3 habits of people who find it easy to learn foreign languages

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Approximately 1.2 billion people around the world are learning at least one foreign language. But for some it is easy, and someone is ready to quit training halfway. To grasp new knowledge on the fly and not lose interest, you need to approach the process correctly.

All people who successfully cope with learning a new language have several habits in common. It doesn't matter why you are learning a foreign language: to improve your career prospects, get good grades in school, prepare for a trip abroad, or just for your own pleasure.

Learning a language is like a diet

Some language learning services claim that their software is so effective that you can learn to speak another language fluently in a couple of weeks or even overnight (imagine there is such a thing). Others argue that you can learn to speak fluently by simply listening to the tapes.

But let's be realistic: science and personal experience suggest that most people take time to master a second language.

Learning a language is like dieting. Can you lose 20 kilos overnight? No chance. And in a few months? Much closer to reality.

To keep fit, you need to exercise and eat a healthy diet. Likewise, in order to be successful in learning a language, you will have to develop the habit of practicing regularly and repeating the material.

Over 150 million people worldwide use Duolingo to learn languages, usually from phones and tablets during breaks or commuting to and from work. The service specialists analyzed their behavior and collected a huge amount of data about the learning process and repetitive patterns of behavior. Here's what they learned about learning habits.

Habit # 1. Learn a Little Every Day

A proven way to be successful at anything is to do it regularly. Language learning is no exception.

The first graph shows that the majority of users who do not abandon training necessarily devote at least a few minutes every day to it. Conversely, people who check the app after 5-6 days usually give up altogether.

Graph # 2 shows that successful students also complete more lessons per week, which means they devote more time to learning.

The researchers also identified groups based on behavioral patterns. For example, there are “weekend students” - people who only use the app on weekends. There is a group of "students from 9 to 5" - people who study through the application only during working hours.

Graph 3 shows that users from these groups show a lower level of language ability (in terms of psychometric analysis) than people who use the application almost daily.

Another group of users, who study before bed every day, seem to achieve a higher level of proficiency. This finding in practice confirms the evidence from scientific studies on the effect of sleep on improving learning outcomes.

Make a schedule so that you can devote time to classes several times a day. This will help keep your memory in good shape. Then you have a better chance of not quitting language learning. And if you get into the habit of repeating things before bed, the results will be even better.

Habit # 2. Don't Overdo it

Don't try to memorize more in one go. People who are given language learning tend to divide a large activity into several short lessons.

Graph # 4 shows the change in the number of daily sessions. For users who are progressing successfully, this indicator is lower. This means they devote time to lessons and practice every day. The other column shows higher fluctuations. These are users who start a marathon from time to time to catch up. With a high degree of probability, they will abandon training.

Psychological research confirms that the habit of going through a large amount of material in a short time leads to the desire to quit studying A Meta-Analytic Review of the Distribution of Practice Effect: Now You See It, Now You Don’t. … But this will not happen if you distribute the efforts. This is true for all skills, from language to airplane control.

It is better to assimilate the material in parts. Keep them small, the main thing is to practice regularly.

Habit # 3. Repeat, Repeat, Repeat

It can always be tempting to jump ahead and learn more new material, especially when learning takes place in a playful way. But any person learning a second language will confirm that everything learned is gradually forgotten.

According to psychological research, we remember information only if we constantly repeat the material we have covered. It helps knowledge to get from short-term memory to long-term memory.

But how do you know when it's time to repeat the old material? When you're full of energy, focus on learning new things. The best time to revisit is when you start to forget.

When you notice that your knowledge has begun to deteriorate, practice. In Duolingo, users see a list of words that they usually have difficulty with. Also, the system automatically tracks skills that make sense to work on.

Graph 5 shows that people who successfully learn a language have found a balance between theory (learning new material) and practice (repeating old).

That's the whole secret: study regularly, do not overload your head and repeat what you have passed from time to time. And don't worry that it will take a long time: it takes time to master any skill.