Many people make the mistake that they can only learn languages by traditional routes. These people sit in front of lamp light with dense textbooks trying to study their target language. However, there is nothing that says that you cannot spice-up your studies and still love language learning. Here are three ways you can mix other activities with language learning.

Google news to the rescue!

One of the easiest ways to mix your activities with language learning is to listen to or read the news in your target language. Google news now offers “editions” which will automatically collect news, even personalized news, and give it to you for consumption. Likewise, tunein.com is a site with several radio stations from around the world ready for you to listen to in real-time. Take advantage of these things, and get outside of your news bubble, all in one swing.

Mix your interests with learning a language

I am privileged to be part of a group that helps me to develop two of my loves: public speaking and Spanish. My bilingual toastmasters group is a great opportunity for me to speak and learn/practice the art of gab. While you may not have a bilingual toastmasters club in your town, chances are that you can mix and match what you love with language learning, especially online discussion boards on topics you are good at/passionate about: love to work on cars and are learning Portuguese? Why not jump on a Brazilian gearhead discussion board and start answering some questions, Do you have a passion for learning Mandarin Chinese and have a background in income tax accounting, why not find a discussion board for Chinese expats living in your country and need income tax advice. You are more than just a language learner, you have other interests and skills, use those to boost your language learning capabilities.

Don’t be afraid to practice your target language

https://www.youtube.com/user/laoshu505000Moses McCormick is the man when it comes to finding new and interesting ways to get involved in a language. Living in Columbus, Ohio, McCormick is not surrounded by a swath of languages like someone from a cosmopolitan town. Does that keep Moses down? Hell no, Moses just walks up to people and speaking their language in the mall.

We are surrounded by many people that speak the language that we are trying to practice. We just have to take a chance and (not caring about embarrassing ourselves) walk up and speak. Note: some people are a little apprehensive about speaking their native tongue in public, especially if not asked first. So, I suggest asking them first if they would mind just taking a few minutes to speak to them in their native language (bonus if you say it in their language).  

Likewise, if they are an employee and working, ask if they have a minute or two to speak to you in the target language. Benny Lewis and Moses discusses this concept, which McCormick has labeled as “leveling up”, the idea of pushing yourself to approach people to practice your target language. Take the opportunity, if you are going to a restaurant or store and you know that the employee’s) speak your target language, strike up a conversation.

As you go about learning your language, you should not deprive yourself of the opportunity to have fun in the process. Mix in, and up, your activities with language learning; these could include reading/listening to your news in the target language, attending a bilingual public speaking group in the language, joining an online discussion group in your target language, or just finding someone in your town that speaks the language and strike up a conversation.  

How language learning can make you healthier

There has been a lot of talk about how exercising and eating healthy can make you fitter, which in turn can increase your mental abilities; what is overlooked is how learning a foreign language can also increase your health, both mental and physical. This blog will focus on how lifting up the language phrase book could increase your chances of lifting up the weights.

Better cognitive ability

In the blog “www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com“) there is a statement that learning a new language makes you better at decision-making skills. Much of health involves good life choices, making and solidifying habits are the foundation to a healthy life. Learning a foreign language not only is a sign of wanting to improve yourself, the increased use of your brain also spills over to increased conscious choices toward making a habit and making that habit stick.

A fit body also means a fit mind

The opposite is true as well; studies have shown that your mind is primed for studying best right after exercise (see the book “spark”).

Better perceptual ability

In the blog “www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com” there is mention of a perceptual study done demonstrating that bilingual children in Spain fared better with catching differences in other languages that are not related. This cognitive discernment can translate to physical health as well. In instances where cognitive ability plays a role in quick decision making, better perceptual ability is an ally and makes you better at a sport, which make you more prone to engage in physical exercise, and therefore more willing to be healthy. In addition, the increased perceptual ability also means that you can perceive changes to the physical structure of your body. This heightened sense of awareness allows for an increase in perception of injury to the body, which can prevent injury. Like said above, the prevention of injury will allow you to be able to engage in exercise and sports for an increased duration of time, which will make you more engaged in your health. Likewise, when performing muscle-enhancing exercises, such as lifting weights, being able to sense how muscles are being engaged in the weight lifting process allows for better isolation of muscle groups, which can increase muscle gain faster than mindless lifting.

Faster task switching

In the blog (https://bebrainfit.com/brain-benefits-learning-second-language/) it has been discussed that improved language learning allows for faster task switching, this not only  allows for increased performance during sports and exercise but also allows for a faster increase to get into the workout “zone” this faster entrance into a flow state allows for an increased effectiveness in working out or exercise, thus allowing for an increase in health overall.

Learning another language enhances your social standing

This last one is a bit of a cheating comment, but it is true nonetheless. One of the biggest issue in certain results on the internet is the concept of the “confounding variable” this is the hidden idea that makes certain claims seem true that aren’t. For instance, it has long been stated that yoga can increase your health, longevity, and quality of life. While this is probably true, another factor that is overlooked is that people of higher social standing tend to disproportionately make up the average yoga session and that these people tend to live longer than people in lower social standings.

