Language is not just a string of words or sentences. Instead, it is a different mindset, vision, and soul of a different culture, traditions, and norms. On the whole, when a person decides to improve his skills in a particular language, he chooses to reprogram his entire existence. However, with passion, dedication, consistency, and wisdom, everyone can take on this challenge without fearing any hardships. To make it possible, we have come up with the ten most valuable tips that will support you in improving your language proficiency within days.
10 Tips to Improve Language Proficiency
Language skills take time to improve. But if you follow a proper pathway to reach your ultimate goal, it can be easily achieved. So, what is ideally the right pathway to enhance your skills in a language? The answer to this most asked question is somewhere in the tips provided below.
Read and Explore
The first step of improving your knowledge of a language is to consult its literature. Read through novels, short stories, articles, and magazines by paying particular attention to sentence transformation, vocabulary, parts of speech, and other central and minor details that you have primarily learned about your language.
In this way, your mind will subconsciously understand the context and background of what your eyes are reading. But, at the same time, you will come across a billion new words, and some of them will rigidly stay with you for days and years.
1. Consult Dictionary
A practical idea to learn and improve any language is to consult its dictionary. You may know and understand 5 to 10 new words each day, depending upon your ability to grasp. For a better understanding, you may even lookup for their synonyms in a thesaurus.
Eventually, you will move towards the last page of the dictionary one day. Yes, the entire process will consume a big chunk of your time, but it will yield life-long benefits.
2. Watch and listen to documentaries, news channels, and TV shows
Our vision and thinking abilities are strongly interlinked. Try watching a movie dubbed in a language other than your mother tongue. You will be amazed to discover that you will subconsciously understand almost 30-40% of the dialogues simply by being aware of the situation and circumstances.
Therefore, to improve your knowledge of a language, you must cultivate a habit of watching movies, news channels, TV shows, and other audio-visual content created in that particular language. However, consistency must be ensured. It will prepare your brain, making it receptive to learning new words and phrases.
3. Practice
Practice brings forth improvement. Even if you religiously follow all the tips mentioned above, you will never be able to learn anything unless you spare some time for a daily practice session.
So, whether you have learned a single word or your native Russian friend has taught you a new sentence, write it, read it, and repeat the practice another hundred times. You will soon notice a remarkable difference in your language proficiency.
4. Be your competitor
Last but not least, keep an eye on your progress and try to surpass your excellence each day. If someone else is learning and improving at a faster pace, never let it turn down your spirits. Stay focused and be your competitor.
5. Speak to the natives
A language belongs to its Native speakers, and no one can challenge their ability to pronounce and convey its words and sentences any better than them.
Considering, if you wish to improve your ability to speak and communicate in Spanish you must ideally have Communication sessions with your Spanish friend. It will not only introduce you to the correct pronunciation of words but the right usage of the language too. It will also familiarise you with the context and usage of many other words that were never a part of your vocabulary.
6. Speak in front of the mirror
Spare some time to practice in front of the mirror. Stand with your head pointed and face your fears by seeing your mirror reflection while you speak.
It will boost your confidence, providing you with the stamina to own and correct your mistakes timely.
7. Do not fear making mistakes.
Own your mistakes and seek correction. There is no harm in identifying, accepting and correcting your pronunciation of words. After all, the language does not belong to you, and you are still learning to speak as and native speaker.
This aspect will benefit you in the longer run.
8. Listen to audiobooks
Whether you are sipping on your favorite cold drink or you are planning to go for a long drive on your own, tune in to an audiobook in a language that you want to learn. Make the most out of this me-time to improve.
It will, indeed, allow you to focus and concentrate on listening, understanding, and memorizing new words.
9. Enjoy the process rather than stressing over it.
Stress and progress never walk hand-in-hand. Therefore, even if you have failed to achieve milestones or your progress is slower than your expectations or desires, the key is to keep your nerves calm. Never quit and stay consistent despite all odds.
After all, slow and steady wins the race, no matter what!
Did You Know? Facts About Improving Language
Learning and improving your proficiency in a language provides you with an opportunity to have a different view of the world each day. Isn’t it fascinating? There are several other fun facts about this learning venture. Let us share some of the most jaw-dropping ones with you right here.
- Adults can learn a new language as well and as quickly as children.
- Cramming and memorization can play a significant role in helping you learn a new language.
- Languages continue to evolve over a while.
- A language is sometimes a mixture of words and alphabets taken from another language.
- Over 7,000 different languages are spoken in other parts of the world.
- ⅔ of the 7,000 originated in Africa and Asia.
- People who are not highly proficient at a language fear making eye contact with others during a conversation.
- Chinese is the only language that utilizes the abilities of both sides of your brain.
You must now be feeling motivated to know all about a language of your interest. So go ahead and achieve this milestone to communicate, interact, think and respond like never before.
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