Tips for Supplementing Foreign Language Learning

With a working knowledge of several languages, friends and family often ask me how I do it. How do I manage to succeed where so others become frustrated? All it takes is a little dedication and some creativity to make learning a foreign language fun. Here are some tips to help you on your way:

1. Carry flash cards on you at all times. You'll be surprised how much study time you can get in while carrying out every day tasks like waiting in line or sitting at the doctor's office. This time is valuable, make use of it.

2. Purchase music in your language of choice. Not only does this submerse you in the culture, but you will get used to the sounds of the language and feel rewarded as you begin to understand more and more of the lyrics over time.

3. Podcasts! There are a wealth of free podcasts available to language learners these days and many of them are fun on top of it. iTunes carrys many of them and you can subscribe to download them automatically. Also check out www.podcastalley.com for a list of useful podcasts of all sorts. You can listen to these or other language learning recording formats in your car as you battle traffic. Again, it's about making use of time you already have.

4. Real-life content. Although at first, you won't understand everything, it makes a difference to browse magazines, websites, etc. in the language. Most foreign newspapers are available in online editions and international newstands in major cities are an excellent source for materials.

5. Start a language practice group. Meet with other learners over coffee, especially if you're not in a structured class. This will give all of you invaluable practice time speaking the language. Honing your listening and reading skills is always a plus, but as I've learned, without the opportunity to speak, it's a whole other animal!

6. Make an online or old fashioned snail mail penpal. Not only will you make connections, but again, it's another way to make use of your language skills. And don't be afraid of making mistakes, most people are more understanding than you think.

7. Make an effort to see foreign films relating to your chosen culture and language. It's entertaining, a great window into culture, and eventually, as with the music, you'll start picking up phrases without the subtitles. You may even learn some slang terms...which can come in quite handy.

Hopefully these ideas will kickstart your imagination and provide you with some enjoyable ways to make learning a language easier and less of a daunting task.