April Fools! Though there are pills that can help with concentration, language is too complex an entity to ever be condensed into a mere pill. Before you go and pull April Fools pranks of your own today, we have some real tips to help ingest language information that you don’t need a prescription for:
1. Use Mnemonics and Associations
A Mnemonic is a device such as a pattern of letters, ideas, or associations that assists in remembering something. You can search the internet for helpful mnemonics or create your own!
Example: a mnemonic to remember which situations require the subjunctive tense in Spanish using WEIRDO:
- W = Wants or Wishes
- E = Emotions
- I = Impersonal Expressions
- R = Recommendations
- D = Doubt/Denial
- O = used after the word Ojalá
2. Play Word Games
Who said learning had to be boring and repetitive? Search up some word games on the internet or your phone and give your eyes and brain a treat (and a break from flashcards).
- Find Objects Hidden Object (android only) – Search the Google Play store and download this app. Set the game to your desired language and have fun practicing vocabulary as well as keeping your mind sharp as you search for hidden objects.
- Conjugemos – A website that teaches language through fun activities & games. There are plenty of games offered in the free version.
3. Keep a Language Journal
You are not a robot who can simply download information at the click of a button. You are a living being with emotions, desires, and good days and bad days. Keeping a language journal will not only be a daily motivational reminder of why you want to learn the language, but the process of reflection might bring up some areas that you need to work on for the next day. Plus, it will be interesting to look back on your “previous self” one day when you successfully learn the language.
4. So Much More
The sky’s the limit when it comes to resources and methods to learn a new language. Some more suggestions to surround yourself with the language you want to learn are:
- Movies and TV Shows
- Music and Podcasts
- Change Devices to the Target Language
- Flashcards and Visual Aids
- Find a Language Partner
- Translate Songs or Poems
- Attend Cultural Events
- Immersive Language Courses
- Travel or Study Abroad
Cultural Bytes is a language program for children and adults that teaches the language by teaching the culture. Sign your child up for our In person or online classes to build confidence, develop vocabulary, improve sentence structure and have tons of fun doing it.
