L-Lingo E-Book Your Success in Language Learning

Your Success in Language Learning

Tips and Tricks for your Language Learning Breakthrough

INTRODUCTION 2

WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE 3

COMMON CONCERNS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING 8

MASTERING LANGUAGES 14

HOW TO MAKE LEARNING EFFECTIVE 16

FIND YOUR LEARNING STYLE 19

LEARNING STRATEGIES EXPLAINED 22

A SELECTION OF TOOLS AND MEDIA TO HELP YOU LEARN 25

WANT TO LEARN MORE? 33

This eBook is brought to you by L-Lingo.

L-Lingo is a comprehensive Language Learning App with 105 lessons, a 5000

words vocab builder, native audio and fun quizzes.

More details: https://l-lingo.com/

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© Smart Language Apps Ltd.

page 2

Introduction A warm welcome to all of our readers of this eBook on language learning. We at

L-Lingo focuses on providing language learning software for Asian and Western

languages and we believe that it is worthwhile to have an e-book on these

languages.

There are two main purpose of this book. Firstly, we would like to highlight the

different aspects why learning a language is so important and can bring you

immense benefits (culturally as well as economically). In the second part of the

book, we would like to focus on the best ways to learn a language. We will

present some general learning strategies and then summarizes them in our top

ten language learning tips.

We would like to thank all the people that have contributed to this book and a

special thanks to Wikipedia for helping us to clarify certain things and draw on

latest research.

If you have any feedback on this book or some ideas that we can include in one

of our next revisions, please feel free to contact us under

https://l-lingo.com/

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Why You Should Learn a new Language No matter if you plan to learn a new language because of your foreign partner,

general cultural interest or for business purposes, learning a language is a big

project. It may not be the easiest task but there are many benefits that await you

if you know another language. Besides the fun and challenge it presents, you will

alter yourself in a whole new way. Now is that time to change your life forever!

Because countries and its people continue to grow and become more

interdependent, we must learn other foreign languages to be able to keep up

with such an active setting. Now, more than ever, we need to be able to speak

another language just to be able to grow along with the demands of our society,

and on the whole, understand each other better. Generally, the study of a new

language:

ü allows you to know the world better

ü lets you communicate with your foreign friends, partners or family

members

ü increases your opportunities for worthwhile leisure activities (such as

traveling to

ü countries and watching their films)

ü enhances your mental power

ü creates useful skills that could easily be used in other fields of study

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ü encourages respect for other ethnic groups (allows you to form new

friendships because people will like you better)

ü plays a role in personality development

You may have your own reasons for learning a new language, but

whatever your intentions are; you will gain a whole new range of benefits for

yourself. You will see the world in another way, and the world will see you in a

different way!

Learn a new Language to communicate with your partner

With our increased globalised world, more and more intercultural relationships

come into existence. Although we can most often communicate in English as it is

the global language, it is still very beneficial to learn the language of your partner.

Just think about how much it will be appreciated if you can speak some basic

phrases with the family members of your partner that do not speak English.

Your effort will be so much appreciated and connecting to the family of your

partner will become so much easier.

Learn a new Language to have an edge in your Job

By learning a new language, you open up job opportunities for yourself. This is

because nowadays, a lot of people are expected to use their foreign language

skills, especially in communities where people from all kinds of races and culture

reside. And because more foreign companies work closely together, they will

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need staff that can communicate in their language and understand their culture.

So if you know a second language, you definitely have an advantage! Your

bosses are sure to gain from you because you are able to communicate and work

successfully with more people and a place over someone who is speaks one

language only.

If you are a professional who knows one or more languages, you can be counted

on to travel and exchange information with people in these countries. This is an

important asset especially that most companies now do business with other

companies which are based somewhere else. You will be able to connect with

them effectively, and just might help you market products abroad or secure

business contracts for your company.

Learn a new Language for cultural enrichment

Having even the most basic knowledge of a language can help you manage when

you are traveling. You will be able to find your way around, or order food and

drinks. Even if you know only the basic words for water or taxi, you will find it

much easier to get along. Knowing more than a few basic phrases can become

very fulfilling on your part; being able to converse with the locals will make your

trip even more interesting and meaningful. Picture yourself in Vietnam, where

nobody speaks English. You are conversing adeptly in their native language,

sharing stories and having a laugh with the locals. Now that would be a truly

gratifying travel experience and worth remembering all your life!

