Let’s Make Language Learning Fun
Language learning can feel like a chore. Adapting to a new way of speaking includes learning new vocabulary words, practicing pronunciation, and most importantly, making sure there is an understanding of what’s being learned. Long story short, it can get old very quickly. But learning a language is a very valuable skill that is worth exploring if the chance presents itself.
Let’s look at some facts:
Only 20% of the US population is bilingual
Roughly 3% of the world can speak more than four languages
That means more than half of the entire world can speak more than one language!
It’s okay if you need a bit of motivation and encouragement, learning a language is no easy feat. Not everyone is fortunate enough to start language learning when they’re a child, even if it is really common. It’s never too late to learn though, don’t let young(er) learners discourage you! If you’re still not sure, I’ll share some tips that have helped me practice my language learning skills as an older learner.
1. Try making a recipe in your target language
Food in itself is a language. It is often used to communicate sentiments of love, tenderness, remorse or simply kindness. Opting to cook something in your target language can not only familiarize you with new vocabulary words you’d never seen, but it can connect you with the cultural roots behind the food and language of your choosing. Ideally, you’d choose a simple recipe that is of your interest and give it your best effort. Bon Appétit!
2. Change the settings on your preferred device to the language you’re trying to learn
Sometimes, getting off our phones is hard. Other times, we find entertainment waiting for us at the click of a button or a simple scroll and that can deter us from putting the time and effort into practicing our vocab words. But that isn’t entirely a bad thing if the words we see on our screen aren’t in our native tongue. This tactic is a particularly versatile one because it can be modified based on your level of knowledge on the language of your choice. If changing the entire language configuration of your device is too much, start by changing the language(s) on your social media and/or streaming platforms and move up from there. Ultimately, you’ll be able to navigate on your device just as you did before!
3. Consume media in the language of your choosing
Let’s say you managed to get off your phone and are determined to get some language practice done, but you don’t really feel like sticking to a simple lesson plan. What better way to beat boredom than to have a dance party? Listening to music in your target language can have lots of benefits, especially when it comes to pronunciation. Watching your comfort movie or TV show in your target language can also be of benefit to you. Not all learning needs to be traditional– fun and inventive techniques can be just as effective if you stick to them!
4. Play word learning games in your target language
The entire world is currently in a Wordle phase. Something about having six tries to guess a random five-letter word really gets people going. The Wordle’s popularity has expanded into other things, such as music and countries around the world. Lucky for you, that means that other websites offer a version of the Wordle in other languages. If you aren’t with the times and not a part of the Wordle trend, now is the time to get on it! However, if you think only finding one word in six tries isn’t enough of a challenge, try doing a full crossword puzzle in your target language, or try a different version of Scrabble. Happy guessing!
5. Joke around with the language you want to learn
Oftentimes, jokes and common sayings get lost in translation when watching or listening to podcasts/movies/TV shows in another language. What better way to fix that than to learn the equivalent joke/saying? Taking the time to find the equivalent translation can help you learn contextual skills, expand your vocabulary, and give you fun icebreakers to use if you’re ever in need of any. It’ll make you look knowledgeable, too. Just be sure to use what you learn in the appropriate settings!
A Parting Note…
Learning a new language is never an easy undertaking, congrats for being brave and following through! It’s okay to stumble and fall and make mistakes, the important part is to take a break and try again. Remember, there is not a right way to learn, only what is right for you. Finding a groove and sticking to it can be challenging, but once you find your niche there’s no going back! My advice is this… while you embark on your language journey, start saving some money and plan a little getaway to a country that speaks the language you want to learn. When you feel confident enough, go on that well-deserved adventure! There is no better teacher than experience. Just remember to take it one word at a time. Happy learning!
Works Cited
Galatro, T. (2022, April 12). Why Do Children Learn Languages Faster than Adults? Tessa International School. https://tessais.org/children-learn-languages-faster-adults/#:%7E:text=It%20is%20because%20of%20the,as%20the%20%E2%80%9Ccritical%20period%E2%80%9D.
Gration, E. (2022, April 5). Bilingualism in 2021: US, UK & Global Statistics. Language Learning with Preply Blog. https://preply.com/en/blog/bilingualism-statistics/#:%7E:text=However%2C%20current%20estimates%20predict%20that,more%20than%20one%20language%20fluently.
Lokot, T. (2022, February 6). ‘Your’dle: Wordle is now available in many of the world’s languages. Globalvoices.Org. https://globalvoices.org/2022/02/02/yourdle-wordle-is-now-available-in-many-of-the-worlds-languages/amp/
Mathews, J. (2019, April 25). Half of the world is bilingual. What’s our problem? Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/half-the-world-is-bilingual-whats-our-problem/2019/04/24/1c2b0cc2-6625-11e9-a1b6-b29b90efa879_story.html
Multilingual People - Are you a polyglot? (2018). Ilanguages.Org. http://ilanguages.org/bilingual.php
Music as an Effective Tool for Learning Languages | Altissia. (2022). Altissia.Org. https://altissia.org/music-as-an-effective-tool-for-learning-languages/#:%7E:text=Music%20offers%20many%20advantages%20for,pronounced%20than%20when%20we%20speak.
Valencia, G. (2020, April 7). The language of food. FIU News. https://news.fiu.edu/2020/the-language-of-food
Watching Subtitled Films Can Help Learning Foreign Languages. (2016). National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4927148/
