4 steps to become fluent in a language
Step 3
Step 3: Listen, read & watch
(Click here for Step 1 or Step 2 for a catch up)
Teachers at school always drum into you how necessary reading and listening are. I agree, but not in the way I was taught in school.
Gone are the boring textbooks.
Old fashioned tape recorders are extinct (YAY)!
Thanks to modern technology learning has become 10x more enjoyable.
We watch movies, listen to music and read everyday. We do this to relax and have fun.
Best part about Step 3 is you don’t have to change your routine, just adapt it a little. Making this tiny change will greatly speed up your language learning and is a highly effective way to achieve fluency.
Listen
This is essential. It is important to train your ears. Understanding is really important when it comes to communicating. We can get a good grasp of a language on paper but when it comes to a conversation if we haven’t heard the words out loud it’s going to be a very one-sided conversation!
The pronunciation of words can really vary from language to language, with accents and silent letters, listening will greatly help you to overcome this difficulty.
Here’s a few options to help you on your way:
- Songs: if you don’t know or have any, 8tracks is really useful. Thousands of playlists waiting for a listen. In the search bar choose your language
(and if you have a preference, a genre) and simply press play.
If you struggling to understand you can always have a look for the lyrics online. You’ll be singing along in no time! Great for vocabulary and pronunciation.
2. Radio: we can find almost every radio station online these days. Whatever your tastes there is something for you. Stations focused on culture, politics, history, music etc … are all available.
Try a few until you find your favourite. Just google “french online radio” for example and you’ll be amazed by the quantity of options.
This will really help you adapt to different speeds, accents and slang.
3. Audio Books: an easy way to learn. Depending on your level you can either listen to a book you know already or push yourself a little further with a new book.
I loved listening to Harry Potter (my all time favourite books) in French, enjoying the weird names and translations of spells. It was like reading it again for the first time, highly recommendable to any HP fans!
Read
When reading an article/ chapter for the first time don’t be disheartened if it’s difficult!
Read again and note some of the words that repeatedly pose a problem. Translate these words. The more frequently you read the smaller the list will become.
Remember, avoid translating every word.
Don’t get bogged down with a dictionary! The less you look up, the better. Sounds bizarre but your mind can, and will, work it out itself as long as you have the key words. Push yourself.
Newspapers and magazines are now all online. Whether your passion, fashion, cars, travelling, etc there is something that will tickle your fancy.
With so much info on the web it can be overwhelming. I would recommend Noosfeer.
A tool designed to make your reading experience easier, more enjoyable and more effective.
Choose your language, add your passions and bam: articles generated for you.
Reading will show you how to conjugate verbs, sentence structures and will increase your vocabulary enormously.
Watch:
Some of the best French students I ever taught attributed their fluency to… TV shows, Youtube and films (their words not mine!). A great way to learn is by watching a series that you know and love in another language.
It’s a little frustrating when the lips don’t move at the same time however given your knowledge of the characters, and storylines, you are one step ahead!
Watching Game of Thrones in Spanish has been an enjoyable challenge! I don’t feel like I’m “learning” which is great, just watching one of my favourite shows.
Don’t feel the need to concentrate deeply. Relax, let the words wash over you and enjoy.
Success story: David, Colombian, CEO & founder of Noosfeer
“I decided to move to move to France when I was 20. In 3 months, I had to learn the basics of the language in order to apply for a masters degree.
The only French I knew was, ‘Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ?’ (← Google that)
Given that I didn’t have the time nor the money for French classes, I borrowed some French textbooks, found some ‘good’ French rock music, one French TV channel and put myself to work.
I woke up every day at 4:30am, did some reading and showered singing some of the catchy songs I was learning (much to the delight of my flatmate!) During the 3km walk to work everyday I revised conjugations and challenged myself to name in French all the objects around me.
At night I watched French movies on TV. Understanding nothing at first and was happy to see that day by day it got a lot easier!
After three months of hard work and discipline, I passed the exams and got accepted a university in Lyon.
All the effort paid off! Learning French has changed my life. Now, I have created my own company in Paris and on my way to make a mark in the universe.
Goals and dreams are achievable. We can learn and do anything if we are passionate and dedicated! My main advice: be disciplined, start now!”
All these options can be easily incorporated into daily life.
Whilst showering in the morning, during the commute, at the gym, doing the hoovering…
10 minutes here and there do make a difference.
With a mix of reading, listening and watching fluency is within reach.
Final step coming next week: Be different.
