practice.
Let’s take a quick look at my…
Welsh Language Progress
I’m only one lesson away from finishing level 2 of Say Something in Welsh. This level is 25 lessons long so once I get that done I’ll be at a GREAT milestone.
As I mentioned above, I visited Wales in February. That’s always a treat. Cardiff is mostly English speaking but there are always a few opportunities for Welsh practice too. Hanging out with Gareth from How to get fluent is great for me - not just because he’s another Welsh speaker but also because he’s a good friend.
I stayed at the YHA, where the staff wear badges to show their language skills, and one of the staff members had all her exchanges with me in Welsh. Which was awesome and confirmed that I’m fully functional in this language.
I also popped up to visit my friend Dafydd who patiently spoke Welsh with me even when I lazily switched to English. Diolch!
And finally, I also met with my local language exchange partner I found on Facebook, and texted and messaged several friends.
Now that I have built a network of Welsh speakers around me, it feels almost impossible to spend a month not using this language. This is such a positive development!
In terms of listening, I also listened to a full episodes of the Mynd am beint gyda.. show with Nicky Roberts. I can now listen while doing other stuff and still understand everything. Result!
Chinese Language Progress
Well, isn’t Chinese at a different level! This month I did meet my goals of
- starting a Chinese notebook
- going to the library to see what they have.
Sadly the library didn’t have anything useful in terms of traditional courses, so I continued to explore online and use apps. I listened to a few episodes of Coffee Break Chinese which I enjoyed lots.
Best new word of the month is definitely the Chinese for English: yīng gé lán 英格兰…because it sounds like the “In-ger-land” shout in New Order’s song ‘World in Motion’ which I love. 😅
Language Goals for March 2019
March looks like it’s going to be a month all about German with the new German course opening, but here are the goals I’m going to set myself.
Welsh Language Goals
- I’m keen to have more real conversations to develop my Welsh listening skills, so I hope to chat to friends every week on Skype or locally.
- I am 100% going to finish Level 2 of Say Something in Welsh!
- Listening needs more attention! Once again, Nicky’s podcast to the rescue. It’s great for my level, conversational with a good amount of English thrown in.
I miss reading in Welsh so I’m also going to start my next book, which is Ffenestri by Lois Arnold.
Chinese
I get the feeling it’s now time that I move on from the basics of “good, thank you, I am, you are, excuse me..” and towards some way of expressing myself in my target language.
I’ve also decided to focus less on the characters, as my first vision goal has been established: I want to understand what people say!
So my main work here will have to be on pronunciation and on lots of listening.
Here are a few things I hope to do:
- Purchase an audio-based course
- Make my first sentences in my notebook
- If there’s time, book my first Chinese lesson to try those sentences with a tutor
- Keep up with the apps I’m liking: Drops, Memrise, Lingodeer if there’s time.
So that’s it, my Clear the List report for the two languages I’m now learning at two very different levels.
By the way, if you’re interested in learning more about learning two languages at once, check out Abigail from Polyglot Process who is presenting at Women in Language. Her talk is going to be popular!
What Are Your Language Goals?
Have you studied two languages at very different levels? For me it’s not the first time, but it is the first time as a solo learner!
If you have ambitions in German, don’t forget to visit www.german2019.com where my free course is launching next month.
How was your February? Leave a comment below and share how you got on.
How to Fluently Switch From One Language To Another Language
Imagine you're on a train in Belgium. A woman on the train is speaking French on the phone when the ticket conductor comes in. She asks him a question in fluent Flemish. No one bats an eyelid.
Switching effortlessly between languages is a dream for many language learners. But how do you achieve it? Is it a realistic goal? In this article, read and hear my best tips for switching languages.
Imagine you're on a train in Belgium. A woman on the train is speaking French on the phone when the ticket conductor comes in. She asks him a question in fluent Flemish. No one bats an eyelid.
Or a guy at a party is chatting to his friends in Spanish, and suddenly an American friend comes in and he enthusiastically greets her in fluent English.
We've all seen it on TV or even in real life, but have you ever wondered how these super-quick switches between languages work?
Alessia, 17 from Verona has! She sent me this question to answer on the Fluent Show this week.
