What do you think it takes to be a successful language learner?
And can anyone become a good language learner?
Even though you might think that there are complicated things and resources for a person to become a successful language learner, it doesn’t.
On the contrary, it is quite simple so that any person can become a good language learner.
Now you must be thinking how that’s great but how can you succeed in it, especially if you learn some quite difficult languages?
Well, there are some secrets and catches you should get to know to become a successful language learner.
So, stay with us because you'll find out the catches that help you to become a successful language learner even if you learn some of the hardest languages.
So, without further adieu, let’s dive in.
8 Effective Tips On How to Be a Successful Language Learner
Set Your Goals
Before you start learning a foreign language, you should determine your goals. Why do you want to learn the language?
How many words and phrases should you learn daily?
Under which time period do you want to achieve your desired level of proficiency?
These, and other important questions that concern language learning should be useful enough to help you set particular goals.
When you exactly know your path in learning a language, the easier it will be to get to the finish line.
Ask Questions
How to say something in past tenses?
What is the meaning of that phrase you’ve read?
Which word you can use in different contexts?
All these questions are useful to ask if you want to get answers in your target language.
Questions like these help you boost your vocabulary and use grammar rules correctly.
Just like there are different types of language learners, such as visual or kinesthetic ones, there are the types that successfully learn by asking questions.
This way, you get new information and your brain gets the time to process them and then to use them when needed.
Don’t Be Embarrassed to Make Mistakes
Practically every person in the world who learns a foreign language makes mistakes while studying.
That’s a normal part of language learning and you shouldn’t be ashamed of it.
Instead of being embarrassed, try to learn from your mistakes. Give them one more experience that can help you in language learning.
If you have the opportunity to practice and improve your speaking skills with native speakers, don’t be afraid just because you think you’ll make mistakes. No native speaker will laugh at you. On the contrary, they will surely be impressed because you are trying to learn their native language and they will correct you and help you with it.
Track Your Progress
After setting goals, one more secret of successful language learners is tracking their progress.
When you start learning a new language from scratch, you should set your goals on a weekly basis, for example. At the end of every week, you can see and track how far you’ve come, how many words you’ve learned, or which grammar parts you’ve learned to use properly.
Besides having an overview of your progress, this is an ideal reason that keeps you motivated and to move forward.
Practice The Language Whenever You Can
Use the opportunity to practice the language whenever and wherever you can.
If you are a Chinese student, for example, waiting in a long queue, use that time to listen to the Chinese podcasts and improve your listening skills. Or if you need a long time to get to work, take advantage of it and use it to listen to audiobooks or read some useful books about language learning.
That way, not only your time will pass quickly but you will use that time for something useful, such as improving your language skills.
Believe us, you will be thankful.
Think in Your Target Language
One of the things that can help you learn your target language successfully is thinking in a foreign language.
Yes, easier to say than do but that is one of the most efficient ways of language learning.
No matter which proficiency level you’ve reached and how many words you know, thinking in your target language helps your brain to get used to the new language.
Even if you don’t speak with others in that language, practice thinking every day. Choose a topic and think about what you would say, which words and expressions you would use.
Describe your environment, your house, think about which words you would use to explain your ordinary day from the moment you get up until you go to bed at night.
If it’s easier, you can say it out loud, too.
Be Patient But Persistent
There are plenty of useful ways and methods that can help you learn the language. After choosing the method that suits you the best and helps you learn and practice the language efficiently, stick to it.
Don’t change ways of learning a language just because you don’t see the results right away. Nothing can happen overnight (except if you come from Harry Potter’s world and have a magic wand).
In the beginning, most language learners are full of enthusiasm and motivation to learn the language but over time, that fades away.
Don’t let that happen to you.
Be patient but study regularly. Don’t skip your schedule. Stay concentrated while learning. Give your best to understand things you find challenging.
Immerse Yourself In The Language
Even though it is considered one of the most difficult methods of language learning, the immersive approach of language learning is, undoubtedly, the most useful one.
By immersion in language learning, it is considered that a language learner has to use the target language all the time. Mainly, it is spending some time in the country where the language is spoken. That way, language learners don’t have other solutions but to use the language all day, every day. It can be quite challenging at first, especially if students just started learning the language, but over time it takes to full fluency.
Luckily, today, there are other ways for students to immerse themselves in the language and not traveling to the country where their target language is spoken.
If you aren’t sure if that suits you perfectly, you can always try a free trial lesson.
Final Thoughts
Now you see that to be a successful language learner doesn’t require any magic.
It only takes several ways and catches that help you get into the language efficiently.
And don’t forget to make language learning fun and amusing. That way, you will learn the language even better and be proud of yourself that you can speak with native speakers with full confidence.
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How to be a successful language learner?
Set Your Goals, Ask Questions, Don’t Be Embarrassed to Make Mistakes, Track Your Progress, Practice The Language Whenever You Can, Think in Your Target Language, Be Patient But Persistent, Immerse Yourself In The Language
