If you ask any student that has completed an Erasmus year at university or has spent time living abroad, they will likely tell you that the fastest way to learn any language is by throwing yourself into the deep end.
It often takes being put out of your comfort zone and fully immersing yourself in a language in order to gain fluency. Regardless of your level of speaking the respective language, there may still be some barriers which arise when speaking to locals or those who speak it as their mother tongue.
This is often due to the differences in dialect between the country’s regions, or even some colloquial or slang terms that are used. Many students struggle to transition from having a strong command of a language after their education to speaking it comfortably in conversation.
Even if you have received top grades when studying a language at secondary school or even at university, there is certainly a difference between learning a language as a subject and for the purpose of conversing.
When studying a new language for the first time, many people have confidence issues. Getting comfortable speaking in front of people as well as just oneself may be one of the most effective methods to counteract this.
The first step in learning any language is to do this. Being confident doesn't mean faultless pronunciation; rather, it means that we should not be scared to make errors so that we may grow from them.
By opting to live abroad and focus solely on improving your ability to speak another language you will develop a lot more than your ability to converse.
Nowadays students are consuming more foreign content than they would have years ago. Given the rise of movies and art in foreign languages, it is becoming more clear why you should learn a language. The study of languages or learning another language is also becoming increasingly more easy with time as technology and accessibility improvements.
Hopefully, this article will give you some direction as to how to learn a foreign language on your own, inspire you to learn different languages or perhaps most importantly understand why learning languages is important.
I will discuss some of the reasons that you might consider if you are looking at travelling abroad to learn a language. I will also touch on improving your ability so that you have the basics as soon as possible!
You might be interested in learning a language for the opportunities that it creates for your career.
Making the decision to live abroad
Taking classes and practising your vocab is certainly an effective measure of attaining fluency in a language but the rate at which this is achieved is accelerated by continuous practice that you can only really get by practising daily.
Many language students opt to spend a year abroad after they graduate with their respective degrees. Finding work in a restaurant, bar or café can be a great way of improving your command of the language. Conversing with locals will allow you to improve your fluidity and confidence when speaking the language.
Don’t be fooled, while many students will refer to spending time living abroad as ‘taking a year out’ it is not to be confused with being a sub-optimal use of your time as a fresh graduate.
For many, spending an extended period of time living abroad and developing a foreign language is one of the most effective and beneficial things that they can do with their time.
When you get around to navigating the jobs market as a college graduate who has studied a degree specialising in a foreign language you will notice the benefits.
Perhaps you have taken language electives throughout your time studying or simply have the ambition of becoming bilingual or even multilingual! The jobs market often gives preference to graduates who have a second language.
Rest assured that by deciding to spend time living abroad and developing your command of a foreign language, you will inherently expand your prospects of employment. This will help when you get around to your job hunt.
You will also have a larger pool of potential positions which you could apply for after learning a foreign language abroad. Not only will you have your native jobs market to look at, but also additional jobs within the country that you have lived in. Some languages are spoken across a number of continents so there really is no telling what you might find!
Another great way to practise your foreign language skills is to practise with other people that are learning the language. You will be able to help each other on your journey to becoming bilingual.
This article details the importance of learning a foreign language.
The advantages of studying a foreign language
Outside of being a great life experience, travelling abroad to improve your level or command of a foreign language can work wonders for your confidence. Let’s take a look at some of the many benefits that are in store for language students considering such a move!
Your potential in secondary school, particularly your academic potential for the leaving cert examinations, may greatly benefit from learning a foreign language. Gaining proficiency in a foreign language would give you a distinct edge over other applicants for the high school diploma or college tests.
Just picture how much simpler the oral test would be if you invested enough time in language acquisition. One of the major advantages of your studying is probably that it will help you improve your test scores and provide you with additional credit for your desired college course.
The avenues and opportunities that learning a language create for pupils are limitless. You should think about using a tutor whether you need a higher level language as a minimum admission requirement for your undergraduate programme or just could use the extra points.
You might practice at home, online, with your teacher, or with a buddy if you want to jumpstart your path towards speaking a foreign language. The more you practice speaking, the better, and working with a tutor will let you correct any errors or bad habits as soon as they arise.
Taking the plunge and opting to travel abroad in order to improve your command of a foreign language can be tough for a number of reasons. Though many of these reasons are softened by the help of a professional tutor. Rest assured that you will be packing your bags with confidence in your ability to communicate after taking your lessons.
There are countless language courses that will help you to progress in an entirely new foreign language. You can also choose the way in which you decide to navigate your education, whether you just want to practice speaking, or you need help learning best-practice grammar.
Studying a foreign language also makes it easier for you to study abroad, this article gives you some insight into the Erasmus program.
Finding the appropriate instructor is half the fight, and Superprof offers a wide selection.
Why get help with a foreign language in Ireland?
You've come to the right place if you're thinking of working with a private teacher to take on the challenge of passing your leaving certificate or college-level language tests.
You're definitely asking yourself a number of questions if you're debating whether or not to acquire language assistance, one of which is undoubtedly about how to start getting ready.
I usually suggest that students start at the bottom and work their way up, honing their abilities via conversation, working through grammar problems, and doing comprehension exercises. It's critical to have faith in the procedure.
Your language subject is likely an extensive course at both secondary and college levels and it is easy to get lost or bogged down in the sheer volume of material that comes with it.
This is part of the reason why you should consider living abroad and taking your learning with you! Once you start to view your learning as an avenue to improve your communication as opposed to a subject, you will be motivated by every bit of improvement that you make along the way.
If you choose to learn a language other than English you will have a way of conversing with an entirely new group of people from another country. Learning a foreign language abroad such as Spanish is a great use of your time and it will also help you to travel.
You might want to practise with people that are from a foreign country or have spent time living abroad if you are going to improve your language skills. Getting help with your learning is the best way to get your skills up to scratch whenever you decide to travel or spend time in a foreign country.
Having a personal instructor at your side may make learning a foreign language much simpler. They may do wonders for improving your proficiency in the language, not just in reading and writing, but also in boosting your self-assurance while speaking it.
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