5 New Years Resolutions for Language Learners: Creative Strategies to Increase Fluency

Photo: David Woo

Canadian expat Anne Merritt goes open with her goals for 2011 as well as shares 5 plain denunciation guidance strategies.

I can order food, sure. we can swear the little as well as sing the severe interpretation of Head, Shoulders, Knees as well as Toes.

Thats about the crux of it.

Im upon my second teaching contract in Korea, the nation whose enlightenment as well as people we adore. And yet, my Korean denunciation skills are, to be frank, pitiful.

Ive hit the expat plateau, which stall in denunciation learning. we have only sufficient Korean to get around, as well as as well most shitty excuses for not investigate more.

This year, we wish to work harder as well as be more receptive to the local denunciation of the nation we like so much. What better time than the New Year? This year, we will have 5 resolutions for my denunciation learning. Not deceptive read more, verbalise more usual clarity resolutions, yet genuine focused goals which are, we hope, attainable. Struggling to investigate the brand brand brand brand brand new denunciation too? Join me.

1. we Will Make My Efforts Known

Instead of only scribbling down my New Years resolutions in the diary, Im going to have em open this year. Announcinggoals to the universe creates accountability; if we have strides with the language, people will know. If we slack, oh boy, theyll know too. Come March, if my textbooks have been propping up the list leg in my apartment, we cant brush it off with the Well, Im gentle with my simple Korean.

To tackle this resolution, Ive fessed up to my rudimentary Korean denunciation skills to the whole Matador Network. Other denunciation learners can write about it too, as well as begin the blog about the process. Writers like Benny the Irish Polyglot or Steve Kaufmann have been good models.

If we can, pointer up for th! e class as well as be kept upon track with test scores as well as assignments (not to mention the money we paid for the lessons regularly the dandy incentive). You can use Facebook, which good spokesman of minutiae, to have your goals open or to get the Word of the Day upon your page in your aim language.

A whipsmart partner of cave is guidance Swedish, as well as posts Facebook status updates whenever she passes the level in the course. For the associate denunciation learner, her success is inspiring. Okay, envy-inducing. Lets contend both.

Photo: Marie

2. we Will Focus My Goals

The curious thing about being immersed, as we am here in Korea, is the order in which we take in language. The terms as well as rules we catch on-site have been opposite from the things of denunciation textbooks. Ive found myself picking up denunciation upon the need-to-know basis. we work as the teacher, as well as have learned classroom vocabulary as well as bits of scolding. we have to eat, so menu terms come easy now. Working in the large school with the complicated staff hierarchy, Ive picked up how to contend we agree 4 opposite ways, in 4 opposite degrees of familiarity.

The complaint with this unstructured settlement of guidance is which once the each day things is familiar, its easy to slack. Then, the single overlooks those situations where more denunciation would be handy. we can buy groceries as well as even exchange at the travel marketplace already. Still, we could do with meaningful analogous forms like fewer, cheaper, as well as riper. we can direct the taxi only fine, yet we should learn Im lost; the word which was needed last week in brand brand brand brand brand new partial of town.

My fortitude is to figure out what denunciation gaps we need to fill. Im going to lift the cover for the week, jotting each circumstance in which we dont know what to say. Then, we can co! ncentrat ion my studies upon filling in those meagre bits.

3. we Will Tame the Zeal (and giveaway my inbox)

When we first decided to come to Korea, we went upon the binge of denunciation guidance materials. we paid for flashcards, done flashcards, scooped up textbooks, phrasebooks, dictionaries. Online, we signed up for each denunciation guidance site which was free.

Now, we get the dozen emails the day with opposite newsletters as well as practice sentences. Ill give myself the little points for enthusiasm, yet all which each day information is as well much. Today, we got emails to examination vowel characters in written Korean, vocabulary for the doctors office, as well as dual difference of the day (light blue as well as district). All these each day bits have been unfriendly to any other, which makes my guidance unfocused. As the result, not much is retained.

My fortitude is to take an afternoon to declutter, deletion as well as unsubscribing from the things thats as well easy or as well advanced, not helpful or not clear enough.The annuity of denunciation resources online equates to we have the oppulance of being choosy. Better to concentration all my energy upon the single good doctrine than burst around my inbox perplexing to take in seven.

Photo: Robin

4. we Will Use the New Medium

In denunciation teaching, we verbalise about realia: items of content or receptive to advice which demonstrate denunciation as we would encounter it in genuine life. This could embody menus, commercials, flyers, etc. This year, my fortitude is to find the niche of realia which interests me, as well as stir it in to the mix of Korean investigate tools.

Its easy to get frightened off these authentic denunciation items when youre the low-level learner. After all, the texts as well as podcasts of your studies have been difficult enough, as well as theyre tailored to! denunci ation students. Realia is great, though, since it lets we try the denunciation by your interests. Its tougher than the made easy text script, yet which personal seductiveness is fuel for the challenge.

I adore to prepare as well as we adore Korean food, so Ive proposed looking up simple Korean recipes online. Its the good plea since Im forever wondering what flavors Im tasting in brand brand brand brand brand new dishes. It gives me the brand brand brand brand brand new window in to Korean enlightenment as we learn about cooking methods as well as festive, anniversary dishes.

For associate foodies, recipes have been the good guidance tool. Other options might be song lyrics, TV shows, jokes, catalogues, the book of aphorisms or traditional childrens fables.

5. we Will Let Go of the English Safety Net Sometimes

Im propitious to be guidance the denunciation onsite in Korea, where each brand brand brand brand brand new face is the potential vocalization partner. we practice Korean with my coworkers, who have been kind as well as studious with my baby steps. we investigate with associate expats, who learn me memorization tricks as well as brand brand brand brand brand new idioms they hear. The thing is, we can (and do) dip in to English to insist or insist the point. For someone like me, who can be shy with denunciation errors, this English reserve net is becoming the bit of the crutch.

My fortitude is to discuss up folks who verbalise zero English. we wish to pull myself to use Korean resourcefully, rather than switching to English to get my indicate across.

I live nearby the convenience store thats run by the integrate who verbalise no English. Theyre kind as well as hospitable toward me, regularly pressing brand brand brand brand brand new drinks in to my hand, regularly charity strange biscuits. My chats with them, with no fallback English, leave me vague as well as self-conscious. Over time, though, Ive felt an improvement. If we have the accessible neighbor or ! co-worke r who speaks no English, try striking up the friendship. Chats with cab drivers can do the trick too.

Community Connection

Are we ready to join Anne in any of her denunciation guidance resolutions? What will we do this year to urge your denunciation skills?