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Whether you are merely taking a trip or establishing a permanent residence in a

different country, learning the local language shows the people that you do value

their culture. The natives will appreciate you more for this and are likely to open

up to you more easily. Just envision yourself in Malaysia. You ask a native for

directions in Malay, and see how easily they warm up to you. They might even

go out of their way to accompany you towards your destination and even offer

their assistance if there is anything you need help with in the future. So you see

it really isn’t how good you are with their language. They are also able to see

beyond that and what they will see is your love for their country and their

culture. This is your prize for learning a second language, a prize that is not only

helpful but equally heartwarming.

When you move to another country, learning the local language will help

you communicate and integrate with the community successfully. Even if many

of them know how to speak your language, for example you move to China and

you come from the United States, learning Chinese will demonstrate your

interest and commitment to their country, and give you an almost automatic

high respect from the people who feel much more appreciated because of

your efforts to learn their language.

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Learn a new Language for mental health

Perhaps you are one of those people who have a particular interest in foreign

literature, films, music or some other aspect of a foreign culture. In fact, it is a

growing trend with the Western people when it comes to learning Asian

languages. But despite this fascination, it is sad to say that, more often than not,

their lack of knowledge of the language prevents them from fully appreciating

the Asians way of life. It is only through learning their language that they will

open their world to another group of people.

And that’s not all! Do not overlook the health benefits that learning a new

language brings. It was recently discovered that it is a great brain improvement

exercise. In fact, a study by Dr. Ellen Bialystok of York University in Canada

suggested that speaking a second language delays dementia. This is because of

the long-term learning process that keeps your brain stimulated, thus, improving

your mental functions overall.

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Common Concerns in Language Learning What should I do if I make mistakes using the new language?

Making mistakes is common and expected. No matter what kind of learning

endeavor you are in, you are bound to make mistakes. This is part of the learning

process, and you do not have to feel fearful or guilty about making whether a

few or a lot. The important thing is that you learn from your mistakes. Besides,

this is what actually makes the journey fun!

When you communicate with your partner, friends or colleagues in the

foreign language, ask them to correct you. This is part of your learning, and it will

enable you to continuously improve your language skills. Using the language in

the real environment will also teach you how to use the words depending

on the context. This means you will understand its usage or application, and

the appropriate mode of communication to use in different situations and under

different circumstances.

It is also helpful to carry a handy notebook or a notepaper so you can jot down

your mistakes along with the corrections. In fact, some language learners always

carry a notebook with them, and as soon as they make a mistake or hear a new

word, they write it down. This method is especially helpful when you are

immersing in a foreign country.

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Does every person learn the same way?

Learning a language is natural, which is to say, we were born with the ability to

learn it. This is just how all of us, when we were little, learned our mother

tongue. This kind of learning takes place in three stages. First, we learn to make

the sounds; second; we learn to form words; and lastly, we learn to string these

words to form sentences.

Children’s brains work differently from adults– especially when it comes to

language acquisition. This explains why they are so much more effective in

language learning compared to adults. However, this does not mean that you

are incapable of doing the same thing. On the contrary, there are literally millions

of people who are successful in learning a second language even if they started

only as an adult. You just have to prepare yourself because it may feel a lot

harder and may probably take longer than if you were a child.

Children learn languages in a playful way. Unlike them, we adults have to find

our own suitable learning strategy. There are no concrete set of rules on how to

best learn a new language. This explains why people prefer certain methods over

others. For example, many find classroom interaction more effective than having

a personal tutor or even teaching oneself. Some might learn better by using

visual aids (like flashcards and videotapes) than listening to audio lessons or

reading textbooks. The secret is to identify what works for you, and not what

works for others.

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Our L-Lingo software offers you both picture and translation quizzes. By using

the different quizzes, you will quickly find out which type of learner you are,

whether you are more of the auditory learner or the visual type. In our Desktop

software you are also able to set the guided quiz to reflect your learning type.

How many words do I need to know so that I can communicate?

