Learning a Second Language

Here's my favorite word again: Practice! You must constantly practice. Another phrase, "use it or lose it," is very true when it comes to language. But your practice has to be done in a way that will help you to improve.

Say something every day in your new language. Many students want to wait until they can understand and say everything perfectly. If you do that, you won't progress very much or very fast. It doesn't matter how many mistakes you make at first, or at last. People who have been speaking a second language for years have days when it feels like they're back in "language kindergarten!" What's important is what the Spanish call "letting loose the tongue." It's the only way to become fluent.

Of course, you can memorize certain conversational phrases, like "How are you?" and "What's your name?" You'll get to the point that introductory sentences will be easy for you to respond to. It's when people go off on a tangent, or use new tenses, or new vocabulary, that you'll feel your lack of fluency.

So, what can you do? Again, try to practice with neighbors or friends who speak your new language. You'll find that children especially will be exacting with you, correcting you without any hesitation! They may not be able to tell you why you made a mistake, but they sure will tell you when you do! You might also insist that you only speak to each other in that language, no exceptions (except for real emergencies, naturally).

If this is a family project, plan a daily "language" hour. (Not when you're sleeping, of course! You'd be surprised how many of my students jokingly suggest this.) Make the rule that you cannot speak in your native tongue at all, no exceptions. It'll be slow going at first, but you may be surprised at how steadily your fluency progresses.

Don't forget to carry a little notebook with you whenever you know you're going to be around people who speak your new language. This is for jotting down new words you see and hear. Use these new words as soon as possible in your conversations to help reinforce them in your mind.

You can also practice with your fellow students, outside of class hours. Plan to get together frequently to speak your new language. Two mouths are better than one!

As I mentioned before, many Web sites offer proficiency tests. Why not take the same test every couple of months to see how you're doing? Many textbooks have test pages; take them repeatedly. Check the answer key. Even better, have a neighbor or a friend correct your test and explain what you did right and wrong.

How Can You Keep Learning?

Even those who have spoken a foreign language for years find it helpful to dig out the ol' books (or cassettes, or CDs, or videos!) periodically, just to refresh and refine their command of the language. Keep your textbooks; don't throw them away! And keep up the bookwork. There's nothing like sitting down and going over the whys and wherefores of a language to remind you of what's important.

Barron's Educational Series has two series that are very useful to those who want to keep up their command of their new language. Barron's 501 Verbs series helps students who want to work on their verb conjugations. This series is available in English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Russian, Hebrew, Japanese, Portuguese, and even Latin. Barron's 1001 Pitfalls series examines common mistakes that second language learners make, takes the time to explain why we make them, and then shows the way to correct the mistake. It's available in Spanish, English, French, and German.

But in order to become a really fluent speaker of any language, you've got to speak with people of that language. Seek out opportunities to do so. Are there occasions at work when you can speak with someone in your new language? Can you work along with someone who speaks that language in your department? Would you be willing to switch to a department that has dealings with people in that language? Can you perhaps visit a country that speaks that language? You don't have to give up your newfound ability just because there's no one immediately around!

Above All …

Keep your sense of humor! You've got to be able to laugh at yourself. Native speakers will laugh at you, your teacher may laugh at you, and even little children who speak your new language will laugh at you! Surprisingly, even people who don't speak the language that you're studying may imitate its sounds, in innocent or not-so-innocent fun. But, if you can take it in stride and learn to laugh along with them, you'll have cleared a major hurdle in your learning experience.

YOU CAN DO IT!

Learning a new language is indeed a challenge. It takes time and effort. You're going to face disappointment, disillusionment, a lot of hard work, and a lot of mistakes. But, if you can meet that challenge, new cultures, new adventures, and exciting new experiences are open to you. Do it!