While total immersion would be my number one choice, it’s not always reasonable to pack everything up and move to a distant land for X amount of months or even years. Not to mention that some people don’t even like that option for varying reasons and it doesn’t work well for everyone. So how can you learn a foreign language effectively without packing up and shipping off? And here’s the catch… you wanna do so on the cheap. Well, here are some ideas just to get you started. If you’ve got more, add them to the list.
Number One: Use a FREE language program. Some schools or businesses pay for an online subscription to one or more language programs, such as Rosetta Stone. Check with your school or employer they might have one already. If they don’t, you might be able to convince them that they should invest in one. Some public libraries subscribe to such programs as Mango Languages and all you need is a library card. If you can’t find any libraries near you that do subscribe, you can always make a request to your library that they purchase a subscription. It also never hurts to check the library for a language program on book, CD, DVD or tape that you can barrow for FREE. If your local library doesn’t carry the item you’re looking for you can always have it ordered from another library or request that they purchase it. Sometimes I go to www.calcat.org and look through their catalog to find which public libraries carry what I’m looking for.
Number Two: Learn the alphabet. One of the first things to do when learning a new language is to learn the alphabet. It’s one of the first things we teach our kids before they head off to school, so it only makes sense. Knowing the alphabet will help make reading possible… of course that goes without saying. Which brings me to…
Number Three: Immerse yourself in the written word. Even if you can’t carry on a conversation in this secondary language practicing reading helps you get familiar with it and can increase your vocabulary. Children’s books are the best. It especially helps if you’re teaching your child to learn this new language also. It makes it less boring when you’re reading, “El gato es blanco.” You can find all sorts of material to read from: books, newspapers, comics, etc. Just head out to the library or search online. Be careful not to make this your main source of learning. Because you haven’t developed a strong foundation in this new language you will be making many mistakes as you read. Think of a young child learning to read. Children make mistakes, but we don’t discourage them from reading. Instead we encourage them to make small improvements over time. So one: be patient and two: make sure you are learning from a structured program, a native speaker or an instructor in addition to reading on your own. This way correction can be made. As your understanding of this language progresses indulge in books that captivate your interest. Novels can be a great source of reading enjoyment in any language.
Number Four: Immerse your ears as well. Music, movies, television, news, etc… Once again search online or head to your local library (are you noticing a pattern here?). Some options might be found in your own home. We get several Spanish Channels and a couple Korean channels on the ol’ tube. Most DVDs come with language options. So, why not change your favorite movies to Spanish, French, Chinese or what have you with English subtitles. Then when you get a bit savvier dump the subtitles. Not interested in learning any of the languages that usually come as options with most DVDs. Perhaps you’d rather learn Russian or Hebrew? Why not do some light online shopping or hit the markets or even flea markets. Indian markets carry Indian movies, Korean markets carry Korean movies,… I think you get the point. So crack open your phone book and start looking for a market near you. Thrift stores and yard sales are also good places to pick up movies, just make sure that if they’re regionally formatted your player will be able to read them. The back of the DVD should state if it is formatted regionally and if so for which region.
Number Five: Again with the online. The world wide web has so much to offer… sometimes, okay a lot of times… sign into a free chat room, converse via email, text, web cam or voice. There are a ton of options. Many people out there are eager to practice their chosen secondary language with a native speaker. And you should be eager, too! Believe it or not helping someone else learn your native language is going to help you understand their language so much better than if you just learned solely from a language program. You’ll learn slang; you’ll have a better understanding of their sense of humor and their culture just to name a few good reasons. The internet gives us so many different options for connecting with friends we haven’t met yet. There are many sites out there that can help connect you with a conversational buddy… for FREE! Make Google your friend if it isn’t already and find a site that’s right for you.
Number Six: Online you can find sites dedicated to helping people with a common interest get together. Find a site, such as www.meetup.com. It’s as easy as quickly setting up an account, entering your zip code/city & state, your interest, such as, “Learning Japanese” and voila. Meetup groups will suddenly materialize before your eyes. If they haven’t then one has not been created in your area with that site yet. If that’s the case then you have options. Try entering a near by city that you don’t mind going to, find another site or create a meetup group yourself. I’m sure you’re not the only person in your city, town or village.. well, maybe village… that’s trying to learn a second language. I couldn’t find a meetup group in my area for the language I was looking for, Japanese, so I found one in a nearby city. Every group is different. This group meets once a week at a cafe. Some speakers are native Japanese, some are not. Everyone’s at a different level from not even beginners to well advanced. They converse with one another, provide free lessons, watch Japanese movies together, and got to Japanese restaurants. But keep in mind that some groups do require payments, so make sure you read the descriptions before joining a group.
Number Seven: Bring out your inner child. Games are a great way to learn. It’s so much easier to retain information when you’re having fun. You can barrow games from your library, go online or even create your own. Play by yourself or with your kid.. not necessary, but it does make it more fun… usually. Don’t have a kid? Barrow one. I’m sure your sister will be impressed when you bring her son home speaking Hawaiian.
Number Eight: Go app Shopping for FREE! Need I say more? Sure you could buy some for cheap, or you could find some good free ones. There are free apps out there waiting for you to download them so they can help you learn your new favorite language. All you have to do is find them. There’s language lessons, language games, learning the alphabet, vocabulary, etc. One that I like is, “Flashcards +.” It’s free to use. You can purchase voice options if you like, but they’re not necessary. Many flashcard decks are already made for you. Don’t have what you want? Make your own and add it to your list of decks. They go where ever you go, nice and neatly I might add, and can be used at the most boringness of times… such as in line at the DMV or while your mother in law is chatting your ear off. And here’s a bonus, Mango Languages has a free app, so long as you signed up through your library, you’ll be able to use it on your mobile device.
Number Nine: Use a translator. Google Translator is free and so is Babel Fish. Granted not all translations are accurate, but they do come in handy when you’re in a pinch.
So, you’ve got all these great ideas for resources to help you learn this wonderful new language. And now you’re asking, “How am I going to find time to do all this?” Wow!? Why would you ask me that? The title of this article clearly indicated that I would give you tips on learning a foreign language, not fitting all this into your ever so busy schedule. That’s a whole different article. BUT, you do make a very important point: in order to make this work most effectively you must weave this new language into your daily life. Don’t let it become just another chore… one more thing to get done. Make it fun, so it becomes something you look forward to doing. Schedule “Foreign Movie Night” once, twice, maybe three times a week. Watch Japanese news online as you eat your bacon and eggs in the morning. Attend your meetup groups expecting to make friends and have fun. Squeeze in quick sessions of flashcards, games and lesson apps on your phone during slow moments in your day…like waiting for the microwave to finish heating up your lunch. Schedule a set time once everyday or maybe you can only manage two or three times a week for working on your language program. Point is: Be consistent, set time aside. Think of your online chat buddy or pen pal as your friend. You don’t have to share all your childhood secrets with her or Aunt Tilda’s famous Three Bean Casserole recipe, but you should look forward to conversing with him or her as you would a good friend. And yah, if you can rearrange your schedule to free up more time, all the better. Remember, the more time you can dedicate to learning your new language and the more fun you make it the faster and easier you’ll learn it. Buena suerte!