It really depends on your personal goals of being able to speak a new language.

Perhaps you would like to know the basics only, or you would like to become a

master of the language. Your motives should be clear to you from the very

beginning, to save yourself from undue effort and frustration.

Some say that there are a minimum number of words that you need to know to

be able to engage in basic conversations. Usually, at least a thousand words is

sufficient for one to just get by. But in reality, counting the number of words you

already know might not prove to be that practical. This is because even if you

happen to know a lot of random words, it might have no relation to each other

whatsoever; you still won’t be able to string them into a sentence. Needless to

say, you still won’t be able to communicate.

It is therefore advisable to group words into subject areas. So it would be better

you learn e.g. all about cooking (different kind of foods and food

preparation techniques, different kind of tastes etc.). This approach has a

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number of benefits: You will have a better retention you can more easily put

them together piece by piece to form a sentence. This is also one of the

reasons why all lessons in our L-Lingo products are clustered around

subject areas.

But with regards to writing in a foreign text, there are a minimum number of

characters that you should know before you are able to read and write. The

Chinese writing system, for example, has approximately 80,000 Chinese

characters. If you know about 3,500 characters, you have a coverage rate of 98-

99%. This should enable you to handle the usual Chinese reading and writing

activities.

How long will it take? A lot of factors come into play in this process. Generally, though, it could take

more than a few months, say 6 to 12 months, to be able to reach basic

conversational fluency.

It also depends a lot on how much time and motivation you are investing into

learning the language. One major impact is the degree of immersion – whether

you are learning the language while being in your home country or while already

in the country. Exposure is the key!

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With most of us having busy schedules, one could probably allocate 1 to 2 hours

a day for studying a second language. Fortunately, it doesn’t really matter how

many hours you study a day. The important thing is that you set a regular

schedule to ensure continuous learning. It also helps if you seize every

opportunity you have to learn. This means that the more frequently you study,

the better and faster the results.

You can also use unproductive time, e.g. in the subway or bus to learn the

language. You could take flashcards with you and use your daily commute to

repeat vocabulary.

How can I avoid giving up?

This is where your attitude comes in. It is an essential element to your progress

in learning the language of your choice. One word of advice, though, and this is

to know yourself better. Identify your strengths and weaknesses, and use them

to your advantage. If you are the type of person who easily gets frustrated and

has no patience, then this may be the opportunity to improve yourself. The

rewards are all yours to enjoy and take advantage of.

Here are three words you need to be familiar with in your journey towards

speaking a new language: passion, dedication, and persistence.

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First, passion makes us do extraordinary things. This perhaps explains why some

people are more proficient than others as language speakers. Second, dedication

involves that one has to consistently allot time in learning despite the presence

of many distractions. And third, persistence is vital especially that there will be

times when you feel like you are going nowhere and want to give up for good.

From our own experience at learning new languages, there is loads of time -

especially at the beginning- when you just don’t have a clue on how to

use the words, and unfortunately many people give up in this stage. Just be

patient when you go through this period. There will come a time when things will

suddenly ‘click’. And as soon as things come your way, you will enter an easier

phase. Your aim is to build up basic but crucial vocabulary.

In the end, you have to be aware that learning a new language may be

challenging and it does not happen overnight. We at L-lingo work every day to

design effective software to make you achieve results faster! We receive lots of

feedback from all of you language learners and we incorporate constantly

your feedback to make L-Lingo even better. If you have any suggestions

on our software, please drop us a line under https://l-lingo.com/

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Mastering Languages For most people, being able to speak a new language seems almost impossible.

Still there are others who say, “It’s a waste of time!”. This is because they do not

stop to think about the actual benefits.

A lot of people get frustrated easily with their failure to use the language in

actual settings, even after having spent years studying it. These people may have

been using the wrong method all their lives!

Take for example learning an Asian language. It was said that learning this

language is slower because of the nature itself. Some can be a bit more complex

than most languages in the west. They have a range of tones and accents that is

completely unique but is also very interesting. And don’t forget about the writing

part, which also presents a bit of a difficulty.

