Learning a new language is a lifelong skill. However, it’s also a journey, requiring learners to gain confidence and extend their vocabulary over time. Without additional practice, a foreign language learning experience is likely to become a passing fancy, just as it is in most British schools.
A survey revealed that 8 out of 10 students who have studied a foreign language at school, like French or German, come away with little more than an understanding of basic phrases. Whether your goal is to understand, speak, write or simply enjoy foreign travel without the help of Google Translate, continuously learning is the key to success.
At Lingoo, we facilitate exchanges and language immersion experiences. Additionally, we understand that work doesn’t stop after you wave a fond farewell to your host teacher or family. Read on to find out more about how you can continue your language learning journey at home.
Attend lessons
We recommend attending language lessons before and after enjoying your immersive language learning experience. As our recent blog post detailed, lessons give would-be and new learners the confidence to take on and continue language learning long after their homestay holidays have come to an end. After your homestay, attending language lessons can provide a vital opportunity to perfect both accuracy and fluency. Lessons also give you the chance to converse with other people who are interested in language.
Buddy up
Your language exchange or homestay holiday will have seen you enjoy a variety of experiences, and meeting new people is one of them. Keeping in touch with the new friends you made during your stay is a great way to continue your language journey. Whether you choose to keep in touch over the phone, by snail mail or on the net, buddying up with a native speaker is a great way to strengthen your skills and increase your confidence.
If you didn’t manage to keep hold of the contact details of the people who you met on your travels, don’t worry. There are lots of opportunities, both online and off, to find native speakers and fellow language learners to buddy up with. Search online, attend a language club, or keep an eye out for local, language-based events to get in touch with like-minded individuals.
Keep your language learning local
It’s important to stay in touch with the culture that comes with your chosen language. Although you might be far away from the country itself, there are tons of ways you can continue to immerse yourself and practice the language you love. In addition to subscribing to foreign language magazines and catching a movie in the language you’re learning, watching local TV shows is a must. The British Council explains:
“If you spend a year abroad as an English language assistant, there’s a good chance you’ll have lots of spare time and not a lot of money. So while a new Netflix series is a good way to pass the hours, it might be time to opt for something a bit more local (Acapulco Shore and La Voz are my personal favourites in Mexico). Even if you can’t get TV shows with subtitles, listening to as much as you can and making a note of any new vocabulary is a great way to tune into the local dialect.”
Book a holiday
With summer almost here, now couldn’t be a better time to jet off to some far flung destination. If you’ve learned the basics through a classroom-based language course, booking a homestay or language exchange holiday through Lingoo will certainly accelerate your learning. And those who have already enjoyed a homestay or exchange, there’s always an excuse to go back, right?
Find out more about becoming a Lingoo member here.
