Improve your language skills

Are you hoping to improve your fluency and confidence in an additional language? 

As well all know, practice makes you perfect! 

 Here are some language practice tips:

1. Set aside a time for daily language building activities. This could be 5 or 10 minutes of journaling, listening, speaking, or reviewing problematic areas such as word use or grammatical features. Consistent practice is more effective than long, occasional practice sessions. 

2, Associate language practice with a pleasant cue. For example, every day when you have your morning coffee, you could choose to devote 10 minutes to reading for pleasure in English and making a list of unfamiliar words. 

3. Don't worry about accuracy the first time you engage in a practice activity. Write in your language journal without correcting errors, listen to songs or podcasts in English without a translation and see what you understand. Fluency and confidence are the goals of these language-building activities. You may come back a second or third time to revise your first attempts or impressions but try to participate naturally the first time at least. 

4. Commit to language building! Read, write, listen, and speak in the language you would like to improve. Find daily opportunities to increase vocabulary and gain fluency. It is a most helpful if at least some of these are interactions with those who will engage in conversation with you in English. 

5. Find a way to track your progress and reflect on your learning. One way to do this is through the use of a language journal. You can record your interactions, areas of difficulty, and goals for the week or month.  It’s also a place to practice answering question prompts or writing about topics of interest.  You could also consider making an audio journal to practice spoken English.

It may feel daunting at first to be learning and speaking an additional language all day, in a new setting.  But as you practice, your comfort level will rise, and you will find yourself engaging more and more in meaningful and satisfying interactions with others!