Like learning the Chinese language, their writing system is daunting enough

without the speech part. It is crucial that one will be able to identify and

articulate thousands of Chinese characters to be able to reach an acceptable

level of aptitude. In China, memorization of the Chinese characters is made

compulsory. This is so as with the traditional Asian teaching approach, which

stresses the memorization of considerable amounts of facts (often quite

unrelated).

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The United States, however, has adopted a different kind of learning system

which is the concept-based approach, not like that of Asia. This perhaps explains

why most Western individuals are not ready for studying an Asian language,

owing to their lack of inclination towards memorization of this massive amount

of Chinese characters. This alone quashes the student's enthusiasm for learning

the language. So they simply quit.

If you get frustrated at some point in time and want to give up, we recommend

you just have a look at others who successfully mastered learning a second

Language. You can for instance have a look at the 'Successful Thai Language

Learners' at Woman Learn Thai Blog. So if others are able to make it, so can you!

Still unconvinced that you will succeed? Don’t worry! Like most people, locals

themselves spend years learning their own language. They also have a hard time

learning it. Sometimes they even speak, write, and overall understand better

another language other than theirs. But don’t be troubled just yet. Different

people have different opinions. You might want to try and find what’s yours!

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How to Make Learning Effective If you still have your own doubts, as would the typical person normally does,

then let us share some more tips and tricks with you. Luckily, there are certain

pointers that guide learners such as yourself to maximize your learning so you

will be successful in your endeavor. If you are motivated about being able to

speak a new language, then you are most likely to work smartly and consistently.

And if you think you are a hopeless case, no matter how incompetent you think

you are, you will eventually get there. There is just some work to be done, a few

changes here and there, so you can make the most for a shorter period of time.

And you can make this a fun and pleasurable experience – simply by adopting an

efficient system. Here are some important rules and methods to facilitate your

learning.

Focus on One Language at a Time

Tackling more than one language might not be the best idea. If you try to cover

two or more languages at the same time, you will be hurtling down that long-

winded road, only to meet frustration at the end. If you go down this way, you

are sure to throw in the towel. So it is much better to finish one language before

moving on to the next. And because most languages are unique from each other,

this is the number one rule to learn any dialect. Not only will you allow yourself

to concentrate your energies in one language, you also avoid confusion by

mixing up words and sentences among the different languages. In the end, you

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are much more effective as a learner, and you will have the enthusiasm to dive

into the next language. It will become an addiction before you know it!

Constant Practice

Of course, you will not be able to learn anything if you do not have the time to

learn it. Be sure to always find time to practice your skills as a foreign language-

speaker. Whether it is 30 minutes a day to an hour, there are no rigid set of rules

for this. So the key here would be to make it as frequent as possible. If done

rarely, you will have little if not zero chance of progress and you will likely end up

discouraged, and saying that learning a new language does not suit you at all!

While it’s undeniably true that some languages may be more difficult than others,

there is really no language that is impossible to learn. You should know that what

makes other languages easier to study is because it closely relates to your

mother tongue or some other dialect that you already know. The only thing you

should ask yourself is how much time and dedication you are willing to give to

learning that particular

language.

Some people also pick a specific time of the day for learning. One of our

colleagues focused on learning Thai and since he had a very busy job, he decided

to wake up every day

30 minutes earlier and study for half an hour before going to work. This

helped him tremendously in gaining fluency.

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You might also want to consider joining a language class or a study

group. The regularity of the class schedules will supply your regular dose of

language instruction. The atmosphere, as well, might compel you to become

motivated. Sharing your difficulties with others will also make you less likely to

give up because you will realize that you are not the only one finding it hard.

So as with any other endeavor, practice makes perfect. The key is to repeat over

and over until you get it right. The more training you get, the faster you will

become a fluent foreign language speaker.

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Find your learning style We each have individual learning preferences. To determine yours, you need first

to ask yourself questions like: What are your strengths and weaknesses

when it comes to learning? Are you someone who learns more by

studying grammar or by listening to sentences? Do you like sitting in a

classroom? Or do you like to learn in a multimedia way using your computer? By

determining the answers to this, you can assess what techniques are most likely

to help you learn better. You can try them all out.

