🔤 Learning a new language - Beyond the first steps to becoming a polyglot | Polyglot ABC
You've done step 1 & step 2 into learning a new language to become a polyglot…
**********
English, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Mandarin, French, Romanian, Hebrew, Russian, Bulgarian, American Sign Language!
Remember how to say "Hello" in each of these languages? :)
**********
While the first 2 steps were about 'starting' ("🔤 Learning a new language - Step 1 to becoming a polyglot") and 'making the commitment to putting in the effort' ("🔤 Learning a new language - Step 2 to becoming a polyglot"), from here on out there is no particular order in which my tips, tricks & advice apply. They're just 'the next steps' or simply 'steps' to help you along the way in learning multiple new languages simultaneously ("🔤 Learning multiple new languages simultaneously, and not just one at a time (polyglot or not)") -OR- a single new language more efficiently and deeply.
In this article, I will discuss a step that you'll have to be aware of while treading deeper into a new language learning adventure…
That extra hour a week can however, sometimes, get lost… a busy or tiresome week, other arrangements, being sick etc. We all know our excuses. THAT'S why Step 1 & Step 2 are so important!
Don't let something (or yourself) get in the way!
So here are a few tips on making sure you're always getting somewhere with your new language learning:
At this point, my next tips are truly independent points that I will dedicate separate blog posts to… But, they all depend on the base of these 'first steps' series ("Learning a new language - …").
Share *your* (new) language learning/polyglot experience in the comments section below:
- Do *you* have any tips that help you 'start' or 'commit' to learning a new language?
Feel free to become a new language learning/polyglot friend on Facebook: Genaro van der Werff
**********
Hello, Hallo (3), Halla, Hej, Hola, Ola, Ciao, Ni hao, Salut (2), Shalom, Privet, Zdravei, 👋🏼 (American Sign Language)!
Remember what language these "Hello"'s belong to? :)
**********
Previous blog post: "🔤 Learning a new language - Step 2 to becoming a polyglot"
Next blog post: "🔤 Pronunciation - Tips for a hard part in learning a new language (get the Glot in PolyGlot)"
Blog crumbs:
Polyglot ABC Blog » Learning strategies » Preparation » "Learning a new language - Beyond the first steps to becoming a polyglot" (This Blog Post)
**********
English, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Mandarin, French, Romanian, Hebrew, Russian, Bulgarian, American Sign Language!
Remember how to say "Hello" in each of these languages? :)
**********
While the first 2 steps were about 'starting' ("🔤 Learning a new language - Step 1 to becoming a polyglot") and 'making the commitment to putting in the effort' ("🔤 Learning a new language - Step 2 to becoming a polyglot"), from here on out there is no particular order in which my tips, tricks & advice apply. They're just 'the next steps' or simply 'steps' to help you along the way in learning multiple new languages simultaneously ("🔤 Learning multiple new languages simultaneously, and not just one at a time (polyglot or not)") -OR- a single new language more efficiently and deeply.
In this article, I will discuss a step that you'll have to be aware of while treading deeper into a new language learning adventure…
Remember how I told you in Step 2 that you'd only need about 15 to 30 minutes extra each day to really be learning a new language? Well, while that holds true, you should also schedule at least 1 hour a week to do research and preparation for learning a new language… How else will you get to a new/next level!?
That extra hour a week can however, sometimes, get lost… a busy or tiresome week, other arrangements, being sick etc. We all know our excuses. THAT'S why Step 1 & Step 2 are so important!
Don't let something (or yourself) get in the way!
So here are a few tips on making sure you're always getting somewhere with your new language learning:
1. Start!
Yes, this was Step 1, but it keeps on applying!
Whenever you 'think' about doing something, start doing it NOW!
You don't have to finish it. You don't have to meticulously get it all worked out. BUT you DO have to START with it, right away. And you can always do that:
Thinking of a word you'd like to know or a conversation you'd like to have in a certain new language, but you're in a meeting or otherwise occupied at the moment? Write it down, make a note, and put it on the top of your pile of papers and/or to-do list. That's it! You've started!
At your earliest opportunity you can look up that word, make screenshots of the translation, and at the next convenient time, either your nightly 15 minutes of practice, or your 1 hour of preparation for the week, you can work it out and finish the list you've started. See! No excuses.
Yes, this was Step 1, but it keeps on applying!
Whenever you 'think' about doing something, start doing it NOW!
You don't have to finish it. You don't have to meticulously get it all worked out. BUT you DO have to START with it, right away. And you can always do that:
Thinking of a word you'd like to know or a conversation you'd like to have in a certain new language, but you're in a meeting or otherwise occupied at the moment? Write it down, make a note, and put it on the top of your pile of papers and/or to-do list. That's it! You've started!
At your earliest opportunity you can look up that word, make screenshots of the translation, and at the next convenient time, either your nightly 15 minutes of practice, or your 1 hour of preparation for the week, you can work it out and finish the list you've started. See! No excuses.
2. Start!
No, that isn't a typo! It's a different 'Start!', yet it shows just how important that first step is and why.
This 'Start!' is about starting to use what you're learning. Do it as soon as you can, as soon as the first possibility presents itself… you can even backtrack and make that opportunity yourself. What I mean by this is that you shouldn't wait to use even a single word once you've encountered it.
Let's take the simplest example of "Hello" in a new language… Do you first have to know someone else who speaks that new language? Do you first have to be able to string together an entire conversation in that new language? No! You can say that foreign language "Hello" to anyone! Meeting 14 different people today? Tell each of them "Hello" in a different new language! You might get an odd look, but you'll also get the opportunity to explain to them that you're learning a certain new language and are just practicing. Would you hold that against someone if they said that to you? Almost certainly not, and neither will they.
