How I stay motivated while learning foreign languages?
When it comes to learning languages, motivation is not just a fancy word but a riverbed in which your language learning progress flows.
It is one of the most important inner resources that helps us, language learners, to move from one level to another and it is definitely a magic wand of consistency that is so vital for a progressive learning of a foreign language.
And consistency, as you may already know, is what decides your success in learning a new language.
As an experienced language learner, I have four tips that will help you stay motivated every day while learning a foreign language.
Get to know the culture of the language you are learning
Whether you are only thinking of learning a new language or already made your first steps into it, this tip will be a gold spring of your motivation.
For my French language motivation, I started watching French movies and TV shows, using only subtitles to support my understanding of the language. I also like reading history of France and follow a few French YouTubers, trying to see the cultural aspect of the country through the eyes of the natives.
But here is one thing to remember: if you do not feel some emotional connection to the culture of the country which language you are learning, more likely, you will struggle to keep learning the language itself.
After all, motivation comes from curiosity and is impossible without general interest.
Join the community
Just like the previous tip, this one will help you not only to stay motivated but to level up your learning progress as well.
Following language learners on YouTube, for example, is a great opportunity for you to get some inspiration from their ‘study languages with me’ kind of videos and to connect with thousands of other language learners by showing activity in the comments and attending their free live streams.
If you would like to know what YouTube channels inspire and motivate me to learn languages, let me know in the comment section below and I will happily create a blog post about it in future.
You can also use Twitter as a platform to connect with native speakers. I personally made quite a few good friends this way that speak the languages I am learning and that have an interest in learning my native language as well. This is one of the most amazing ways of language exchange I know.
And even if you are only a beginner, I would still recommend you to try to connect to other people who either speak the language you are learning or are learning the same language as you do. After all, it is always more fun and motivating to know someone else who is in the same boat as you, learning a new language.
Stationary
Let’s be honest: inside of almost ever language learner lives a little nerd that is obsessed with stationary shops and aesthetic, and I personally find this tiny zest of our personality to be a vein of motivation.
Try to surround yourself with as many cute notebooks and colorful textbooks as you can, and I am sure you will more motivated to study every day.
Set a routine
You do not learn a new language in a day, but what you do every day results in you learning a new language.
As I have already said above, consistency is what decides your success in learning a new language. But without an established routine, it is way too easy to miss a day or two (at times it can be even months).
And setting a simple study routine is what will help you to stay afloat while learning a new language.
Set a convenient time (for example, I prefer to study early in the morning or late in the evening, but never in the middle of the day, so I always consider it when scheduling my language classes), choose the location (I like to study at home, in cozy clothes with a cup of steaming hot tea at my side but if I had a chance I would probably also prefer to study at library or even in a coffee shop), and decide how many days a week and how much time exactly you are willing to invest in learning a new language.
For me, I prefer to spend from 1 to 2 hours every day, though I may skip a day sometimes if I feel like my brain needs a break from all the new grammar and vocabulary cramming.
One very important thing to remember here – do not try to be a perfectionist, setting impossible routine for yourself. If you cannot study every day, do not. Learning a language must not be a burden. If you have only two evening a week that you can dedicate to learning a new language, that is fine.
Just remember to schedule it!
Decide when, how long, and where, you are feeling the most comfortable to show up for your language learning sessions, whether it be in a class or self-study.
What language are you learning? How many languages do you already speak? What keeps you motivated learning languages? If you feel like sharing your experience in learning a new language, leave a comment below and let’s have a nice chat about our mutual interest which is languages.
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