Visual Learners

A lot of people learn by using their sense of sight, which means they are able to

recall things faster if they are able to see these images in their mind. Visual aids

consist mostly of pictures such as flashcards or videos or books with lots of

illustrations. They will help in making the process more fun as well as effective.

So how can you find out if you are a visual learner? Have a look at the bullet

points below. If you find yourself reflected in many of these, you are likely to be

a visual learner.

ü Good with sign language

ü Enjoys/understands charts

ü Loves colors & fashion

ü Often needs silence when studying

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ü Good at spelling but unable to recall names

So, here are some suggestions for all you visual learners out there who are

interested in learning new languages:

ü Watch instructional videos

ü Make use of flashcards, preferably with images

ü Use highlighters to emphasize important things

ü Underline, circle words, and make use of symbols that you can understand

Audio Learners

Some people also learn very well from audio resources. This means they learn

best through hearing things.

A person is an auditory learner if he or she:

Enjoys music

ü Pays attention to the sound effects in movies

ü Is good at recalling names

ü Is good at making explanations and clarifications

ü Is able to follow spoken directions well

ü Likes to read out loud

ü Is excellent working in groups or with other people

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If you are this type of learner, then the following tips below are for you:

ü Record lectures if you can

ü Watch instructional videos

ü Become involved in group discussions

ü Make use of audiotapes for language learning and practice

ü Repeat information learned with eyes closed

ü Tape notes after writing them

Obviously, like in real life learning, there will be benefits if you combine audio

and visual methods. This is typically done in language learning videos, movies or

multi-media courses like L-Lingo. This further reinforces your memory and is a

great way to maximize your training!

One step further is to fully immerse in the country. This way, you use all your

senses. Picture yourself in the middle of a Chinese Market in Shanghai with

people chatting in Mandarin, and you not only hear and see them speak, but

really feel and take in the environment. So always try as much as possible to

make the learning process an actual experience for you.

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The Right Tools and Approach

Anyone can learn a new language – that is, if they work with a realistic strategy

and use it for a certain period of time. You are probably thinking right now that

you are just awful at it or that you’ll do poorly, but the truth is most people aren’t

actually that bad at learning a new language. Rather, they just had unpleasant

experiences especially in school. This is because they probably did not use a

good approach in the learning process or that the method did not suit them at

all. The truth is all of us can learn a new language – if we do it the correct way!

We don’t have to be particularly gifted to be able to speak another language.

How do you think we learned our own language? And that’s was when we were

little! The only thing you need is a reliable method, one that is suitable to your

own needs. This is much more effective than adopting random methods that are

likely to make the learning process dull and boring for you.

Learning Strategies explained The following describes different language learning strategies that have been

proven to be successful. As mentioned earlier, every person learns differently,

thus, it is essential that you find out which strategy works best for you.

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Blended learning

Blended learning refers to the merging of various learning atmospheres. This

approach helps in learning Languages by combining face-to-face instruction with

computer-mediated instruction. With blended learning, common activities are

also mixed up with the help of technologies like computer, cellular or smart

phones, and videoconferencing.

Some use this strategy so that they learn even while doing other activities. For

instance, playing a card game that requires calling for cards may allow blended

learning of numbers. This has been used in English Language Teaching and could

also work very well with other languages, so that you can learn more proficiently.

Skills teaching

Before, there were four basic skills involved in language learning. These are

speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Recently there have been

additions like narrating, summarizing, describing, along with a few broader

ones like finding out how the person learns, and working with other students or

in groups which are all applied in language schools. This provides for a much

more integrated tactic. So you should be creative and experience with different

ways of learning to find out what works best for you.

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Sandwich technique

With this method, a sentence is sandwiched in between the translated sentence

in your mother tongue. For example, an American teacher of Chinese Mandarin

might use the activity below in conversing with her students in class:

Teacher: "May I help you? - Yěxǔ wǒ néng bāng nǐ ma? – May I help you?"

Students: "Yěxǔ wǒ néng bāng nǐ ma?"

Mother tongue mirroring

This is another technique which is especially helpful to understand

grammatical patterns of languages. It is sometimes also called word-by-word

translations. With this method the sentence is translated into English word-by-

word and thereby it makes its structure very transparent to the learner.

