This post is the first in a series of monthly posts I have plan in which I intend to offer suggestions to help those studying foreign languages find ways to do so that will suit them and aid them to progress.
I will try to mention a good range of practices and options; however, the focus will naturally gravitate towards methods that can be used for self-study or as a way to supplement official classes, so please keep that in mind as you read.
Similarly, I will likely linger longer on the approaches I have found useful in my own studies, since those are the strategies with which I am most familiar. Remember, though, that just because something worked for me doesn't mean it will work for everyone.
My motivations and philosophy about language study may not marry up with those of all the students reading this, some of whom may have pressing goals to meet in their language studies for their careers or because of their personal situations. Likewise, not everyone learns in the same way, and different methods will therefore suit different people better. Things that I found a waste of time could well be the best approach for other learners.
Every student is different and, until you come to know your optimal study style, you will need to trial various approaches to see what works for you.
I have no paid affiliation with any of the resources mentioned in this post; I am only suggesting them as options that have worked for me. They may not suit everyone's learning style.
Language Learning Overview
Guided vs Self-Study
When it comes to language study, the main ‘split’ is between guided study and self-study, or, in some cases, you could employ a mixture of the two.
By ‘guided’ study I mean joining a group class or course, which is led by a teacher who plans your curriculum and tells you what to study and in what way. This approach could be useful if you are someone who prefers guidance and/or who needs the ‘accountability’ of attending class and doing homework to help motivate them. The downside of this is that, in most cases, there will be a cost involved; although, there are exceptions. I took some free Korean classes through the Korean Cultural Centre here in Australia or, for example, you could enrol in a MOOC on an audit path.
MOOC means ‘massive open online course’ and the best-known three providers are Coursera, EdX and FutureLearn (all of whom I have personal experience with). Auditing these classes will allow you to view all materials for the lessons, but you cannot complete the assignments or get a certificate at the end. The lack of assessment is perhaps a negative aspect for those in need of feedback on their work, while the lack of a certificate might not work for those seeking formal qualifications in the language(s) they are studying; however, it could be a good way to ‘dip your toes in’ and see how you feel about a particular language before committing to paid study options, or if you need guidance through a curriculum but time, location and/or budget constraints mean you cannot join a more formal class.
Some people, though, are happy to direct their own learning, and for them self-study might be a better approach. Even here, MOOCs on an audit path could be one aspect of that self-study if there are any available for your chosen language(s). For self-study, you will need to choose your own path and find your own resources, but since you have no set times to attend classes, you can fit in your studies around work and other commitments, making it a very flexible approach that can shift and change along with your lifestyle. One perceived negative impression of self-study might be the lack of assessment and feedback, but that doesn’t have to be the case, as we will discover later in this booklet.
There will be pros and cons to both methods; the key is to choose the one that works best for you and fits in with your personal circumstances.
Main Areas of Study and Study Styles
There are six principal areas of language study — grammar, vocabulary, listening, reading, writing and speaking — and this booklet will cover each in turn.
Those following a formal course will get little say in the distribution of their studies across these areas, but those undertaking self-study (whether in full or in addition to formal classes) can organise their study focus to suit their needs and aptitudes. Some thrive on grammar, while others consider it a great evil. Some want to get speaking straightaway, while others care more about comprehension than output.
If you really wish to master a foreign language, you will, by necessity, need to cover all six areas, but there are numerous ways you can do this, as I aim to break down section by section shortly. You don’t have to slog through hours of flashcards or hours of grammar exercises just because that’s the way you’ve heard it must be done. Instead, tweak things to work for you.
After all, to succeed in learning a new language you need to be having fun. You won’t stay motivated if you are bored, and even those studying due to a requirement, rather than for pleasure, will find it hard to get the grades you need and make steady progress if you are not enjoying the journey.
Budget
For many language students, budget may play a major part in any decisions you make around signing up for courses or purchasing resources. It’s certainly something I must keep in mind, especially since I have nine foreign languages on the go.
In the pre-internet days it would have been quite an obstacle, but luckily things are much easier in the 21st century, and I am happy to say there are always options, as we have already found in the example of paid courses vs auditing MOOCs.
As I elaborate on each of the principal areas of study, I aim to provide options for budget-friendly approaches as well as paid alternatives. It is entirely possible to study a foreign language without paying a cent if you can adapt your study style to suit the free options available.
Choosing Resources
Sometimes the biggest obstacle for self-study language students is finding the right resources to work with. How profound an issue this is will depend on the language you are studying. When I started Icelandic, all I could find in terms of resources for English speakers wanting to learn the language were one coursebook, one grammar book, one very tiny and almost useless dictionary, and one free online course. Later, I also came across a good YouTube channel, but video posting was sporadic, and I quickly watched everything available and was back at square one. In this case, I only had what I could find, so there was no real choice involved.
