It’s no secret that when it comes to a universal language, the closest thing we have is English. So it’s also no wonder that millions of people born in non-English speaking countries dedicate thousands of hours to studying it. However, analyzing books and grammar is not the only way to learn a language. In fact, I would argue that it’s one of the worst ways to do so.

Forget this!

Throughout my years of studying languages, I have learned that the absolute best way to master any language is through experience rather than traditional study methods. Forget about textbooks and taking notes. Rather, get outside and talk to someone who speaks English fluently. If that’s still a bit too daunting, try eavesdropping on some conversations (we promise it’s not as sketchy as it sounds) or watch TV shows that aren’t dubbed in your native language. There are plenty more ways that you can be creative in your learning, and here are a few suggestions:

Consuming English media

In a country as large as China, most of the media that teens consume such as music, videogames, and TV shows are readily available in Chinese. However, a dependence on local media can also slow down the process of language acquisition. Coming from a relatively small state in the Balkans, most of my friends and I had no choice but to rely on English media given the dearth of Macedonian music and TV. This, along with courses we were taking at school, helped speed up the process of language learning and made us more fluent English speakers in the process. Who knew watching TV and listening to music could be so beneficial to our future?

Converse in English

With the number of English speakers increasing by the day, there is no excuse for not partaking in, or at least trying to understand, English conversations. While it may seem strange at first to people who did not grow up speaking the language, conversing in English is a surefire way to learn it faster, and integrate it into your native vocabulary. At home, my friends and I spent so much time talking to each other in English that by the time we had finished elementary school we had our own language, a hybrid between our native Macedonian and popular US slang.

Keep trying

Arguably the most important part of the entire process – trying to understand what you encounter – is the entire point of this learning method. Learning any language is going to be tricky at first, however, only by forcing ourselves to keep going can we truly become fluent speakers. The next time you see a sign in English or hear a news broadcast from an English-language media outlet, or even visit an English speaking country, try to comprehend what is going on around you. Even with the lowest level of language comprehension, you might discover something you didn’t know before. Likewise, even if you make mistakes don’t be afraid to go back and examine them. After all, correcting mistakes is the lifeblood of the learning process.

As someone who has spent countless hours studying multiple languages in different ways, I can confidently say that the only way to truly learn any language is by living as though that language was your mother tongue. So the next time you think about studying English, try putting away your notebooks and textbooks and try acting like you live outside of China. I can guarantee that it will not only make you a better learner but also clear your head and give you a fresh view of the language you are learning.

Do you have any tips or tricks for learning a language? Share them with us in the comments!

KEEP READING: Mind Your (Text) Language: Texting and Teen Literacy

Images: Unsplash

A young Chinese girl plays on a beach in Thailand, making sandcastles while her parents look on during a well-deserved break from work and school, but the best aspect of that girl’s classroom life stays with her during that vacation. She sees another child, about her age, fair-haired, playing in the water, and decides to walk up then invites her to play. The Chinese child first speaks in German to the other child but this doesn’t get a response until she switches to English and gets the response she was hoping for then walk away chatting and playing.

The level of confidence, the ease at which to strike up a conversation regardless of grammatical mistakes, the convergence of everyday communication and classroom lessons were all valuable aspects that came in handy for the child, who studies at House of Knowledge School (HoK). The child’s parents shared that charming story with founder and educational director Farshad Danicek.

It’s moments like that when a child overcomes shyness,  has the ability to communicate, and make a new friend that Danicek has dreamed of enriching his students’ education experience ever since he founded the school in 2007.

Danicek chats with his students in German while visiting different classrooms

To achieve this, Danicek and his HoK colleagues have adopted a multilingual approach in the entire school. Parents have the option of choosing between a trilingual or bilingual program with a Reggio Emilia-inspired curriculum in its early years program. The multilingual environment is also applicable to its elementary school programs where students can pick between a bilingual and trilingual program.

Reggio Emilia is a holistic educational approach that’s child-centred and empowers children to explore, question, and discover. Moreover, it supports and reinforces language acquisition through the many different ways children use to communicate, not only just spoken word but also through art, singing, dancing, and playing (you can read more about its post-WWII, psychology inclined origins here).

HoK utilizes this educational approach when exposing its students to English, Chinese (putonghua), and German on a regular basis through language immersion. The benefits of multilingualism extend beyond just the language itself, it opens their minds to multiculturalism, has neurological benefits, better social, and communication skills.

Below, Danicek tells us more about the inspirational virtues of this approach, and how it is setting up HoK’s students for success.

A student holds the German book they were reading at the time

We’ll often use this approach to teach students a classic story or play in one language, then build on it in other languages (see image below). So the class might read a story in German, and later the English teacher will come and guide the children into building crafts inspired by the story’s characters and setting. Then the Chinese teachers come in and will guide an activity about the story in Mandarin, and we just keep going.

After all those activities, the children will think about the story in three different languages, and if you go up and ask a child about the story, they’ll reply to you in the language you asked. Obviously, they’ll be stronger in one language than the others, but they can get many ideas and points across in the other languages with surprising success.

The school encourages children to explore and learn, rather than dictating dull lessons to them says founder

Our goal for teaching multiple languages is to increase their level of understanding, to help them communicate better, and also to increase their awareness and thinking about broader possibilities. We want them to start thinking: “Oh there’s something else.”

You won’t have the children stepping back, saying “I can’t speak that language,” when they are struggling to communicate. They’ll at least give it a try.

In our school’s multilingual environment, the children learn to try and make themselves understood. And they’ll learn not to be afraid of making mistakes, which encourages children to have dedication and perseverance from an early age. Now, think of where that overlaps in other areas? That attitude can carry over to all of their learning.

Danicek discusses the virtues of Reggio Emilia

We also adopt that attitude as teachers. If a child comes and asks us something, we don’t always just tell them the answer. We often take a step back and say “I don’t know, let’s find out together.” By stepping back as a teacher, and telling the students “Good job researching this with me, you’re so clever, I’ve learned so much from you,” it gives the child so much confidence.

It’s also important in this environment to let a mistake be a mistake. We guide them to the facts and knowledge, instead of dictating it to them. If you scold a child and make them less confident, and take a step back, you’ve achieved nothing. But by you stepping back, and them stepping forward, you’re helping them to grow.

Find out more information about the Reggio Emilia inspired approach in the early years section at HoK here.

This post is paid for by HoK.

Photos: Uni You