Take note of the example in Mandarin below:

Target Vocabulary Idiomatic translation Word-by-word

translation

hǎo bù hǎo? (好不好?) Is it good? Good, not good?

nán bù nán? (难不难?) Is it difficult? Difficult, not?

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A selection of tools and media to help you learn After having explained different learning strategies, let’s have a look at different

tools /media to enhance your language learning.

Textbooks

There are manuals of languages that guide beginners from scratch. Just be sure

to buy a good manual which focuses on your level of skill, like beginner’s level for

example, if you are one. With a good quality book, you can learn at your own

pace, tackle the tough stuff, leaf through the easy ones, and go over what you

have already covered.

There are a number of good books out there. Visit your local bookstore, or better

yet, before deciding which ones to buy, search for book reviews or

customer ratings. Amazon.com is a good place to start.

After getting the knack of some of the basic structures and with a thousand

words or more up your sleeve, you should be able to start reading authentic

material. This will enhance your vocabulary as well as test your proficiency.

Audio books

Audio books are recordings of texts which are read. Sometimes, people even use

them while reading the actual book. This is a very effective way of learning a

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new language. They are usually adopted to teach children how to read as

well as improve their reading comprehension.

This vehicle is ideal if you are more of the “listening” kind of student. They

quickly fill in your need for right pronunciation, usage, and tones so you can

move along faster with your learning.

However using Audio Books for Language learner is recommended only for the

advanced levels as it could be very frustrating for the beginners if they do not

understand a word.

Language Learning Software

Language learning software with multimedia content allows the combination of

audio, images and video together with instructional guidance. It has also the

advantage that it is self paced, i.e. the learner can decide on the speed that he

would like to pursue in learning the new language. Computer software also

allows for fun quizzes and can give you good feedback (i.e. scores) on how well

you did an exercise.

Flashcards

Flash cards are small pieces of paper, with the new word on one side,

and the equivalent in English on the other. They can also sometimes contain

illustrations. You can make your own flashcards or buy from a store if they are

available for your language. This is actually one of the most effective tools

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because you can use this any time of the day. It’s cheap, convenient, and easy to

use.

There are also free flash card software available on the internet. One of the

techniques employed by such software is called spaced repetition (or spaced

rehearsal or spaced retrieval). This is a method used to maximize retention of

information, and also particularly applied in language acquisition. The system

employs a programmed study pace that tells you what you need to practice each

day. It also has another feature which is the adoption of gradual increase of

periods of time between reviews and/or testing of material that is already

learned. The effect is that the information is in time stored in your long-term

memory. Already, a number of language students have claimed to have benefited

from this technique. Please don’t forget that you can print out your own

flashcards with the L-Lingo Desktop software.

Language Schools

Many people maintain that they learn more effectively through self-help than

taking language classes, which may also be inconvenient for some. On the other

hand, there are also those who claim that the regular pattern of classes helps

them overcome their lack of will.

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It is also helpful to have access to a teacher who can explain certain grammatical

issues much better than understanding them from a book. A native teacher is

also much better in drilling you to use the correct pronunciation.

Social Interaction

Social exchange will let you find out whether you are comprehensible or not, as a

language-speaker. And what is a better way to practice and apply your new skills

than to converse with people who know your target language?

There many different ways and situations where you can practice your skills. Go

around the neighborhood, dine in a restaurant, visit shops, attend festivals,

art exhibits, join chat rooms or forums, and others. Always try to strike up a

conversation.

Social interaction is, without question, one of the most powerful and effective

methods to second language acquisition. This is actual context learning, so that it

not only pushes you to modify your speech, it also helps you gain feedback.

Travel and Immersion

A trip to that country is helpful in ways more than you can imagine. The constant

exposure puts you in the natural setting of the language itself, so there’s always

work to be done whether you are learning new vocabulary and phrases. This is

why a lot of people visit these countries to help them learn quicker. It’s also a lot

more fun!

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Keep in mind, however, that there a few things you should consider first in

planning this trip. There are only two things that can happen once you get there,

it’s either you gain from your travel experience, or you can lose your time and

money for nothing. So better make the most out of it and prepare thoroughly.

Here are some tips you can use:

ü Set short-term goals. They can help you assess or evaluate your progress.

