How do you measure success when learning a language? For some people success is measured in exams, certificates and qualifications, for others it is more a question of gaining confidence to be able to do things which you couldn’t do before, like ordering a coffee – or discussing your refurbishment project with the builder! Today’s success story is about Liz. Here is what she says:
“Owning a home in the Swiss Alps, I recently needed to significantly progress my working knowledge of French to cope with the redevelopment of our property there and so liaise with builders and suppliers. I enjoyed fun and diverse learning sessions where all key language skills were addressed; vocabulary and scenarios relevant to houses and building really helped me specifically.”
It wasn’t all about the building project. We also took care to help with grammar so that Liz could understand whether people were talking about things they had already done or what was to be done in the future. Liz continues: “For the first time too, grammar was understandable. Teri’s grammar sheets clearly showed how to construct particular tenses and the structure of sentences in terms of word order – something I had always struggled with at school.”
Liz continued with classes after the completion of the refurbishment project and periodically returns for additional conversation practice. She concludes “Language Learners lessons have definitely progressed my ability in French and I feel confident to liaise in a multitude of scenarios. I still have a lot to learn, but I know I can speak, read and write at a much higher level than ever before and my understanding, gained from a range of interactive listening exercises, has also progressed.”
The jump from a good grade at GCSE to the higher expectations of A Level can be a large one. Some students feel unprepared for the expectations of independent study and don’t know where to start, let alone how to structure their time efficiently. If your school tells you to do 10 hours per week independent study on top of what they already set, where do you start? This is especially true with a foreign language where it can be hard to know what to look at or which techniques to use to maximise the return on your time investment.
A good place to start is by going over your notes from the classes or lectures you have had that week. Don’t leave it too long, or you will forget what was said and may struggle to make sense of your notes. Re-write your notes if you need to add more details and get busy with highlighter pens and underlining so that you can easily see the key points. If you have time, write yourself a quiz now, using the information in your notes to form the basis of the questions. Put the quiz in a separate place for later use, so that you have a ready-made resource when it comes to revision time.
If you find that there was something you didn’t understand, ask NOW. Ask a friend, look it up in a book or online (make sure your resources are good quality ones!) or even go back to the teacher/lecturer and ask for clarification. Far better to do that within the fortnight, rather than waiting until exam time.
With specific regard to languages, it is important to get as much listening practice as possible. Use online resources such as news websites to find articles that you can listen to as well as read. Euronews (www.euronews.com), Deutsche Welle (www.dw.com) and 1jour1actu (www.1jour1actu.fr) are all good examples.
Language Learners can help with the question of independent study and note-taking skills through our Study Skills tutoring sessions. These classes are ideal for those making the jump between GCSE and A Level or for those who are facing exams this year and aren’t sure how to manage their time in order to fit in revision as well as essays and other commitments. We can help students to establish a regular schedule of personal study on top of their academic and social commitments, as well as giving a range of tips on independent research, essay planning and exam technique.
School has started and many children are facing their first formal lessons in a second (or third) language. These early days are the best time to start those great study habits which will stand them in good stead in the years to come, and hopefully save you a lot of stress and tutor fees in the future!
1.A vocabulary book. Way back when I was at school (not quite as long ago as Queen Victoria!), we had vocabulary notebooks. These were brought out for every lesson and we carefully noted down the new words so we could learn them for our weekly vocab test. Schools and learning methods have moved on but I still recommend one of these as you can take it with you from year to year, it gathers all the useful words together by topic and the teacher will never deprive you of it while they mark your homework.
How to set one up? It’s fairly simple – buy a notebook (an A5 one will do and they are not expensive). Fold the page down the middle, lengthways, so that you have two columns. Write the title at the top and then the target language in the left column and your home language in the right column. Bingo. If you are tackling a short topic such as numbers, then one or two pages will do. If you think the topic may end up as a long one, for example food, then leave a spare page or two so you can add extra words later.
Important – when writing down your new words make sure you include the gender and the plural if it is a noun, details if it is irregular, the past participle if it is a verb and any other useful information. As one example, German has three different genders for nouns and you definitely don’t want to have to go back and re-learn them all in time for Year 11 exams! You could try highlighting them in a different colour for each gender.