How to switch quickly from a language to another? Is it just a question of practice?
In answer to Alessia's question, I dove into a bunch of studies and came up with my best tips for anyone who wants to step up their switching.
Looking Into Switching Between Languages
Speedy switches like those I described above are a hallmark of bilingual people. Linguistically, doing this is is called “code switching”. It is very common and has been studied for decades.
Bilinguals do it naturally, for example in environments where there is more than one dominant language or native language. It happens all over the world and millions of people are able to speak bilingually.
Here are three ways you may experience code switching:
Switching a word might look like this: “Dw i’n teimlo yn rili rili wedi blino.“ (I am feeling really, really tired.)
Switching a phrase could be something like this: “Oui, ils offrent des part-time jobs dans leur société." (Yes, they offer part-time jobs at their company.)
Switching between languages after a few sentences, or even saying half a sentence in one and another half in the other.
When you switch into another word, phrase, or sentence, the switch is absolute and your brain is able to do this very quickly.
This has attracted the attention of phsychologists and neurologists too, studying and trying to measure what happens in our brain during such a switch.
Studies show: There are “neurocognitive costs”, for example slower response times. Your brain has to activate the second language (L2) and suppress your dominant main language (L1), and that means it has to concentrate and work hard.
The research also shows that these costs are lower when switching into L2 than when switching into L1. The brain patterns change as your expertise in L2 changes. It also changes depending on whether you’re able to predict that the switch is coming, and whether you’re switching individual words or full phrases.
To get started reading about all the fascinating research, check out the links at the bottom of this article.
How Can You Get Better at Language Switching?
As a learner, your goal might be to use your target language just as easily as you use your first language. But being able to switch like a bilingual person is NOT a good goal for your early language learning stages.
Use it as a vision goal, your inspiration and motivation source. But be honest with yourself and clear about the fact that it’s not going to happen in just a few months.
There’s a huge element of practice involved in switching languages quickly. Sorry, no one likes to hear that there isn’t a secret shortcut!
4 Ways To Practice For Switching
Tip 1: Practice phrases not words so that you build good muscle memory and you can ’think faster’ in your target language.
Tip 2: Listen to input in lots of languages and find bilingual materials too so you can process the language more quickly, for example parallel texts or bilingual podcasts.
Tip 3: Stick to one subject area and one type of conversation at first so you can direct your studies towards the goal of code switching
Here are my 3 Steps for Learning Topical Vocabulary
Tip 4: Practice in comfortable environments.
For example you could create an exercise with a trusted tutor that involves switching.
Or set up a language exchange. This involves switching by offering your skills to someone else and it's usually free. Often, exchanges switch languages after about half an hour, but to spice it up you could switch every 5 minutes.
The ‘price’ of Code Switching As a Bilingual
I’m bilingual in German and English, but make no mistake, my language quality suffers unless I practice.
Here are some of the annoying things that happen.
- My vocabulary in German becomes heavily influenced by my thinking in English and English sometimes shows through. I will use words that I know as dictionary translations of what I want to say in English, but they don’t feel casual enough for how I want to speak in German.
- My German isn’t up to date and I might mix in a word I used as a teenager or an expression that feels a bit 90s.
- English words that I say without thinking, like “actually”, find their way into my German sentences and just bubble up.
- My dialect is heavily reduced and I produce the German language as Hochdeutsch, which is not how I would speak in my home environment.
In other words, I speak an odd “international German”. I was recently called out for having an “englischen Akzent” by a former schoolmate who had not seen me for over a decade. That’s fairly embarrassing.
Episode Links
Study Shows How Bilinguals Switch Between Languages – Association for Psychological Science
Multidisciplinary Approaches to Code Switching - Google Books
Going in and out of languages: Article by François Grosjean and Joanne L. Miller, 1994
The Language Habit Toolkit — The All-in-One System For Meeting Your Goals in Language Learning
Conclusion: Language Shows Who You Are
It’s impossible not to be a product of your environment when it comes to how you speak.
To stay more active in German, I’m subscribing to a German magazine and watching more YouTube so that I hear German on a regular basis. But without living there, I lose a part of my authenticity in German.