ü Go on the trip alone. This way, you will not put off your goals by being

tempted always to speak your mother tongue.

ü Be interested in their culture.

ü It is advisable to live with a family with no other foreigners. You can hear

the language all day, plus, you will be compelled to speak your target

language even for the most basic matters.

ü Carry around tools like flashcards or a small notebook. You can put

important things in them to help you remember.

ü Even around co-nationals, always speak in your target language. Then

again, it is best to avoid their company.

ü Make friends with the natives/locals. Find out from them some of the

trendiest expressions and words. This should give you more insight on

language usage.

ü You might also want to ask the help of a smart and knowledgeable native

tutor. This is much faster compared to group courses.

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ü Listen to the local radio or watch television shows and movies.

ü Read aloud local newspapers, magazines, books, and other reading

material.

ü Continue with your usual course of studying.

Dictionaries/Phrasebooks/Grammar books

All these are supplementary instruments which you can refer to from time to

time. Besides the printed form, there are now electronic or battery-operated

dictionaries, which are basically either small portable computers with

incorporated resources, or smart phones with a built-in dictionary. Even two or

multi-language dictionaries are now available, and they are usually created for a

specific market. An example would be portable Japanese- English electronic

dictionaries, which are largely devised for people who originally have native

fluency in Japanese and desire to learn English. But this is just one of the few

you can choose from, depending on the language of your choice.

Now, a phrase book is a compilation of prepared phrases in a foreign language,

mainly the most commonly used. It already goes with the translations, and

includes both of questions and answers.

Another tool is a grammar book. Grammar books are of much use to language

learners but most especially for more advanced students. When searching for

grammar books for learning languages, you would like to pick those that contain,

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of course, lots of grammar lessons. You won’t be needing lots of pictures, helpful

phrases, just raw grammar rules. It may be boring for some but you can always

have fun with your other resources. Grammar books, on the other hand, are not

meant to be that much fun, but there are just as important as the rest. The

memo here is to not isolate your learning methods to this sole source. On the

contrary, use a variety!

Language exchange websites

These are websites that allows two or more people who speak different

languages to practice each other's language. For example, an English man who is

learning Arabic will do a language exchange with an Arab who is learning English.

There are different ways to practice in a language exchange website. One of

them is to join a group of native speakers of both languages and split the

time to learn the two. Their activities are, of course, carefully structured,

so that they discover the other’s “conversation culture” and be acquainted

with how the native speakers interact. A lot of people find this very gratifying

because they are learning as they forming relationships.

Magazines or other literary works

During your spare time, you can peruse all kinds of reading material in that

language you want to learn. This way, you constantly hone your reading,

comprehension, interpretation, and even writing skills.

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Magazines are excellent sources of reliable material which is useful in

encouraging both language learners and teachers. They serve as great reference

materials for activities like sharing new information with each other. What’s more

they often contain the culture of the country so they get a much better

perception of the language. A unique type would be language travel magazines

which have global coverage. It has content written by people from all over the

world, and is usually full of news, current events, as well as new advances in

language learning.

TV/Movies/Radio (have subtitles for translations)

This is a unique approach incorporates both fun and learning, because it

makes watching television or listening to radio a homework! When learning from

these resources, you might want to try different stations for radio, or channels or

movies for television, until you find something that seems to work best for you.

Don’t worry if you do not understand anything especially when you are just

starting. You are still getting something like the flow of the language itself,

correct pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. As you go by, you will get better

at interpreting words.

Songs

Some people have claimed to have learned a new language by listening to songs.

This is because they make language learning by music a part of their lives. Not

only is it fun, it also helps you learn a lot faster. Music engages several parts of

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your brain and this is the reason why you experience songs getting stuck in your

head like commercial jingles, wherein you just remember the words out of thin

air whenever you hear that particular song. So you can definitely say it is

effective, if not better, than just reading language books or just listening to them

as they are spoken. But of course, this is not meant to be your only source of

language lessons.

Want to learn more? I hope you enjoyed this eBook!

If you would like to learn more, we invite you to have a look at our Online

105 Lessons Language Learning App L-Lingo at www.l-lingo.com

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