5 Proven Strategies to Successfully Teach Yourself A Foreign Language
(Disclaimer: If you are looking for tips with immediate result, this post might not be the one for you.)
One of my biggest achievements, and I’m very proud of it, is that I have learned Japanese by myself, and did a 2 months internship in Tokyo that no one spoke English or Chinese in the company.
I started self-studying in high school after I traveled to Japan in 2008 for the first time. To be honest, it wasn’t fun (the time I decided not to join group tour from then on), but something ignited inside of me, and I thought It would be cool to learn Japanese. I kept learning it through college, and passed the highest level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, N1, in 2014.
It was a long process looking back, but I enjoyed every single moment of the learning curve.
“So, how did you do it?”
This might be the second to most question I’ve been asked other than “Where’re you from?” So I decided it’s time for me to document out the process.
It’s not easy, but it’s certainly not as hard as getting a Ph.D. in applied physics, either. I tore it down to 5 steps that have helped me self-learn Japanese, and I believe it works for other languages too:
Step 1: Figure Out The Curiosity. What Makes You Want to Learn The Language?
First starts with why. What about the language or culture that attracts you?
I remember I’ve been listening to Japanese pop music since young although I had absolutely no idea what the lyrics were about. It was the Japanese entertainment that held my interest in wanting to learn more about the language.
My point is: Find a topic(s) that you’re interested in, and stick your focus to that topic(s) as you learn. For instance, if you are interested in the food culture, consume materials (e.g. videos, articles, blogs, etc.) around that topic instead of something you’re not interested about (e.g. political system.)
Having a focus not only gives you joy during your study, but also avoids topics that make you bored. Think about a time when you were so concentrated on solving your favorite problem that you forgot the time. It’s the same idea.
Step 2: Gather The Right Tools For You
This is a trial and error approach, and you will discover what works best for you through your studying.
Books — I’m leery of grammar books for few reasons, and one of them is that the conversation examples in the books are as stiff as strained necks after some bad dreams, and nobody I know talks like that in real life.
Here’s what I did: I bought one book for beginner lessons and few more after I reached advanced level (because by the time I’ve figured out how to learn more appropriately). But I didn’t just study off the examples in the book. Instead, I Googled the grammar/vocabs/phrases and looked for some practical uses in “real life” articles or blogs.
Google/YouTube — Most stuffs on the internet are free, and are tailored to your need and interest if you search right. YouTube is my all-time favorite resource to practice listening skill as well as colloquial conversations.
Here’s what I did: I watched YouTube on topics that I’m interested, only. For beginners, see if there are children’s stories or short (tutorial) clips on YouTube that you can follow along. Write down words/phrases/grammar (regardless of what level you’re in after you learned the basic grammatical structures), and review them consistently.
HelloTalk— This is a language exchange mobile app that allows you to learn the language you’re interested in and teach the language you already know at the same time. HelloTalk supports at least 150 languages worldwide as it’s claimed. The app is very interactive that allows you to record your speaking or post status or photos with feedback from native speakers.
Here’s what I did: Set up an account, played with it, post frequently, and helped out other fellow learners.
Step 3: Create A Study Plan
And set goals if that motivates you.
The reason why it took me so long to get certified is because I didn’t set a clear goal for myself, and I meant to. I had a vision of working in Japan or at least do something there, but I didn’t write it down or say to myself that I must accomplish those things after college. Learning the language was more of a personal interest, and I welcomed whatever opportunities that came along the way.
But a study plan is necessary. I created a study plan that forced me to set out time every day just to study Japanese. You don’t need to print it out or hang it on the wall like a glorious honor, but simply make a commitment to yourself.
Here’s what I did: I set apart 1 to 1 hour and a half every day to study (If you can’t find at least 1 hour of personal time in a day, you don’t have a life.) It doesn’t need to be an hour, everyone is different but that’s my attention span.
My schedule looked as simple as this: Day 1 — Study new material, Day 2 — Review, Day 3 — Study new material, Day 4 — Review… I found this routine effective that not only I remembered most of the previously learned stuffs, but also without burning out with overwhelming information.
I didn’t want to make my passion a burden.
Step 4: Practice
Here are some of my favorite ways to practice:
Meetup Groups — Look for local language meetup groups. You’ll be able to meet like-minded learners and maybe native speakers as well. You can share your experience and obstacles with other learners while practice speaking, which is the hardest part. And, this is the interesting part, you might meet someone important to your life unexpectedly, too (I met my mentor at a Japanese meetup, and I know someone who got a job referral just by showing up the meeting.)
HelloTalk — Again, I can’t recommend this mobile app more than enough. It’s also a good way to practice typing in the language that you’re learning.
Mindset — Talk to yourself (at home of course, but I wouldn’t stop you if you want to do it publicly.) After watching tons of Japanese videos online, I started to train myself to think in Japanese. Not at a graduation speech level, but little things like: “How am I going to make this dish,” “That’s really funny. Why would he do that?”
The more you practice on your own, the more you’ll get used to real life conversation.
Travel — If possible, please do. You want to put what you’ve learned in real use, right? And it feels like a champ once you’ve successfully navigated yourself in the country. You Live Only Once.
Certification — Certification is another good place to look into if you want to know what level of proficiency you’re currently at.
Step 5: Form a Habit
The learning curve doesn’t stop after you’ve passed the highest language level exam. There’s no limit in learning a foreign language, and most of the things I assume.
Form a habit to re-visit the vocabulary and grammar lists, and consistently consume articles and videos of your interest. I always learn something new either about Japanese’ daily lives, or popular trend that’s going on when I study. And once the habit becomes a hobby that you can’t live without, trust me, learning a foreign language is just as easy as putting on your pajamas.
Of course, it is best to learn with native speakers or a teachers because they can help you clear up complicated questions. But again, self-learning a foreign language is definitely possible with the right resources. Treat the learning process as a journey, not a destination. And prepare to enjoy the fulfillment when you can successfully laugh with and talk to someone fluently with the language, after those blood, sweat, and tears you’ve put in.