Have you ever practiced switching from one language of another? Do you think there's a price to being bilingual?
Leave a comment below to share your thoughts!
Women in Language TICKETS ARE HERE For 7-10 March 2019
Women in Language is a special online conference for all language lovers, organised by Shannon Kennedy, Lindsay Williams, and me. In this article, you’ll discover more about how it all started and what it feels like to be at the conference.
Just over 16 months ago, Lindsay Williams (my podcast co-host) and I were chatting on Skype. It was October or November. I remember the day turning into night at what felt like 4 in the afternoon on my side of the world, while Lindsay was getting ready for her day.
We were chatting about a few ideas for the future, when she mentioned this one thing that made my heart explode with excitement.
“So I’m thinking of maybe doing a one day event on International Women's’ Day with loads of female language people speaking...wouldn’t that be cool?! I can’t do it this year though because I’ll still be away but…”
I didn’t need to hear any more. I was like STOP IT RIGHT THERE I AM IN!!
Lindsay had just spoken an idea that had been growing in my brain, too. And I’m not a patient kinda girl so I wasn’t going to let Lindsay’s round-the-world trip stand in the way of an amazing idea. We contacted Shannon Kennedy and asked “would you maybe be interested…”.
Shannon was a yes. The organising team was ready, and few months down the line we shared the news with the world that we’d be hosting Women in Language in March 2018.
The event was a massive success! (Read my full debrief if you want to know what I learnt and how we pulled it off.)
Over the last year, we continued to work on our list of speakers and our background preparations. And now, we’re ready to bring you WOMEN IN LANGUAGE 2019!
If you were at last year’s event, you’ll know what to expect.
But if not, I know you’re curious. I asked writer Cassie Wright who was at Women in Language to share what it was like for her. Here’s Cassie’s story:
Conference Experience: What Cassie Thought Of The Language Conference
Once, when I was 9 years old, I tried to tell everyone I knew that in Finnish, you could make whole sentences into one super long word.
How awesome, right?
Unfortunately, my school friends were a lot less enthusiastic about my latest language tip. In fact, I was surprised to find that they didn’t really care at all.
Even at that age, I had two binders dedicated to languages, each full of vocabulary: one labeled ‘Finnish’ and another labeled ‘Japanese’. I was fascinated by languages and it stood out just as much as my mop of curly hair in a classroom full of long, straight locks. I was a language nerd at heart, though no one else seemed to have the same sort of passion.
Despite the fact that my friends didn’t care about my Finnish facts, I was proud of my attempts and motivation to learn. I never got very far, but I was always confident in my abilities.
"Japanese?" People would ask, “Isn’t that hard?”
I would just nod and grin.
But eventually, going it alone became too much of a challenge and the things other people told me were more important took over.
Still, languages followed me through both high school and college. Without fail, each time I tried to start again, I couldn’t find the drive to keep going.
Then, years later when I tried once more, I found an entire blog dedicated to learning languages. It was a lot different from the sites I’d seen before that featured big name polyglots and sold all kinds of "easy tricks".
That’s when I came across an announcement on my Twitter feed for Women in Language.
It caught my attention immediately, not only because there were so many women prepared to talk about their language experiences, but because it was all online. The only thing I needed to attend was a ticket for the event, which meant the cost of plane rides and hotels wasn’t an issue.
When I bought my ticket to Women in Language that day, I didn’t realize how much it would change my approach to language learning.
It’s not just about languages. It’s about representation.
Learning a language is the goal, but how do you do it with a busy schedule? Kids? How do you find the courage to pick up and move to another country? How do you immerse yourself when that’s not possible?
How amazing would it be to learn about those things from someone in your place: women of all different races and backgrounds with a variety of experiences.
This is what I really gained from Women in Language and it gave me a sense of validation.
Here were a number of talented women who gladly shared their knowledge and ideas. I saw in them my own language learning dreams, only this time, it wasn’t some unrealistic goal.
In this community of multilingual women, I felt I could proudly hold onto my vocabulary-filled binders with my mess of curly hair and say, "Hey! I’m one of you, too. I see myself here."
Women in Language brings that community of learners forward and inspires them to keep going.
More than anything, it’s a breath of fresh air for those who need a place to share a common interest and belong.