I know, you are asking yourself “that’s great, but what does this have to do with me?” Well, increasing a number of languages that you speak will increase your skill sets, which will make you more marketable for high

paid positions. This increase in career prospects may allow you to increase your quality of living and investment in your health. Therefore, language learning has an indirect increase in your physical well-being by increasing your socio-economic standing.

Increases your longevity by increasing your network and networking skills

An increase in your network and communication with those close around you increase your expected life longevity. Increasing your foreign language skills increases your ability to network, which vastly increases your ability to live a longer, happier, and healthier life.

Increases dementia and focus

Multiple studies have demonstrated that learning a foreign language increases the ability to focus more intensely for longer periods at a time. Likewise, recent studies have indicated that learning a foreign language can hold off instances of dementia. In both instances, an increase in the focus and decrease in the ability to not lose that focus is important for physical activity as focus is directly correlated with an increase in effectiveness in exercise, performance in sport, and eating healthy.

There you have it, increased language learning can also have huge health benefits. So, next time you go to eat a carrot instead of candy, or hit the gym, remember that learning the Spanish word for raccoon* did its (albeit little) part for you to make the healthier choices, and be healthier in your life.

*p.s. the word for raccoon in Spanish is (mapache).

 

My hands are sweating, climbing up the narrow rickety stairs of the French pastry shop/cafe, I am leaving behind the voices of cheerful people and entering uncertainty. It has been years since I spoke French and, although I spent a little time brushing up, I am not prepared for the onslaught that awaits me.

With a deep breath, I open the door, leaving the shaded corridor for the bright room full of people speaking French.

One of the best pieces of advice that I have read for learning a language is to just start a conversation with somebody. One of the best ways you can find people to talk to is looking for language conversation groups, such as those found on meetup.com. But, it can be difficult to attend one of these meetings off the cuff; especially when you are new to your target language.

Here are some pointers and tips I picked up from my conversation groups to guide someone  into the language exchange scene:

•  Aim to speak at least one sentence

  People are scared because they believe that foreign language conversation groups require you to spend 30 minutes discussing high brow subjects. The truth is the meeting participants want to discuss things that the average person is interested in. So, take heart, you will probably be asked if you have seen the latest action movie well before you are asked about your thoughts on Nietzsche’s perspectives on the eternal return or some other highfalutin topic.

Likewise, you probably will not be speaking for a solid half of on hour. Depending on the number of native speakers in the area, and the popularity of the language, you may be finding yourself only giving 2 to 3 minutes of dialogue. This is okay and, fortunately, just enough that we need to get our foot in the door.

Whatever you do, you must try. Most conservation groups are, well, just that: conversations. They are not “let’s all take turns introducing ourselves” groups, the back and forth is organic. Because of this, you will need to be a little “aggressive” with our contribution to the group.

I am not saying that you awkwardly blurt out something in the middle of someone’s sentence but, if you find an opening, take it. If you have a question, ask it.

You may screw up, you may not know what the words are in the target language, but that is how you learn. But, try to say at least one sentence.

• Be an active listener, try to grasp the gist of the conversation by finding context

  On the other hand, do not sit there the entire time thinking about what you are going to say. The best method (especially early on in your language learning career) to gain understanding is to actively listen. You will be surprised how much you can pick up with such little understanding of the language. As mentioned above, I went to a French conversation group and was able to follow a group of French Canadians and Vietnamese speak about working in department stores and I even contributed!

Search for the meaning of the conversation and, when you get it, pat yourself on the back and take it as the impetus to throw yourself more into the language. If you misunderstand or do not comprehend something, don’t fret; the mere fact that you could follow the conversation at all should show you that learning this language is not an impossible feat.

• Take copious notes, and review/practice them after the meeting

  While you are actively listening, you are going to have questions about a word or phrase that you just do not know. Don’t let this opportunity pass you by, bring a composition book with you and write down all of the words that you do not understand.

Another subject to take notes on is, when you speak, how you are corrected. Don’t get embarrassed or upset if you are corrected, either; that person just gave you a gift, a micro lesson from an expert/native speaker…for free! Kudos to you for picking it up and running with you, you sly dog you.

The last thing to take notes on is the, as mentioned above, the topic of conversation. Why, do you ask? Because after the group is over, you can turn to the active participants and rehash what you think was talked about so they can correct you to see if you were on target in tracking. This may seem awkward, but it will boost your learning because you will be able to see quickly what areas you need focusing on.

• Conclusion

  Starting a conversation with a person can be intimidating; however, if you remember to 1) aim to speak at least one sentence 2) make active listening to your goals 3) take notes and practice after the meeting, then making the jump should be surprisingly (less) painless. Before you know it, you will be speaking to everyone (even people who don’t speak your target language) in no time. Good luck!