By Yes, learning languages may be hard, but it isn’t as difficult as most people think. Whether it is Spanish, French, German, Icelandic or Mandarin, there are some common mistakes people often make which can hugely slow down the learning process of any language.
Here, we’ll look at some of the most common mistakes people make and how to avoid these Language learning pitfalls.
Read the reviews before making any Purchases…
Many people spend a lot of time and money on various courses without them knowing whether the courses are worth it or not. It is advisable that you buy just one or two quality courses than spending all of your time and money in buying ten worthless courses. Why? This is because one right course is better than ten useless courses. And it is enough to get you started in learning any language. The best way to know if a course is of good quality is through its review by those who have purchased and read it. You can know this by searching for the courses on Amazon or Google and read the positive reviews or comments.
Not enough exposure to the real Language…
It is very difficult or may not even be possible for you to learn a language from reading a book only. Books will only teach words and grammatical rules, but not the spoken language itself (unless it’s an audio book). The only way you can learn and integrate any language is to be exposed to it as it is spoken in the country of origin. For example, learn the French Language as it is spoken in France and other French speaking countries and not just by reading it from the book. There are three best ways you can learn this:
The first and most common way is to travel to the country, either for a stay for some period of time or holiday, participate in some of their activities and get used to the language.
The second way is to develop the habit of watching related movies, especially the old movies as they contain the original language which is much clearer. Look at the ones with subtitles, and you will be so amazed that the language will gradually sink into your subconscious and the language will be much easier and faster for you to learn.
Thirdly, select the language course with audio or audio visual you can hear and understand the language spoken correctly and acceptably.
Not Learning Key Phrases
Most language learners learn in a kind of “progression” sort of way. You take Class one, then Class two, and then Class three, which explicitly teaches the sequence of words and grammar. This is an excellent way to learn, and it is essential to do it practically. However, it is also important to learn the common key phrases used in the language even when you are watching movies or during your vacation or visit. Getting used to these language key phrases will give you the speediest return on your money and time expended in learning the language.
Our Own Attitudes
One of the biggest pitfalls one could face is our own attitude towards learning languages. There is a saying that a negative mind will not give you a positive life and the same principle can be applied to languages. If we don’t believe in ourselves or let the negativity of others or our own thoughts get to us how can we improve? Check out How to Manage Unhelpful Thoughts When Learning a New Language.
What common pitfalls have you faced have you faced? Comment below…
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