GET YOUR TICKET TO WOMEN IN LANGUAGE!
This year, we are proud to announce that there are EVEN MORE presentations at Women in Language. There’s so much more happening – including 2 Panel Discussions and a chance for YOU to present, a prize draw worth over $1000, and daily fun activities for everyone.
Ready for it?
Women in Language is happening live and online over 4 days from Thursday 7th March to Sunday 10th March 2019.
If you can’t make it on those dates, you can catch up at any time since your ticket purchase gets you access to all recordings for as long as you like.
Everyone is welcome (the ‘women’ in Women in Language only refers to the line-up of speakers!) and we’d love to have you join us for the live event. Click below to get your ticket now for Women in Language 2019.
To join us, click here to purchase your ticket.
Are you coming to Women in Language? Leave a comment below and let me know!
#clearthelist February 2019: Chinese App Reviews and Teaching Welsh in Edinburgh
In this post, I’m sharing my language learning goals and strategies used in January 2019. And I’m starting to learn my 9th foreign language!
Welcome to the January edition of my #clearthelist goal tracking post. Clear The List is a support and accountability blog group sharing monthly language learning goals, hosted by my friends Lindsay and Shannon.
I have now been tracking my goals using Clear the List for 9 months. It’s a fun process - a little cumbersome at times to write check-in posts but always worth it for the accountability.
Ever since I created the Language Habit Toolkit I have been aware of how important it is to build a review process into your language learning routine. When you step back regularly and write down what you did, it’s easier to feel accomplished and understand that any lapses are temporary.
What Happened in January 2019?
After so much travel in December (retreat and Christmas), my intention was to have a month of routine, perhaps even a little rest. Now at the end of the month, I do feel a little more calm. But I’m also wondering where January has gone!
The month was focused on planning my year and working on the first project, which is launching a fabulous German course for beginners and “false beginners”. I worked on this course for 7 months last year and can’t wait to open it up for my 2019 German learners.
If you want a free preview, hop on here and register your email address.
On the blog, I shared the 9 Best Websites for German Beginners
Presenting my talk in Edinburgh. Thanks Maureen Millward for the picture.
This month, I also started work on Women in Language 2019 by contacting over 40 potential speakers. And ended with a trip to Edinburgh to present a lightning talk at Polyglot Pub Edinburgh. More about that in the Welsh section…
The Fluent Show
The Fluent Show was super efficient this month, I recorded 3 awesome interviews, 2 solo shows and ran a survey of over 150 listeners. Listen out for the next solo episode where I’ll share results and plans.
My favourite episode of January was Ask a Linguist, where we got to meet our linguist podcast heroes from Talk the Talk in Australia!
Language Goals and Progress
Let’s start with Mandarin Chinese for this one! Last month, I came out of the Chinese prep phase and decided that yes, I do want to learn this language a little bit.
Studying Chinese
I have been playing around with a bunch of apps. In my mind this isn't really "language learning" in my usual style yet. I feel like “proper learning” will start for real when I get a notebook, set goals and start saying things to people.
Without repetition and a notebook, I only retain 20% of what I see and practice. So I guess this is high level dabbling, and I’m not finding myself particularly rushed to move forward. I spoke no Chinese for 35 years of my life, and now I’m ok if it takes 6 months to start.
Patience is a secret language learning weapon.
Reviewing Chinese Language Learning Apps
Here are my insights on the Chinese language learning apps I've tried so far:
Memrise @memrise is fantastic for teaching the kinds of phrases you'll want to say. The videos with locals are wonderful, and this grammar screen you see here is a delight. Memrise seems to understand where I'm at as a learner. Only downside: I'm not finding it helpful for character study.
Drops @languagedrops is fantastic for learning lots of vocab, getting the hand of characters, and hearing clear pronunciation. It's got the best character/pinyin system for me. I’ve been enjoying the #90dayswithdrops challenge.
Duolingo @duolingo is good at building up each lesson, and has an interesting way of introducing new words. I'm not finding it as enjoyable as the others. The lessons feel too short. That owl is cute, though.
