6 Things You Should Do Now

Take a peak at a few tips for more efficient language learning experience. Get to know how to manage your time, figure out how to use Tinder and Bumble for learning purposes and fail successfully. Enjoy and let me know what you think! Oh, and I still do all these things.

1. Plan your studying! Just like many things in life, learning requires dedication and planning. Dedicate time slots to study. Keep in mind – it‘s way more effective to spend at least 10 minutes every day than cramming everything in one sitting. Having a routine helps big time. I, for instance, do my planks in the morning right after I take care of my bladder. If I don't, my planks just don't happen that day. Practice your language like you'd train your abs. 2. Talk to yourself! Yes, do that even when it feels like madness. If you meet a new word, try using it in the appropriate surroundings: kitchen utensils in the kitchen, work-related words at work, ask yourself to pass that roll of toilet paper when you‘re in the loo. The old technique of using sticky notes with new words to cover your entire place is not ideal. What your brain needs is to be a able to associate the new words and/or structures in the environment that makes sense. For conversations, do it is in the shower. You‘re all alone (unless you‘ve got pets or babies) and you can create any scenario whatsoever in your head. Have a row with a neighbour, confess being in love, haggle in the market – all this while you're scrubbing your armpits. I know, madness, but it helps. 3. Use apps! Quizlet and Kahoot. If I need to explain this further, it's a good way to drill vocabulary or grammar structures at lunch or whilst you're rolling around on the couch with your cat. Apps usually offer ready study sets; however, my advice would be to create the sets yourself. Like that, you‘re reviewing the material more times. Have you ever wondered why teachers know their stuff rather well? Yes, one of the reasons is that we get to review the same material over and over again as we prepare for lessons. 4. Don‘t expect much! This one‘s a bitch. We, as humans, have a tendency to aim high. TOO high. Take it easy, darling. Ads that promise you fluency in 30 days is just a cheap trick to make you buy the courses. This is not going to happen, well, unless you‘re a savant. But you‘re not, are you? It's fine. There will be days when your language seems immaculate but then there will be others where you feel like you‘re just starting to learn the ABC. All normal. Just stick to your dedicated time slots. 5. Talk to foreigners! What jolts us out of our comfort zone better than actually trying to use the new, still clumsy, skill in real life? You don‘t have any foreigners around you? No probs, sweet pea. Have you ever heard of Tinder and Bumble? Yes, the dating apps but they are not just for romance anymore. People look for other people for different reasons. In your bio, write that you're looking for someone to have a cup of coffee with and chat in English. I know, you might be shy or rather introverted. Again, no problem. Say that you'd like a pen friend. Bumble even has a "bff" mode where you can actually swipe for friends. Give it a go. 6. Get ready to fail, sometimes bigtime I once asked a British friend of mine how many pairs of pants he was taking with him to the seaside for the weekend. He said three. I said I was taking one. He looked at me like I was the dirtiest pig on earth. (Pants in British English = underwear)

When learning a new language, it is essential to be in growth mindset. What it means is that you take every mistake, every failure as an indicator of what knowledge gaps you‘ve got and an opportunity to learn. Don‘t forget that language is there to communicate and a few imperfections won‘t change the message that you‘re trying to pass on. Believe me, I managed to navigate southern China mostly by just talking to people after having learnt Mandarin for two months. If I can do it, so can you. Oh, and leave that whip you use to whip yourself for mistakes at home, it's of no use. I wish you best of luck. However, if you‘re facing difficulties, send me a message and we‘ll find a way to improve your learning. Dawn