What Type of Learner are you?

There are tons of study methods out there, but which one works for you?

The first thing to remember is, YES, you can learn a new language, you just need to find a method that fits your learning style. Also define what you want to learn. Sometimes people do not necessarily want to speak the language, they may only want to read or write it. Depending on your focus, you should choose your study method accordingly...

If you are self-disciplined, try grammar and vocabulary exercise books. One of the best out there is Schaum’s Outline. The workbooks come in a variety of languages including Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Italian, English, Japanese and more.

Don’t get discouraged if you are self-disciplined but can’t learn that way. Some people need more interaction but may not have the resources or time to go to a class. Try computer learning resources. There are a multitude of CD-ROMs out there including Language Plus, Language Now, and of course Rosetta Stone. These programs offer more stimulation than the regular textbook.

But let’s say you are not very self disciplined or your main focus is on speaking, then what are your options?

You can go for a weekly night class which may help, but normally the next day most people forget everything from the night before. Daily classes would be more beneficial but due to time or classes not being offered, this may not be a possibility. However, you do want as much exposure to the language as you can get.

Try alternative fun methods like music or movies in your language of choice. Start with music that you know in English and buy it in another language. Why you may ask? If you are familiar with the song you will be able to learn the vocabulary faster. As you become better pick up different music that does not have an English version and study the song. Get the lyrics online, underline words you may not be familiar with, look at the grammar, etc. Set aside an hour of a day to look at one area of the song; Mondays vocabulary, Tuesdays grammar, and Wednesdays pronunciation.

If you are a more visual learner, try movies. I would advise to stay far away from dubbed English language movies. A large part of learning a language and helping to understand a language is to read the lips. If the actor is speaking in English but dubbed into another language, you may only be left confused. Rent international movies or cartoons. Although it may seem a little out of the ordinary renting a cartoon as an adult, we must become children in order to learn languages. Cartoons do end up being very entertaining and usually spoken at an understandable pace.

Also try to find people to converse with. Go to a French café or an Italian Pizzeria. Sometimes colleges offer a conversation center where people at various levels can speak with fluent speakers or even speakers at the same level as you. The resources are there, but it is our responsibility to find them.

Some points to consider:

• Define exactly what area of the language you want or need to learn.
• Are you self-disciplined? Do you need a constant push to learn? Are you a visual learner?
• Take an hour a day everyday just to review. Listen to music, go over notes, watch a movie, do some exercises, do an online lesson, just take the time out.
• Don’t be discouraged. It is very easy to say I can’t, a little too easy. Take the challenge, say I CAN.

Everyone has bad days. Think about when you speak on a daily basis. Do you sometimes open your mouth and have no idea what you are saying? Has someone looked at you as if you were crazy because of what you had just said? Have you mixed words up or made them up, and had a great big laugh afterwards? Of course and everyone does it not just English speakers. So relax, instead of I can’t, say 'Today’s not my day' and laugh it off. Do not doubt yourself because doubt is the number one reason why people give up languages, something as small as that. Personally, I don’t think it’s worth it.