2.A grammar folder. There will be lots of grammar concepts to learn in the new language. These will probably come in steady dribs and drabs over the next three to four years and believe me, it is a real pain having to flick through old exercise books from several years ago in order to find something.
How to set one up? Buy an A4 folder, in whatever colour you like, and a set of dividers. Each time you learn a new grammar concept e.g. the present tense, adjective endings, word order etc you write it up onto a sheet of paper. Use highlighter pens, underlining, diagrams or whatever seems appropriate. Then file it in your folder under an appropriate subject heading e.g. “Tenses”.
3.Sticky Notes. Whether you use them for your shopping list, or to leave messages for the family, sticky notes are a common sight in many homes. Whether you get plain yellow ones, coloured ones, funny shapes, or the ones which look like speech bubbles, they can be fantastic for vocabulary learning. The obvious idea is to label the items you are trying to learn e.g. “door”, “table”, “toaster” but you could also just write any other word that you need to learn and then stick them up around the home as a regular reminder. Move them around regularly so you don’t get too used to them – or write your target language on one note and your home language on another, then try to match them up. Invest. Invest in sticky notes, now!
4.Regular practice time. Trying to learn a new grammar idea, or a list of words is much better done in several short bursts each week rather than one mammoth session. It is much more likely to stick if you have practised more than once. You could try focused learning for 10 minutes, three times per week. Or do as some of our students do and put your list near the kettle (or on the back of the bathroom door) so you see it regularly.
5.Vocab tests. Whether or not your school does regular testing of vocab, it is a simple thing to write a list of the words you are learning (just your home language) and then slip it into a folder for later. When it comes to revision time you have a handy set of tests you can use to see how well you know the topic.
It may be a bit of an effort to help your child to set these habits at the beginning of their language learning time, but it will almost certainly save time later on and hopefully help to streamline the learning process for them.
As social media is flooded with back-to-school pictures of angelic-looking children in shiny, new (rather large) school uniforms it can be a time for many of us to think of new beginnings. Here are seven tips for those learning a new language to help with those initial stages:
1. Learn your vocabulary! It may seem a bit silly when you only know 10 words, but if you start with good habits from the beginning then you will see that vocabulary grow to 100 or 1000 words before you know it. Write lists, make flashcards, invest in sticky notes and label everything you own – whatever works for you and your style of learning.
2.If the language you are learning uses a gender-system for nouns, then get to grips with it sooner rather than later. It may seem a lot of trouble for something you aren’t familiar with, but gendered nouns tend to lead to gendered adjectives and before you know it, it becomes important to know whether “the table” is masculine or feminine! Try highlighting the words using a different colour for each gender (French has two, German has three) and see if it helps you. Time spent at the beginning, learning each gender as you learn the noun, will save much heartache later on as you get more fluent.
3.If the plural isn’t always “s” – then learn the plural at the same time as the singular. You may think that English is easy as every plural is made with “s” – but that isn’t always the case! “Sheeps” or “Fishs”, anyone?
4.Listen to as much of your new language as possible. Music-heavy radio stations will provide limited opportunities, but a good discussion show or news report will give you a great exposure to the natural rhythm of the language and its intonation, even if you aren’t too sure what they are talking about.
5.Practice little and often. Three shorter sessions in a week will be easier to digest than one mammoth session – and practice makes perfect! Try carving out some scheduled time in your diary for study, revision and vocabulary learning.
6.If you like technology, then use it. Just don’t get obsessed with it! There are many language learning apps available. Some of them are even free. They can be really useful for vocabulary and even sentence practice, but none of them are as good as finding someone who speaks the language really well and having a conversation with them (with regular corrections and a dictionary to hand!)
7.Face up to the grammar monster! A substantial number of my students tell me they don’t want to learn grammar, they just want to learn how to talk. Well…… if you don’t want to risk sounding like a three-year-old, or inadvertently offending your key client by being overly familiar, then you will have to face grammar at some point. There are many good grammar guides available to help you with the basics and it may be worth considering a tutor, at least for a few sessions, to help you with anything you are finding tricky.
There you go – seven tips for learning a new language. Now go out, and HAVE FUN learning, because if you enjoy it then you are more likely to make a success of it!
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