Contrast that with a language like Japanese or French. For popular languages like these, most of the time you will find an extensive range of textbooks, online courses, YouTube channels, websites etc., at least if you are using English as the learning medium.
If you are not comfortable learning through English, the number of available resources will depend, of course, on your native language and how popular the foreign language you want to learn is with people from your country, but anyone with at least B2 English or above could probably also work with resources aimed at English speakers.
When studying a popular language with many materials available, the pitfall can be getting sucked into a never-ending spiral of finding new resources. While having variety can certainly be a positive thing, it can also lead to a) losing all your study time pulling up resources instead of actually studying and b) being so overwhelmed by all the options you can’t decide which to pick, flitting back and forth between them and making no progress.
My advice is this: when you encounter new resources, give them an initial, quick review to see if it seems likely they will suit your study style. If they don’t, move along. If they do, bookmark them/add them to your list.
Procrastination over resources can be a huge hurdle, especially at the very beginning of your studies in a new language and again as you find yourself hitting the intermediate plateau, but it doesn’t have to send you tumbling as long as you keep your mind set on your goals and don’t allow yourself to become distracted by the sheer amount of materials available.
We will look in greater detail at finding resources for different areas of study in each of the relevant chapters.
Organising Study Time
How you organise your study time will depend on what type of study you are doing, but I will try to offer a few general thoughts.
A lot of the information in this section will depend on each student’s personality and study style. Some may want the structure of following a textbook or course and setting aside clear times during the week for study. Others may be more flexible in their resources but still want to stick to a firm routine, while the rest may prefer to go by their mood, rather than following a strict regime of any kind. All these approaches are valid; it will depend on your aims and your existing commitments.
Some people may think they cannot study a language due to their already-packed schedule, but that is not true at all. If you have the motivation, you can always find time.
Consider your current routine. Are there any patches of ‘dead time’ you could commandeer for language study? For example, I take the bus into work on the days I am at the city office. This is a 30–40-minute journey each way, so I use that time to listen to foreign language podcasts on my phone. If you are a keen exerciser, you could change up your usual walking playlist, swapping to either a podcast or music in your target language. If you watch the news or read the paper while eating breakfast, try doing so in your target language instead. Even passive study like this is still helping to expose you to the language and attuning your ear to the sounds. Then, when you have a block of completely free time available, you can concentrate on more active study.
The more time you can find, the faster you will progress. If you are learning with a set goal in mind for which you need the language skills, you will naturally need to work harder to find free time in which to study, but for hobby-leaners like myself, you really don’t need to put too much pressure on yourself. Start with what you can manage and slowly build from there, and you will find that as you progress in a language you can do more in what little time you can find because you understand things quicker and can work through activities at a faster pace.
Setting Goals and Tracking Progress
How deep you wish to dive into this section will once again depend on your aims and study style. Those focussed on passing an exam or attaining a certain level required for their work will likely need clear goals, a stable timeline and progress tracking, while those studying purely for their own enjoyment and interest may prefer to be less strict or ignore such tracking entirely.
If you are aiming to take a proficiency test like the JPLT or TOPIK, you will know the date of the exam and can plan your study time working back from that to ensure you cover all the necessary materials and revision in time. Those studying with textbooks in general may wish to set themselves goals such as completing a chapter per week or month, while others may prefer to work through the book at their own pace, without putting any pressure on themselves to complete it within a certain period, unfazed if they miss a week along the way.
I personally fall into the middle category, so let me give you an example of how I plan and track. I have a few general goals for my different languages each month, but how I fit those tasks into the month I keep flexible, so I can adjust things depending on how my week is going. Should the month end with something left undone, I may be a little disappointed, but I try not to stress about it and simply move it to the next month.
In my bullet journal I have a double-page spread for each month where I note my goals and track my progress. In the tracker, I mark off for each day which languages I studied and what area of study I did for each. I don’t go so far as tracking the exact amount of time spent — it might be five minutes one day but an hour the next — however, I keep a rough eye on the areas I am getting practice in and which languages I work on over the course of the month.
As you can see, I am an old-school, pen and paper fan when it comes to planning, but there is no golden rule on how you set goals and track progress if it is something you wish to do. For those paper-minded like me, a quick online search will bring up images of many different styles of language tracker you could try. If you prefer to work electronically, you could use anything from the simply calendar app on your computer or phone to dedicated scheduling and/or tracking apps.
However you wish to approach goal setting, I would say this: be realistic. Unless you have special circumstances like moving to live in a new country and undertaking super-intensive study in the native language there, the chances you can become completely fluent in 3 months or similar are incredibly slim, and even if you are living there, I still think it would be a tough call. It’s not a good idea to aim for an unrealistic speed of progress because it will be extremely disheartening if, by four months, you are still only able to master beginner grammar. That might be enough of a disappointment for you to decide you just ‘don’t have the gift for languages’ and give up.
