How to Actually Learn Another Language in 2017

We've all heard how beneficial it is for your overall health and neurological function to learn a second (or third or fourth, etc.) language but have you really tried to improve your foreign language skills? Have you ever been stuck at the very beginning, unsure of where to start?

You may have a bit of a background with another language already from let's say, your high school French class, or maybe you learned a few phrases from your friends whose parents are from another country, or perhaps you've picked up some Spanish from working in a restaurant (like I did while working at a Mediterranean restaurant in Philadelphia).

I will admit, I absolutely love being able to impress people with my language skills. It's so much fun to surprise people by busting out some Egyptian Arabic or a Bavarian accent when I meet people from their respective region. Here are my top tips for furthering your language learning by using the BEST resources out there. Whether you want to learn English, Polish, Chinese, or Hungarian, you WILL be able to get real-life experience in the target language of your choice by utilizing the best of the Internet!

1.) Instagram
​I am a HUGE fan of Instagram and absolutely love meeting and following along with people from all over the world. With Insta Stories in every language, this has become my absolute favorite way to use real world experiences in language learning. This is an excellent listening activity and can keep you up to date on slang and current dialects around the world. I love following German speakers like Caro Daur and Mon Rovi, Being able to comment and engage with real people, in the target language of your choice, is the aboslute best way to practice your language skills every single day.

2.) Podcasts
I'm so happy podcasts have become so mainstream. It is so much fun to explore podcasts in other languages. People all over the world are sharing their skills and creating content in hundreds of languages for all to hear. I highly recommend Slow German for those working on their German listening skills and my husband loves to listen to Coffee Break French on his drive home from work.

3.) Blogs
Whether they're focused on cooking, travel, fashion, or lifestyle, blogs are a great way to work on your reading comprehension while incorporating a hobby that you already enjoy. You can search for blogs by changing your search settings to a specific language, country, or website extentions, searching for an adjective of something you like, and the word blog and you can explore for hours! I love practicing reading Polish by catching up with bloggers like Fashionelka

4.) TV Shows in the Target Language
Between YouTube, all of the video streaming providers, and international channels' direct websites, you can now find your favorite TV shows IN the target language of your choice. Let's say you've seen the show Friends a million times. By watching Friends in German or the language you're learning, you'll already have an idea of what's going on while working on your listening comprehension and learning new vocabulary. You can also turn on subtitles (when available) and have double the practice with both reading and hearing the words. One of my favorite things to do is watch new Croatian shows like Bonton that come up directly on the Croatian Channel HRT. I am so happy to have access, for free, to current Croatian shows from the United States.

5.) Memrise, DuoLingo, Rosetta Stone & the like
You may already know what kind of learner you are but even if you don't, one of the the real methods to becoming fluent in another language is to practice it in many ways including reading, writing, listening, speaking, and repeating. Physically writing or typing the words can help you connect the dots in your brain better when you're trying to retain the word you previously learned. This is where apps like DuoLingo and Memrise come in handy. I am a huge fan of Memrise and love the variety of lessons you can find there. I feel DuoLingo work well for people with a background in their language of choice already (and there is a limited amount of levels to go through). Rosetta Stone is great if you're only trying to learn one language but if you're trying to learn many, I would recommend using a combination of all three.

Thanks to the Internet, we truly have instant access to the entire world at our fingertips. I teach people from all over the world over Skype and it's incredible how quickly my students learn to speak another language. Just because you don't have a private language teacher living in your town, doesn't mean you can't have one-on-one lessons in the comfort of your own home with an expert instructor. I absolutely love being able to connect with people globally and help them achieve their language dreams.

Apply here if you're interested in booking one of the limited spots available for private, individualized language lessons. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment here, DM me on Instagram, or contact me here.