It is definitely the coolest thing ever to learn a foreign language in high school. Whether French, Italian or Mandarin, if you have to opportunity, you should pounce on it and get learning. However it is definitely easier said than done. I mean, after all it is a completely new language. And getting the basics is as tough as doing literature in English (not exaggerating). Hence in order to help you out, here is a tip or 2 to help you out in learning a new language.

The 100 most common words

Aim to learn the 100 most common words and their meanings within a given period of time. There’s evidence that the 100 most common words makes up 50% of any conversation in that language. And when you think of them as discrete words (and this can include simple words such as “and”), it does honestly become much easier!

Movies, music, TV shows, magazines

Talk about combining learning and entertainment. Make it a habit to include music of the language in your Spotify list… Or read a few magazine articles.. When you are keeping your mind entertained in your preferred way, you are also unconsciously reading or listening to the language and practicing your understanding. Talk about hitting 2 birds with 1 stone eh?

Apps

Apps like babbel amongst many others makes practicing the language much more fun and interactive. For those of you afraid of making mistakes while using the language with others, apps are a great way to go as well! Best of all, they assist with learning on the go, where ever you are.

So there you go. You really don’t have to know every word in the language to result in efficient learning. If you can master the core vocabulary along with a couple of other main teechniques, you are already half way there! And most importantly, don’t be afraid! Learning a new language is a mammoth task and you are brave enough for willing to open up that avenue. It’s an interesting journey because unlike other high school subjects, it is not just learning.. You can see the language manifest in real life wherever you go. If you do know any other helpful hacks that would help with learning a new language, please do let us know!. Until next time, Peace out!