Lingodeer @lingodeerapp is the most comprehensive and I can see myself using this as a study guide. The stories at the end of each chapter are awesome, though I feel thrown in at the deep end with the characters now and then.
Welsh Language Goals
In Welsh, I usually set goals in 4 areas: listening, speaking, reading and writing. In January I hit a special extra milestone by teaching a few words in Welsh to others. Wow!
You can download my notes and recommendations from the talk by signing up at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/welshtoolkit
Listening
January was listening month and I tried my best to get more practice in. I listened to Nicky and Lara on Mynd am beint gyda. LOVE the casual feel!
I also listened to the radio a few times, but it didn’t stick. My radio time is the morning, and I’m just not into Radio Cymru’s breakfast shows. If you know any better ones, give me a shout.
Finally, I did listen to the Say Something in Welsh listening practices and parallel.cymru’s spoken news.
I don’t think I’m suddenly twice as good at understanding spoken language, but this listening focus has been a great reason for me to look for new and different audio sources. I’m more surrounded by Welsh audio, and that’s automatically going to add more of it into my routine. Neis!
Reading
I had no goals, but I did read quite a bit anyway. Encouraging!
Speaking
My goal was to advertise for a new Welsh language partner locally, and I can report success! I put a post into a local residents’ group on Facebook. You know the one: “what’s that noise on Jackson street?”…but lucky for me, one out of the many people who read posts in the group referred me to Welsh speaker Jane.
Now I have someone to meet for coffee on a regular basis, and I’ve felt exhausted, excited and abuzz after speaking to her. I can make myself understood on any topic we’ve covered, and her talking speed is definitely adding to that listening practice.
In addition, I completed Say Something in Welsh Level 2, Challenge 22.
Writing
I did have a goal here, which was to write 6 pages using writing prompts. Goal achieved…but I’m not sure how enjoyable I found the topics so far. I prefer writing messages to friends in Welsh, and luckily I do this 3-4 times a week now.
Contact Goal
Every month, I log my “daily contact” with the Welsh language using the Streaks app. January was excellent with 20 days of contact. It’s a habit!
If you’re interested in a printable tracking system for your own language routine, have a look at the Language Habit Toolkit.
Goals For February 2019
Exciting times! I think it’s time to set goals in Chinese.
My Welsh level is comfortable and I’m feeling secure enough to share some attention. I will not set listening, speaking, reading and writing goals in two languages for the same month. That seems like overkill.
Chinese Language Goals
While I get used to easing off on Welsh, my February goals in Chinese are simple:
- Start a Chinese study notebook so I can play with sentences and practice a few characters
- Spend 3 hours studying Chinese in total
- Get a textbook or two out of the library to test drive them
Welsh Language Goals
I’ve been enjoying the structure of having specific goals, and for February I’ll still pick on specific areas out of listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Since I have set up a successful Welsh habit and made lots of friends who speak the language, it’s now fairly regular for me to read and write Welsh in texts and books. Yay!!
Listening is a weakness of mine. I can understand 60-100% of the spoken language now depending on dialect and speed, but I want to feel more comfortable. I’ll aim for 5 days of Welsh audio contact every week, using one of these sources probably:
- Parallel.cymru Newyddion
- Radio Cymru
- Mynd am Beint Gyda
- Spotify Welsh Music
- Say Something in Welsh
Speaking is obviously a key to success at this stage. I want to chat with friends or meet my tutor at least 3 times, and I’ll work on Say Something in Welsh too.
I’d love to make a few videos in Welsh but am struggling for time this month.
Other goals:
- Book a place on another Welsh residential course, this time at the higher level. What could go wrong!
- Say Something in Welsh! I realised today that I’m 3 challenges away from FINISHING Level 2. I can do it!
WOW so there we have it - a big catch-up on my language learning goals and live documentation of how I’m starting to learn Chinese. It’s arguably my 9th foreign language to be studied in some level of seriousness.
What Are Your Language Goals?
It’s time for a new year - are you studying a new language?
If you have ambitions in German, don’t forget to visit www.german2019.com where my free course is launching next month.
How was your January? Leave a comment below and share how you got on.
Struggling with listening? Discover realistic tips, challenge prompts, and the best tools for improving your listening skills as a self-guided language learner