Six Tips to Keep Your Language Learning Resolution

As you strive for your goals, the challenge may seem daunting and at times you’ll be discouraged if you are not making as much progress as you had expected.  Rather than giving up, remember as with any learning, progress isn’t linear.  In the beginning, you are acquiring new vocabulary and grammar concepts, improvement is noticeable giving a sense of achievement and then over time progress gradually slows. This plateau or feeling of “being stuck” occurs when your progress is no longer obvious to you. The problem is that you probably expect to maintain the same learning pace. You may even feel like giving up and there’s no point studying anymore.

This feeling is perfectly normal and happens at the intermediate advanced stage, in part because learners can now understand around 60%-80% of their new language. They are good enough to get by but not yet fluent. Learners still have limited vocabulary and they are not able to use complex grammar. So before giving up on your New Year’s resolution, try these tips:

1. Use mini-goals to keep you focused. Consider the gaps in your knowledge and ability and write them down. For example, it might be “I want to write something but I can’t express myself properly; I keep hearing something I don’t understand; I can’t nail a certain grammar construction…”. Now focus on some practical steps to overcome these gaps.
2. Set vocabulary goals. If you learn 5 new words a day, 5 days a week, you’ll be learning 25 new words a week or a minimum of 100 words a month! Flashcards can help vocabulary to stick in your mind but only if you keep using them consistently. The best way to remember words and phrases is to look at them frequently. Use flashcards every day – even if just for a few minutes. You’re more likely to remember new words when they’re grouped with similar concepts. Arrange your flashcards in logical themes, such as objects in the home, verbs related to sports, and vocabulary for the workplace. Making flashcards is easy – there are websites that will generate printable flashcards for you.
3. Talk with a native speaker. Search out a native speaker and arrange a regular time each week to chat over coffee. This can really help you build your confidence with a sympathetic colleague or friend. Once you realise your native-speaking colleague understands you, you’ll feel much better about your progress.
4. If you don’t know someone that speaks the language you are learning, look for a Meetup group or conversation exchange programme. At a Meetup group, you may meet individuals who are more skilled than you, but teaching them some new words or phrases you’ve memorised can help get you acquainted. In a conversation exchange, you’ll videoconference someone who speaks the language you’re trying to learn and, instead of paying them, you’ll spend some time conversing with them in the language you know.
5. Get out of your comfort zone! No, we’re not advocating dropping your current methods entirely but try getting out of your comfort zone. Spend some time on learning activities that really challenge you. Add a healthy amount of challenging topics to your language learning (no more than 25%). For example, practice more complex grammar topics. It’s easy to become complacent so try forming longer sentences and using new conjugations.
6. Review your progress by reading the news online. Even as an intermediate learner, you can work out the gist of an article (particularly if you know the story already). By reading newspapers, you’ll learn a lot about the culture and people of the language you’re learning. As you continue to progress, challenge yourself to try more difficult texts. You may be surprised how quickly you’ll advance using this technique.

Finally, remember - learning a new language takes time, effort and patience. By just choosing one of these small habits and building it into your daily routine, it will make a big difference and can keep you on track with your New Year’s resolution.