How to Learn a New Language by Sharing

Sharing what you learn with your fellow students; helps you as an individual to understand what you are learning, memorize and remember everything because you have tried to explain and expound upon it to your friends.  

Learning a new language need not be done in isolation. You may be part of a class or group, but you can do even more outside class. Support and help each other and enjoy the social aspects of study.  

Below are some exercises you can do to help facilitate group learning:  

·  Take it in turns to host a language study session, set an agenda, organize contributions or plan a debate.  

· Set up an e-group so that you can share information quickly and easily – email your colleagues with information about interesting language media programmes and articles.  

·  Share research and reading by splitting up subjects and asking for summaries and highlights of key points.  

·  Circulate cuttings and case examples to ensure you are all aware of the hottest topics. 

· Review and provide feedback on assignments or practice exam questions. 

· Visit other students’ workplaces to broaden your sector knowledge and understanding;  

· Visit the Communities on our website to discuss your learning with other students. 

In a nutshell, you cannot learn a new language alone, without sharing and practising with friends, so with the above guidelines, I hope we can now study that new language with vigour and determination.

Happy language learning.

How to Learn a New Language - 3 Errors

Learning a new language is easy and possible for anyone who wants to speak a second (2^nd) language. However there are some misguided ideas or Errors about learning a new language that I will like us to look at and see how untrue those myths are.  

I will explain three of those commonly used “errors” about language learning that will be discussed below.  

Error 1) It is not possible to learn a new language fast

It is not TRUE - It is possible that you have heard this exact line from one of your teachers when you took a language in school. Or you may have heard it from one of your friends who is living in a foreign country and making little headway in the native tongue. Fortunately, it's a myth. Today’s technology has made it possible for anyone who want to learn a new language whether old or young to learn it fast enough.

Error 2) It is much easier to learn a new language as a child.

It is a LIE... It is a familiar story and it goes something like this: you only have a limited window during your childhood to learn languages. During this time your child brain is much more capable of absorbing linguistic information. If you don't learn a second language then, your circuitry shuts off and this window slams shut on all of your aspirations to be bilingual. Or at least you are condemned to a much more difficult path should you even attempt to try as an adult. 

The reason is that: I am no longer a child; therefore I will not be able to learn another language easily or at all. But try this logic on for size instead: this idea is a myth, therefore it's false! Again, technology has made it possible for even an old man or woman to learn a new language like a child at their own pace.  

Error 3)

The best way to learn a new language is to go to that foreign country and immerse, immerse, immerse…

It is a LIE… Immersion is a very fashionable word when it comes to concocting language learning catch-phrases. And for good reason, surrounding oneself with other native speakers and being forced to communicate in the target language most if not all of the time is a powerful way to learn a second language. 

But here is the thing: you do not need to go to Germany to immerse yourself in German, Italy to immerse yourself in Italian, Korea to immerse yourself in Korean, and so on. This belief just puts another obstacle in your path, and gives you an all-too-tidy excuse not to take your language learning seriously in the meantime. It is true, the onus lies on the individual to plan and take his new language learning seriously. 

To your love for languages.