Make sure to add time daily to keep your language learning goals consistent. The more you do during the week, even if it is through 10 or 15-minute chunks, the better you will be able to absorb the information that is essential to maintain a long-term learning habit. A lot can be accomplished and learned by adding short sessions of meaningful learning time. Listening to podcasts in your target language, journaling, watching programs, or vocabulary review count as good learning habits.
Listening to podcasts early in the morning is a great way to start your day. Every morning I listen to the Talk to Me in Korean (or TTMIK) podcast while I make breakfast and drink my coffee. I start my day by passively listening to my target language. When I am simply drinking my coffee, I write down a few notes and review the PDF that comes with each episode. Every episode lasts an average of 12–15 minutes while, on other days, they could be 20 minutes, but it helps me stay invested in what I am doing, even if it’s just reviewing a short chunk a day.
Journaling has been another way for me to practice making more Korean sentences. Usually, I focus on a few grammar points each week that I review and incorporate into crafting my sentences. Learning about the “Plain Form,” has been a challenging topic to wrap my head around, but I am slowly starting to understand how to use it more through writing. At the beginning of my journey, it was impossible to create sentences but now that I have enough vocabulary words to string sentences, it has become easier to review and apply what I learn to my daily schedule. Journaling takes me ten minutes a day. I journal during the afternoon while on my lunch break, writing down five sentences incorporating the information I have reviewed. My progress is slow, but I expect to see more improvement in the next three months.
Watching television doesn’t seem like an efficient way to study, but it could be helpful if the subtitles are in the target language. Our favorite shows can also help us to focus on listening since we are more interested in the content. It is a great way to review, to see if your listening skills are improving, and it’s the perfect time to write down some words that keep repeating throughout the episode or movie. When streaming a show or movie, the best thing to do is pause and write things in a notebook that you do not understand or that pique your interest.
Finally, reviewing is an excellent way to reinforce what you learn because vocabulary building will help you improve your listening and writing skills. Some people might be against vocabulary learning. However, it is essential, especially if the language is completely different from your native language. I am currently doing a vocabulary review to make my passively known words active. Vocabulary review is not easy and, most of the time it has been frustrating to see words I think I know, but discover that I do not know them.
This journey has taught me that taking breaks after extended periods of hard work is essential. A pause gives your brain a recess. Resting allows you to get your brain to focus better helping us do a lot more. However, if things get overwhelming with language learning, or you are losing motivation and feeling frustrated try and take it easy by going slower. Take the time to know your limits. Scheduling is imperative to remain consistent. Habits are created through orderliness. Don’t get discouraged if your process and progress are going slower than expected. You will get there, so do not give up.
Originally published at http://thoughtsofang.wordpress.com on October 29, 2022.