I personally believe anyone can learn another language if they choose to do so. Some may progress faster than others, but it’s not a race. Don’t compare yourself to those who say they learnt five languages in two years, compare the you of today to the you of three months ago and see how much you’ve learnt and how far you’ve come. It’s pointless to compare your journey to that of other learners of your target language as everyone’s circumstances are different. They may have time to study for 2 hours every day, while you can only fit in 2 hours per week. They may have the time and funds for conversation classes with native speakers every week, while you can only afford one per month. In these circumstances, of course they are progressing faster than you, but that doesn't mean you can’t progress or that you have no skill to do so; it simply means your journey will be a little longer than theirs.
‘I want to be fluent by the end of the month’ is not a good goal to set. It’s neither realistic nor easy to measure. Instead, set small, achievable goals such as ‘I want to finish the first chapter of this textbook by the end of the week’. When you achieve that goal, you will feel good and be keen to keep moving forward with your studies. For those who struggle with motivation at times, you could even promise yourself little rewards as you reach key milestones.
One final point on this topic I wish to add is that it’s also fine to take a break when you need to. I have had language-study burnout at times when I’ve tried to do so much it starts to feel overwhelming. If that happens, pause for as long as you need. It doesn’t mean you are giving up; it’s just self-care, giving your mind a chance to destress and reset until you are ready to start again. It’s better to take a month off and then return with renewed vigour and motivation than to push yourself to the point where you want to give up entirely.
Fluency
What is fluency and how do you know when you’ve reached it?
There has been a lot of debate on this topic over the years and a quick search online will bring up a ton of videos and articles. Is it when you’ve progressed all the way from A1 to C2? Is it only if your accent is so good you get mistaken for a native speaker? Is it whenever you reach a stage where you can talk on any topic with a native speaker without freezing, even if you make the occasional mistake?
For this booklet, I won’t go into a lot of detail on the different schools of thought; I will simply share my personal philosophy on the matter. Perhaps you will agree with me, perhaps you won’t, but this is how I approach the question in my own mind while I am studying.
For me, fluency is if I feel comfortable using the foreign language in any situation and can be understood without problems even if I occasionally mistake a word or mess up a conjugation. While I don’t discount the A1–C2 scaling completely, as it is useful to give a rough indication of your progress, I think it has problems for one particular reason: sometimes you can be at one level in one area of study and a completely different level in another area.
In all my languages, my comprehension levels (reading and listening) are a lot higher than my production levels (writing and, in particular, speaking), and I can’t believe I am alone in this regard. The main reason for this discrepancy is that reading and listening are the simplest skills to practice in self-study. There is no difficulty finding materials and they are both easy skills to find time for even if you have a busy schedule. Writing is probably next, but it does take more time, you need to find ways to get your writing evaluated and it can be daunting deciding what to write unless you have pen pals (and even then letter-writing can become repetitive in terms of the kind of sentences you are producing). Hardest of all to practice, unless you have money to spare for conversation lessons or are lucky enough to have native-speaker friends, is speaking, so this will often be the weakest skill area for those not undertaking formal classes where they are called on to speak often.
My comprehension levels for French and German (the languages I have studied the longest) are still well up there at C1–C2, but I haven’t had any opportunity to speak either of them to any extent for many years now, and if you threw me into a conversation with a native speaker I wouldn’t do as well as I used to — maybe only B2 with a few mistakes along the way. Is that a problem? I certainly feel a little sad that I don’t get to speak those languages as much these days and that I’ve gotten a bit rusty, but I also don’t have any cause to need speaking skills in those languages at present. I try to maintain them both through passive study, and for now I am content with that. If I plan a trip to either country in the future, I would naturally do focussed speaking practice beforehand, and doubtless those skills would come back to me again with a little work in advance and then the opportunity to interact with native speakers while I am there.
The point I want to make is: don’t get too hung up on the idea of ‘fluency’. It can mean different things to different people and isn’t always clear cut. Work out what level you would like to attain and strive for that. Perhaps you only want to be able to get around the country while on holiday, making bookings and ordering food etc. without resorting to English. Or maybe your goal is to read books in their original language, but you are not fussed about speaking the language to any extent. For the first of those examples, getting to an intermediate level would properly suffice, concentrating on speaking and listening skills. Meanwhile, the latter would require more advanced study of grammar and vocabulary, but the focus would be on reading, not on speaking or even listening skills.
Learning across all skill areas is, to my mind, the best, but that doesn’t mean it has to be an even spread. You could still prioritise one or two skills over the others to suit your personal aims.
Once again, don’t judge yourself against other people; keep your own goals in mind and simply try to keep improving little by little at a speed that suits you.
Join me again next month when I will zoom in on how to study grammar!
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