Modern Foreign Languages

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Tips for learning a language from Cromwell Modern Languages Department

Be patient ! Learning a language takes a long time and a lot of effort – just like learning a musical instrument.
•  Do not try to learn too much at once. The average brain can deal with learning about ten new words per week !
•  Regular learning and PRACTICE are important. Don’t be afraid of going back over work. Language learning is all about repetition and committing words to memory.
•  Do not overuse the dictionary. If you look up every new word you come across then your progress will be painfully slow. Only look up words which you come across a lot. Eventually they will start to annoy you ! Try and get “the gist” of a piece of writing or speech. With perseverance the language will start to make sense.
•  Use the “Internet”. There is a great wealth of material out there both written and spoken. Read about and listen to things which interest you. Words like “sport” and “music” are virtually the same in most languages. Go on to any of the “search engines” such as “Google” and instead of typing “.com” or “.co.uk”, type “.de” for German, “.fr” for French or “.es” for Spanish.
•  If you have “Sky” or cable TV find out what foreign language channels are available. Some are free – some you have to subscribe to.
•  Finally, try and spend some time in a country where the language is spoken. There really is no substitute for this. Have a go at speaking. It will be difficult at first but you have to start somewhere !
  GOOD LUCK !