Another opportunity is when you're speaking to someone who actually knows or speaks that new language. Learning a new verb but don't know how to conjugate it for a particular subject you want to refer to in that new language? No problem, just use what you know, and the other will correct you.
No, that isn't a typo! It's a different 'Start!', yet it shows just how important that first step is and why.
This 'Start!' is about starting to use what you're learning. Do it as soon as you can, as soon as the first possibility presents itself… you can even backtrack and make that opportunity yourself. What I mean by this is that you shouldn't wait to use even a single word once you've encountered it.
Let's take the simplest example of "Hello" in a new language… Do you first have to know someone else who speaks that new language? Do you first have to be able to string together an entire conversation in that new language? No! You can say that foreign language "Hello" to anyone! Meeting 14 different people today? Tell each of them "Hello" in a different new language! You might get an odd look, but you'll also get the opportunity to explain to them that you're learning a certain new language and are just practicing. Would you hold that against someone if they said that to you? Almost certainly not, and neither will they.
Another opportunity is when you're speaking to someone who actually knows or speaks that new language. Learning a new verb but don't know how to conjugate it for a particular subject you want to refer to in that new language? No problem, just use what you know, and the other will correct you.
Bottom line: Don't hold back! :)
3. Commit!
Yes, Step 2! And I promise the next tips won't be repeats 😉.
This ties into what I said at the beginning of this blog post… Be aware of an extra hour of preparation for learning a new language each week AND plan/commit that extra hour for actually learning a new language. Don't plan it loosely and say "Ah, I'll certainly have an hour in the weekend to spend on learning a new language"… No! SCHEDULE it for a specific hour on a specific day in the week AND KEEP that hour free from any other plans! It can be a morning, an afternoon or at night, but just commit yourself to schedule anything else OUTSIDE of that pre-scheduled hour for learning a new language!
Yes, Step 2! And I promise the next tips won't be repeats 😉.
This ties into what I said at the beginning of this blog post… Be aware of an extra hour of preparation for learning a new language each week AND plan/commit that extra hour for actually learning a new language. Don't plan it loosely and say "Ah, I'll certainly have an hour in the weekend to spend on learning a new language"… No! SCHEDULE it for a specific hour on a specific day in the week AND KEEP that hour free from any other plans! It can be a morning, an afternoon or at night, but just commit yourself to schedule anything else OUTSIDE of that pre-scheduled hour for learning a new language!
4. Overshoot!
Now for the new stuff!
Remember point 3? Where you just scheduled 1 hour a week free to prepare for learning a new language, no matter what? Well, try to schedule 1 more hour on a different day, a few days apart, as well. That 2nd hour *can be*, but preferably is *not*, loose. Now you have a backup hour, which you can use to finish any preparation you didn't manage in that first hour. If you don't need it, you can use it to work ahead and prepare some new language learning for a future week. Which is immediately a point for the next example of 'overshooting'…
Prepare more than you think to use in the next week! At some point you'll get a sense of how many words and/or sentences you can handle during a week. Don't let that limit your preparation for learning a new language though! Find 1, 2 or 3 more words to translate, even random ones if you can't think of relevant or associated ones, translate them and put them in a list. You won't study them yet, but at some point you will run out of inspiration, not sure what your next words, sentence or conversation should be, or… skipped your weekly preparation hour ☝🏼… At that point you will have those extra sets of words to keep your momentum in learning a new language going.
Now for the new stuff!
Remember point 3? Where you just scheduled 1 hour a week free to prepare for learning a new language, no matter what? Well, try to schedule 1 more hour on a different day, a few days apart, as well. That 2nd hour *can be*, but preferably is *not*, loose. Now you have a backup hour, which you can use to finish any preparation you didn't manage in that first hour. If you don't need it, you can use it to work ahead and prepare some new language learning for a future week. Which is immediately a point for the next example of 'overshooting'…
Prepare more than you think to use in the next week! At some point you'll get a sense of how many words and/or sentences you can handle during a week. Don't let that limit your preparation for learning a new language though! Find 1, 2 or 3 more words to translate, even random ones if you can't think of relevant or associated ones, translate them and put them in a list. You won't study them yet, but at some point you will run out of inspiration, not sure what your next words, sentence or conversation should be, or… skipped your weekly preparation hour ☝🏼… At that point you will have those extra sets of words to keep your momentum in learning a new language going.
At this point, my next tips are truly independent points that I will dedicate separate blog posts to… But, they all depend on the base of these 'first steps' series ("Learning a new language - …").
Share *your* (new) language learning/polyglot experience in the comments section below:
- Do *you* have any tips that help you 'start' or 'commit' to learning a new language?
Feel free to become a new language learning/polyglot friend on Facebook: Genaro van der Werff
**********
Hello, Hallo (3), Halla, Hej, Hola, Ola, Ciao, Ni hao, Salut (2), Shalom, Privet, Zdravei, 👋🏼 (American Sign Language)!
Remember what language these "Hello"'s belong to? :)
**********
Previous blog post: "🔤 Learning a new language - Step 2 to becoming a polyglot"
Next blog post: "🔤 Pronunciation - Tips for a hard part in learning a new language (get the Glot in PolyGlot)"
Blog crumbs:
Polyglot ABC Blog » Learning strategies » Preparation » "Learning a new language - Beyond the first steps to becoming a polyglot" (This Blog Post)
Comments
Post a Comment
Polyglot with us! Add your comments to this Blog post in English AND your own native language, so we can all learn a new (or old) language together :)