10 Tips to help language improvement abroad!
You go abroad to learn a language but you are worried that you might not improve your language skills as much as you wish. Follow these simple tips below and you will see a dramatic language improvement!
- Avoid speakers of your mother tongue. If you can't, establish together a must-speak-local-language-rule. If one of you doesn't respect this rule, hell have some pledge!
- If you are a native English speaker, it must be hard for you to speak the local language. Many people will want to test their English skills with you. Well, do the same, and answer them in the local language!
- Get acquainted with local people: there are many ways to do so, from activities to special classes like cooking, dance, or social networks!
- Do everything local: eat, read, shop, watch TV! You will learn a lot of vocabulary in doing so and will notice a dramatic improvement in your language skills!
5. Find a local exchange talking buddy: he/she will help you improve your speaking skills in his/her native language, and you will do the same with yours! There are many organizations offering such possibilities in big cities!
6. Date a local! Ok, it may not be that easy, but hey, its the best way to get language improvement!
7. Try not to focus on your mistakes while speaking. Just speak out! If someone doesn't understand you, hell help you! Don´t forget that you are here to learn and that people know that and won't judge you!
8. Try not to feel overwhelmed by cultural shock, but rather accept others' differences. Otherwise, you may be subject to homesickness and isolate yourself from the vibrant learning environment around you!
9. Don´t be afraid to ask people to correct you! If you don't know the word for something, just point it and ask (with a nice please and a big smile) how you should say it!
10. Finally, once back home, keep on working on the language or you may forget a lot!
A good idea
A good idea would be to visit websites and get access to content you enjoyed reading while abroad, or buy books online from an author you discovered there! Listen to the radio, podcasts, watch videos on YouTube, it doesn't matter how, the important thing is to keep in touch with the language.
Want to learn more? Talk to us.