Tag Archives: Learning a language

Forgotten First Languages Leave Imprint On Brain, Study Shows

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Forgotten first languages - baby wearing headphones

You never forget your first language – even if you have never spoken it, scientists have discovered. Babies develop knowledge of the language they hear in their first few months of life and will always retain that knowledge on an abstract level. It has been discovered that your brain retains the hidden ability to recall forgotten first languages decades on. The findings indicate not only that you never truly forget your birth language but also that language acquisition as a baby is abstract in nature and not dependent on experience. Continue reading →

European Day of Languages

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European Day of LanguagesThe celebrations will start soon to mark the European Day of Languages! This annual event is all about celebrating other cultures through language learning.

Since the Council of Europe in Strasbourg initiated the special day in 2001, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year on 26th September and throughout the week with a range of events organised across Europe.

From international conferences and TV programmes to language clubs, games, talks and home celebrations, everyone can get involved – teachers, students, universities, schools and individuals.

Decorate your house with flags, cook up some tasty food, open your phrase books and check out the special events taking place near you as we get ready for this multi-cultural and multi-lingual day! Continue reading →

Learning a Second Language to be Compulsory in Junior School

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Learning a second language will be compulsory in junior schools from September 2014. The education secretary, Michael Gove has announced that changes to the curriculum means that all children will begin learning a second language from the age of seven. Languages on offer will include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Latin and Greek. But should second language learning start even earlier?  Continue reading →

Find a New Way to Learn a Language

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Learning a language is not a simple task. Many students can spend years studying a language and still have trouble conversing with a native speaker.

There are many different ways to learn a language. Although it is important to study the grammar of a language, often this theoretical knowledge does not always transfer to real life as easily as we would like. This is why one of the best ways to learn a language is sometimes to step away from the exercise books and do something completely different.

Find a new way to learn a language and not only does this keep the brain actively thinking in fresh ways it also keeps study interesting. This maintains student motivation – one of the most important aspects of language learning.  Continue reading →

Do You Mentally Translate When Learning A New Language?

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When we learn a new language we often try to translate the new words into our mother tongue as we read or listen. The better we become at a new language, the less we tend to perform this type of mental translation and the more we understand the words directly.

There are some obvious problems with mental translation. Firstly, it takes time to keep translating everything into a second language and secondly, languages cannot be directly translated word for word, only idea for idea. So, how long does it take to be able to understand a new language directly without having to mentally translate the words first? Continue reading →

Do You Avoid Contact With Your Native Language When Learning English?

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When learning English, some teachers advise that students should avoid using their native language and interact primarily with those who speak their target language. The idea is that by practising total language immersion and by avoiding contact with your native tongue, you will get used to speaking your target language and will improve more quickly.

This technique could be applied for all language learners – but is avoiding your native language a practical way to learn a new language or even a good idea? Should you avoid your native language when learning English? Continue reading →

EFL Students Ready to Rock! Use Music to Boost Listening Skills

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Learning English as a foreign language is often about completing grammar exercises, learning vocabulary, writing letters, answering comprehension questions and other such ‘serious’ tasks. But what about the fun stuff? There are so many ways to incorporate English learning into your daily life without even opening a textbook and using music for EFL listening practice is one of them.

Lyrics in songs can helps you learn new words and expressions, while the melody can help those words stick in your memory. We have a few suggestions for musical EFL lessons and we’ve even found you an original new songwriting talent! So keep your ears open and read on…   Continue reading →

How to Keep Motivated When Studying English

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How to Keep Motivated When Studying English - Success RoadsignHow to keep motivated when studying English is one of the most important questions faced by all EFL students. Without motivation it is almost impossible to work towards any goal. There is nothing more frustrating than realising a month from now that you still haven’t made any progress! Imagine being in a shop and trying to communicate with the cashier, or needing to understand an official letter – and you still can’t. It’s making me angry just thinking about it. It’s time for action! Continue reading →