Language mode on: How to start learning a foreign language?

Hello guys! How are you doing? My September has been pretty nice so far, and I’m excited to see what it brings. Today my language mode is on. What does it mean? Lots of language love, of course!  I would love to master so many foreign languages, but when it comes to actually getting things done, well it’s much harder, isn’t it? Therefore, today’s post is all about starting. As Mark Twain said: “The secret of getting ahead is getting started”, so how to get down to work and make it work?

Source: http://www.downhamprep.co.uk

1. Choose a language you’re actually interested in. Going for something only because it sounds “kinda” cool, and everyone else is learning it makes you far more likely to give up. If you choose something, what truly interests you or can come handy in the future instead, you will be most likely more motivated to stay on the right learning track.
2. It’s all about s.m.a.r.t goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound. Don’t think too big, or too small. Assess how much time you’re willing and able to spend learning a foreign language and make your learning plan based on it. Just like you can’t run marathon after a day of a running training, learning languages also requires time. Be patient and consistent – all great things take some effort.
3. Immerse yourself. Do more than just learning new words and grammar. Start exploring the vibrant side of  a language you’re learning. Watch movies and TV shows, listen to music, read books and newspapers.
4. Find somebody to talk to! Speaking is a very important part of learning a foreign language, yet we tend to forget about it.  Look for somebody, who is also learning the language or is a native speaker. It will definitely help, because it’s just so cool to have a learning buddy. It will keep you more excited and inspired to practice. Where to find people interested in a language exchange? Penpal, Interpals, Italki.  I’ll talk more about these websites soon.
5. Practice, practice, practice! The key to mastership is practice. You can’t just skip it and hope you’ll suddenly become a master. It just doesn’t work like that. Prepare yourself for a lot of hard work, and remember… it pays off!
6. Don’t force it! When you’re overwhelmed, just give yourself a short break. Are short-term results better than long-term ones? Absolutely not. Don’t overdo it. Be consistent instead, and watch yourself become better everyday. Naturally and without rush. You want to become a speaker, and that’s a process, not a task, remember it.

 Source: tumblr

That would be everything I need to say… for now. That’s the first post of many more coming, and you will find them all in “language zone”. What do I have in store for you? Definitely some guides on how to get down to Arabic, Spanish and my native language – Polish. Stay tuned! Thanks for reading, you’re wonderful. Truly and undoubtedly!

Have a lovely day,

Jessie