With the advent of technology, communication tools, and access to information, there’s no reason why anyone should be confined to the traditional ways of learning, like a classroom. Not only are there more effective solutions out there, but there are creative ways that will spur excitement into your learning process, which will inevitably help you learn faster through engagement. We’ve hand-curated 7 for you to explore. We highly encourage that you try at least one of these today!
1. Learn 10 New Words Every Morning
We get it. You’re busy, and live life on-the-go. But anyone can learn 10 new words every day, whether it’s on your commute to work or during your lunch breaks. Research shows that when you learn 1,000 of the most common words in any language, you’re able to familiarize yourself with over 85% of the oral language! That means that by learning 10 new words a day, you can reach 85% fluency in a language in just 100 days. Sure, you’ll still need to practice and master how to speak the language properly, but you’ll be well ahead of the pack.
2. Attend a Language Exchange
Love meeting new people? Why not attend a language exchange meetup in your local city?
You’ll have the opportunity to meet like-minded people that share your passion for travel, culture, and languages, and be able to practice your speaking skills as well! Use websites like Eventbrite, Meetup, or Couchsurfing to find local language meetups in your city.
3. Play Games Online
That’s right. You can play games online and learn a language. The trick as you may have guessed is to seek out communities that speak your target language, whether it’s Spanish, French, Mandarin, etc. The second option is to use the Language Option on whichever game you’re playing, and switch it to the target language you’re trying to learn.
4. Date Someone That Speaks Your Target Language
Spice up your dating life by seeking out someone that speaks your target language. With the rise of online dating, there are more ways than ever to filter through people from different cultures, and find the one you’re looking for. The good news is, you’ll immediately have something in common with when you meet them! Good luck :)
5. Find a Private Teacher to Learn Wherever You Are
Too busy to learn a language and just want to work with the best teachers to accelerate your language skills? The best way to learn a language for you then is to find a private teacher online. It will allow you to learn wherever you live in the world, nearly any time of the day, and any day of the week. This ultimate flexibility and on-demand scheduling is what will motivate you to continue learning in the long-run versus a fixed location and time schedule that’s required at a language class. Besides, who has the time to drive back and forth to a class every day!
6. Netflix and “Chill”
Love to Netflix and ‘Chill’? Why not Netflix, ‘Chill’, and learn a language? Whether you’re on Netflix, Hulu, HBO, or any other streaming platform, you have the option to listen to your favorite movies and TV shows in a different language. If the audio version in your target language is not available, then experiment with subtitles first. Not sure what movie to watch? Check out this complete list of movies to watch on Netflix.
7. Switch your Social Media Into Your Target Language
Another creative & fun way to learn a language is to start sharing your social media updates in your target language. It’s not too much additional effort since you’re already sharing on social media anyways, so why not develop your foreign language writing skills along the way? Take an example from Brazilian supermodel Gisele herself.
