Every day, more people wonder how to learn a language without studying, or at least developing fluency in a language without being forced to formalize their education in the traditional classroom.
Memorizing lists, doing repetitive exercises in textbooks, or going everywhere with the dictionary in your backpack, does not have to be the only methods to learn languages.
Learning a new language without studying is possible, as long as you follow the appropriate recommendations and methods.
With the help of applications to learn languages, books, audiovisual content, travel, or connecting online with people from different parts of the world, you can learn a language without studying. Let’s take a closer look at how you can successfully achieve your goal.
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Is it possible to learn a language without studying?
Although at first, it sounds crazy, the traditional way of studying a language was never the right way to learn a language. Do you remember having a childhood immersed in textbooks so that you could master your native language today? Probably not.
Although academic methodologies and validations have acquired a certain weight and reputation over the years, especially in the world of work, learning a language without studying, simply training our innate communication skills hand in hand with new technologies, each time it is more viable.
Obviously, it is a challenge that cannot be achieved without a good dose of commitment and effort to apply the strategies and recommendations that we will see from now on.
Eight tips to learn a language without studying
Next, we review the best recommendations that you should take into account before learning a language on your own and away from traditional classrooms:
Consume movies and series in their original language
Learning languages with the content of highly popular streaming platforms, for example, Netflix, or Amazon Prime is one of the most common ways to learn a new language without realizing that you are studying.
Start with the most friendly audiovisual content at your level in the language you are trying to learn, and take advantage of the dubbing and subtitling resources to better capture each knowledge.
Also, do not be afraid to repeat the contents until you easily understand the context or view your favorite audiovisual materials in a totally unknown language.
Listen to podcasts and audiobooks
To train your listening skills, nothing better than resorting to podcasts and audiobooks that cover topics of interest to you and allow you to become familiar with the everyday vocabulary of the language you are trying to learn without studying.
In addition, these formats are ideal to start improving your pronunciation and have a complete immersion in the language while doing other activities.
That’s how it is! Podcasts or audiobooks can be playing in your headphones as you go in the car, bus, or subway, exercise, or work on automatic activities.
The ideal is to select those contents that suit your level, avoiding overwhelming yourself with challenges that require extensive linguistic experience.
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Travels
Sounds pretty obvious, right? For as trite as it may sound, there is no better way to quickly increase your skills in a new language than to step out of your comfort zone and face the challenge of communicating in that language for survival.
Even on a short stay, for tourist reasons, there are hundreds of opportunities to loosen up with native speakers and have everyday conversations with all kinds of people.
In addition, you will not only have to interact with people, but there is a general linguistic immersion where exposure to the new language occurs even when reading posters walking down the street, or watching the local news.
On the other hand, there are also scholarships and exchange programs that can help you pay for travel expenses to learn a language from the direct experience of living in a foreign destination.
Make connections with native speakers of the language of your interest.
Whether you have the opportunity to travel, or if it is not among your current possibilities, connecting with native speakers of the language you are trying to learn is key if your plans do not include formal study in the company of a qualified tutor to evaluate you.
Find groups of foreigners who live in your country of origin and do not hesitate to try to establish a connection, take a look at virtual or face-to-face language exchange groups in your area, interact on social networks, and of course, do not be afraid to ask for feedback from the experts.
Visit these eight platforms to do online language exchange and raise your speaking skills with the best.
Do gamified exercises
It is proven that small challenges when learning a new language generate incentives and positive reactions to develop knowledge without falling into monotony.
Gamified exercises, generally found in web and mobile applications for learning languages, provide a sense of purpose and progress that will motivate you to continue your practice to the limit.
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Take advantage of the best apps and browser extensions
Learning a language without studying is not synonymous with doing things only when you feel like it. It is important to create habits and routines that, despite not fitting in with traditional educational methods, allow you to stay connected to your learning process.
Fortunately, today there are thousands of applications and browser extensions that accompany us daily on the devices that we usually carry everywhere: the mobile phone and the computer.
Apps like Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu or Mondly, allow you to use your free time to perform gamified exercises in different languages.
On the other hand, browser extensions are very useful for automatic translations and interpretations while doing daily activities on the computer.
Record your progress
Even if you are not studying formally, there is nothing more motivating than measuring how you have progressed in your practice and what language skills you have had the opportunity to incorporate when communicating in a new language.
Set a challenge adjustable to your goals, and do not hesitate to go for this one. At the end of the day, reflect on your learnings and create the habit of periodically comparing how your skills have evolved, which methods are more user-friendly with your practice, and how to continue to implement them.
Adjust each practice to your areas of interest
One of the aspects that can be more tedious when it comes to training in an academic and traditional way is studying through generic and sometimes not very exciting subjects.
By learning a language on your own, you have the opportunity to personalize your practice based on your interests and passions. Do you like sports? Learn a new language in the sports context. Do you love the music? Learn a new language with the help of your favorite songs.
Not only will you approach a new language with elements that are familiar to you, but you will also have the feeling that there is an exact context and place in which to put all your new knowledge.
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Conclusion
As you can see, learning a language without studying, especially in a context full of multiple digital resources to use to your advantage, is no longer such a crazy idea.
Many of the methods of learning a language without studying that we have reviewed today can bring as many practical advantages as traditional studies and are even generally a necessary complement for students of academic languages.
Although studying formally or taking official exams is always a plus, especially when it comes to finding a job or developing studies abroad, these methods of learning a language outside the classroom are an alternative to shorten the path and stay true to your style of learning. Absorb the information.
If you consider that learning in the classroom is not your thing and you want to live the experience of communicating in a new language directly in the real world, now is your turn! Try the tips on this list and find out which ones work best for you.
Our recommendation: the best option is a combination of them.
Hail
October 6, 2022 at 4:57 pm
Long living the peace