3 ways to make foreign language learning more interesting!

Vocabulary and grammar? Verb tenses? Memorization? No thanks! Are these the tedious things you think of when it comes to the subject of learning a new language? We wouldn’t blame you if you did think like this. It is actually very easy for language learning to become a stale, repetitive and criminally dull experience.

The image above is from Angkor Wat, Cambodia! Visit our log in page to see amazing images from every country on the planet.

What if you knew that you could make it a more enjoyable experience, though? Would you change your mind? In today’s blog, we’re looking at several ingenious ways that we can make language learning fun again.

Learn Authentic Language

When you’re stuck learning stuffy academic terms and the formal language of the textbook, it’s quite easy for language learning to become quite boring. The secret to fixing this is by finding channels where you can experience and learn a much more authentic vocabulary and parlance that the native speakers are using.

One way you can do this is by engaging a native speaker teacher online. They can keep you up to date with the latest slang terms, and also help fill you in on how people really express things. Real people who speak the language you are learning very rarely speak in the way that textbooks reveal. You’ll quickly discover that when you explore authentic language and its use.

Load it Up on Your Smartphone

Learning a foreign language has been transformed into a real “on-demand” activity these days. Today, it’s something you can do through your smartphone while you’re riding the subway to work, or waiting in line for coffee. The experience can be tailored to fit into your own schedule, and that in itself is a great way to make the prospect of language learning more interesting.

Even more, though, is the innovative ways that many of these language apps have turned the act of learning words and language points into fun game formats that are challenging and even slightly addictive. Did you ever think you could get addicted to grammar and vocabulary games? In 2021, it’s very possible.

Use Modern Media

Your online or bricks-and-mortar classroom is but one of the places you can now access the language learning environment. Thanks to Podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, language bloggers and other sources, you can now create a grand “suite” of learning materials to study and enjoy in your own time. These platforms provide animated, colorful and engaging content that delivers authentic language and a great learning experience for you at the same time.

Learn Through Music

If you have a lyrical, musical or otherwise artistic soul, then language learning can be made a lot more fun by using music. Think of each song as a 3-4 minute “text” for you to understand and appreciate. Through music, you can discover the real beauty of the language you are studying, and find interesting and unique ways to communicate your deeper feelings and emotions.

When you want to feel more connected to a language, and also give yourself a convenient way to learn words and phrases on the go and whenever you’re free, then music is a great medium to explore.

Travel and Talk with Native Speakers

Finally, if you really want to put yourself in the ‘deep end’ of language learning, which is always more exciting than the classroom environment, then take yourself away to a place where your target language is spoken and try out what you know on the natives. Learning the language in a place where it is spoken as the mother tongue of the majority involves a steep learning curve, but that kind of immersion is a powerful thing.

It can be the most nerve-racking and tense experiences when you are starting out, but it’s also a way to expedite your learning and take it to levels you never previously thought possible. Accessing those higher levels gives you a whole fresh perspective and restores the “fun” in learning.

Language Learning: It’s Only as Boring as You Allow

At the end of the day, you’re the one with the power to make your language learning experience more interesting. If you have encountered a learning channel that has become tedious, then try an alternative! There are now seemingly as many ways to learn languages as there are languages themselves! Take control of your learning and shape it to fit your interest.