How to Study that New Language

Now you have got the ‘when’ and ‘where’ of your study sorted, you can start to focus on how to study – this is the real key to effectiveness. It can also be an area of considerable concern, especially if it’s been a few years since your last period of study.  

Don’t worry – the tutors at your centre will be happy to advise you, but you should:

·         be aware of your own learning style – what works and what does not work; 

·         Recognize that we all have different learning styles. The fact that a colleague can absorb textbook content more quickly than you isn’t a negative reflection on your ability; it just denotes a difference in styles. You may be much better at practical assignments.
We will discuss the work of Honey and Mumford on learning styles. They categorized four types of learners:  

Activists Learners

If you are an activist, you like to be doing. You want to try things for yourself, and will enjoy practical sessions in class. Try and look for opportunities to test out your learning in the workplace. Devise tests and activities to help make your study more practical.  

You may find it harder to understand the underpinning theory and its implications. Activists can fall into the trap of seeing the task in terms of finishing the subject, so they rush through the material. Take time to review and reflect.  

Pragmatists Learners
You are interested in knowing whether things work in practice. Case studies and practitioners’ comments will be of most interest to you. Articles in People Management and presentations and discussions at branch meetings will be good sources for your learning.

Take every opportunity to talk to other practitioners. 
You will need to take care not to dismiss academic theory. It provides the essential foundations to your work as a practitioner, so consider it with a view to seeing how and where it can add value. 

Reflectors Learners

Because you do not like to be rushed, the pressures of an intensive programme can leave you reeling. You need time to stop and think about things – so making time for review is critical to your study plan.  

You enjoy feedback sessions, so make the most of any discussions and opinions shared in class. You might also get a lot out of our online discussions and debates. You will have to make more of an effort than others to turn theory into practice and action. Make sure you manage your progress so that reflection does not slow the pace.  

Theorists Learners
You like to discover the theory and concepts from the analysis. You are good at integrating information from different sources, so you’ll have no problem using tutor notes, websites and textbooks to help you build up the bigger picture.  

You will need to make more of an effort when it comes to looking at different views and approaches – make sure you listen carefully to others, perhaps by following one of the online discussions or asking others for different views. 

Now, you can define the type of learner you are and start using this information to help you succeed in your new language study. Choose a language of your choice from the language store and start learning a second language today. 

To your language learning success, 

Peace

How to Find the Time to Study a New Language

Your first challenge in learning a new language is to find the time you need for study. Talk to your language tutors for advice on how many hours a week they recommend, and always remember to allocate more time in the run-up to exams or when assessments are due.  

But just where will these hours come from? You’ll need to reallocate time from other activities. Different students find different solutions to this problem. You may find it helpful to keep a time log for a week to see how you spend your time in practice (it may contain a few surprises!). This will help you to identify suitable windows of opportunity for study of your new language.  

As you do your audit, remember: 

·         Several shorter bursts of study are often more effective than long hours poring over books.  

·         You’ll be most effective when you’re fresh and alert. If you’re a morning person, try to avoid burning the midnight oil. If you’re a night owl, setting the alarm for a 05:30am start is unlikely to be effective.  

·         There may be opportunities for combining learning with other routine activities. For example, when travelling to and from work, read on the train or bus or listen to material taken from study sessions or the media.

Follow and subscribe to this blog and learn more tips on how to study and learn that new language you have always wanted to speak.

These tips are going to be in steps, this is step 1, do come for the step 2, thanks for reading and sharing with friends.