Many language learners have a hard time creating a sustainable learning routine. They try various resources, apps, and classes but don’t see any progress.
The secret to success lies in consistency and a regular routine. Here are some tips to help you create your ideal language-learning routine.
1. Make a Schedule
If you want to stay on track with your language learning, you need a solid plan. Find a method that works for you and set aside dedicated daily study time. Add it to your calendar with reminders, and make it a priority.
Try incorporating your studies into your daily routines, such as reviewing vocabulary before bed or listening to a podcast during your commute. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for help. A good partner or accountability app can be the difference between success and failure.
2. Set Goals
If you don’t have clear goals, letting language learning slide for days and even weeks can be easy. The key to keeping up with your routine is consistency and maintaining motivation.
Start by deciding how much time you can devote to your language learning daily. Be sure to factor in things like work, errands, kids, and other interests.
Once you know how much time you can spare, set a daily study goal, this could be as simple as reviewing vocabulary during breakfast, studying flashcards during your commute, or watching a television show in the target language at the end of the day.
3. Create a Learning Zone
Having a dedicated space and keeping track of your learning will help you stay on track with your language goals. It could be a dedicated room at home or a place you go to learn and practice, such as a coffee shop or public library.
If possible, try to have consistent learning sessions on a set schedule, such as 1-2 times daily. This will make it easier to form a habit and increase your accountability.
4. Make Learning Fun
If you don’t enjoy learning, it’s unlikely that your routine will stick. Look for games, apps, media, and other materials that make language learning fun.
Remember that learning a language takes time. Missing a lesson or two is okay if life throws you a curveball.
It’s also important to vary your activities so that you cover all four aspects of the language (reading, writing, listening, and speaking). This helps ensure that you continue making progress when you hit what learners call an intermediate plateau.
5. Take a Break
While you might feel tempted to jump back into your language learning immediately, taking a break is important. You need time to refresh your brain and your energy before you begin again.
You may also need to spend some time reviewing what you’ve learned before you get back to where you left off. This can help prevent significant backsliding.
Make a habit of learning languages during your daily routine:
- Listen to podcasts or music in your target language during your commute.
- Watch TV shows or movies.
- Learn new vocabulary during your lunch break.
You can also study different texts and articles on sites like PaperHelp. In this case, you can also get a paper help discount code.
6. Make Friends
Language learning is a journey, and it can be difficult to keep motivated. Remember the reasons you started learning your target languages – maybe it was to travel, to communicate with people in other countries, or to study literature and history.
Keeping your motivation levels up by making language-learning friends adds fun to the process and keeps you committed to continuing. Having friends to practice with also means you can discuss tricky linguistic rules and how they work in their real-life applications. Taking part in a community like FluentU or some can help you do just this!
7. Make Learning a Priority
Effective language learners are often focused. They plan out their study sessions and evaluate their progress. They use a learning journal or find another way to keep track of their new words and phrases.
They also make learning a priority by scheduling it in their calendars. They know that short, frequent study sessions are much more effective than one weekly marathon learning session.
Learning can be fun if you mix it up with games, media, and other activities that interest you. The key is to be consistent with your study routine so that it becomes a part of your life.
8. Make Learning a Habit
Until language learning is more than just something you think about or occasionally do, it’ll be hard to progress toward fluency consistently. To do that, you have to put it in the front seat and treat it as an actual habit.
You can do this by building learning habits that are easy to stick with. Listen to podcasts on your commute, practice vocabulary before bed, or spend 15 minutes revising each day.
Remember that it takes time to develop a new habit, so don’t beat yourself up when you miss one lesson.
9. Keep Learning Even When You’re Tired
Having a language learning routine is one of the most important things you can do to reach your goals. But there are so many resources out there, and it can be difficult to figure out what works for you.
You’ll find that you are more productive when you learn in short bursts rather than long sessions. It’s also helpful to keep your reasons for learning a language in mind. That will help you keep going even when you are tired! Keeping your motivation up is crucial to your success.
10. Use Your Words
An extensive vocabulary is the most important thing you can have in your language toolkit. Turn wasted time (riding the bus, waiting for an appointment) into language learning time by pulling out your flashcards or using a spaced repetition app and doing a quick word review.
Try not to overwhelm yourself with too much advanced content too soon, such as academic articles you don’t understand or super fast-paced YouTube videos that make you feel frustrated and inadequate. Opt for small steps that will motivate you to keep going.
