Good actions repeated over time become positive habits. If you’re looking to become a better language learner, then taking good actions is a great first step to get there. Make enough of those positive changes and you’ll develop positive habits. That’s why even the smallest adjustments can mean a lot to your learning, especially in the long run.Looking for suggestions on positive actions and changes you can make as a language learner? Here’s a list of suggestions.
1. Don’t rely on a dictionary. Whether you’re reading in the foreign language, watching a foreign movie or listening to a recorded speech, resist the urge to open a dictionary for every word that you don’t immediately identify. Instead, make an effort to guess the meanings of words from both the context presented in the material and your knowledge of the language thus far. Doing this will allow you to gain a better grasp of the language as you make mental connections between the different elements of the language.
2. Make mistakes. A lot of language learners (and people, in general) are afraid to make mistakes. Instead of practicing when an opportunity presents itself, they clam up and tell themselves “I’lldo it next time.” Problem is, being afraid easily becomes a repeating pattern the more you give it room. The solution is simple: just use the language and make mistakes early. Will you be embarrassed? Probably. Will people laugh at you? Sometimes. Will you feel horrible? I wouldn’t say never. Go through those a couple of times, though, and you’ll realize they don’t even matter. Embrace mistakes — they’re one of a language learner’s best allies.
3. Be more assertive. Recognize and seize opportunities to use the target language. There are plenty of them, especially if you are in a country where the language is widely spoken. In some cases, people will talk to you in English if they notice you’re struggling with their language. Stick to the target vernacular, though