Archive for October, 2008

Learn Languages for Travel

Monday, October 27th, 2008

People learn languages for various purposes and the main reason why people do so is to be able to communicate with more people.  Travel is also one of the many reasons why people learn languages.  Traveling opens new doors to different horizons; it is also an enriching experience not only for the mind but for the body and soul as well. Being equipped with the language of your destination can have a lot of advantages and rewards that is why it is better if you learn languages aside from your mother tongue.  Who knows, you might have unexpected travel opportunities!

It has been said many times over that it is easier to travel when you know the language of your destination.  Every step of the way will not be as difficult if you know at least the basics of the language of the place you are in.  Whether you encounter people in taxis, trains, hotels, airports, restaurants or shops, you will find it easier to get the information you need or get your point across if you know the language.  You would not have to panic if there is no one around who speaks your native language if you can communicate with the locals in their language.

You will surely enjoy the culture of your place of travel if you know how to speak its language.  One of the essences of travel is to be able to explore and discover the history, culture, and people of the place.  In order to have a completely enriching experience is to understand how the place came to be, how it was in the past and how it developed into its present state.  The best way to have a better understanding of the history, culture and people of a place is to speak its language.

Knowing the language spoken in the place you are visiting can help you have more fun.  Since you will not worry about how to communicate with the people around you, you will have more time enjoying the sights and sounds of the place!  You will have a better travel experience if you can go around the place on your own and discover its charm and beauty at your own pace.  You will also enjoy meeting new people and make new friends if you can speak their language.  Shopping, sight-seeing, dining and other activities will be easier and more enjoyable if you speak the language of the place.

Aside from just traveling to a place for vacation, if you are apt with the language spoken in the place, you can have more opportunities!  If you decide to stay longer in the place, you can try working or studying there too!  It is better that you are already know the language when you plan to work or study abroad so that you will have better chances of getting a job or being admitted into their educational institutions.  You would make a better impression if you can already speak the native language of the place.

Learning a language or two or even more for travel will help you broaden your horizons and it will open many doors to various opportunities for your future.  You can also learn a language while you travel by enrolling in a language travel program.  Learning a language in the place where it is spoken will help you learn the language easier since you will be immersed in the natural environment of the language.

Learning languages for travel is something that you should try and enjoy.  There is so much to see in the world and it will be more exciting if you can understand what you see, hear, and experience!  Learn languages now and enjoy your trips!

Learning Languages at a Young Age

Monday, October 20th, 2008

Learning languages is for people of all ages and all walks of life who wish to improve themselves and who want to communicate with more people on the planet.  Learning languages has a lot of advantages since they can be used for various purposes, in different aspects, and in numerous fields.  Learning languages can be very beneficial and it would be better if a person can speak more than just one language in order to be able to expand his or her horizons.  Anyone can learn languages anytime but do you know that it is better to start learning languages at a young age?

Young children are more likely to learn a second language naturally.  Exposing young children to a second language will allow them to optimize their learning potential and it helps them to shape their brains at their most flexible stage.  Children can acquire native-like language fluency as easily as they learned to do their first motor skills.  Adults who learn new languages have to work through their established first-language system, study grammar rules, and practice rote drills whereas young children learn languages naturally by building a second language system alongside their first language; and by absorbing sounds, intonation patterns, structures, and rules of a second language intuitively as how they learned their mother tongue.    Young brains are inherently flexible and are uniquely wired to acquire languages naturally.

The best time for language acquisition is during early childhood.  The ease of learning a second language lessens with age that is why it is better to start young.  Experts have estimated that older learners lose the ability to hear and reproduce new sounds by age eight to twelve, resulting in a permanent foreign-sounding accent in any language.  Younger learners benefit from flexible speech and ear muscles that can still hear the significant differences between the sounds of a second language as well as replicate them with native-like quality.

Studies have shown that children who learn languages young go on to show enhanced spatial relations and problem solving skills, have stronger communication skills, and have higher elementary and SAT test scores.  Some parents are concerned that maybe if they start their young children on a second language it will interfere with their developing first language skills, which is not exactly the case.  Children can differentiate between two languages within the first weeks of life and learning another language will actually enhance their overall verbal development.  According to research, children gain additional cognitive benefits to learning a second language at an early age.  Children who study foreign languages show higher cognitive performance in overall basic skills in elementary school, and also exhibit better problem solving skills, heightened creativity, and more.  Children who learn foreign languages tend to develop flexible thinking and communication skills which can help them consider various issues from more than a single perspective.

Young children are able to enrich their lives and open doors to their future when they learn languages at a young age.  Aside from that they gain an expanded world view, have greater intercultural appreciation and sensitivity, have a competitive edge in the global marketplace, and have the ability to learn more languages more easily!  When people start to learn languages at a younger age, they tend to become people who have a better understanding of the world not only because they can communicate in more than a single language but also for the reason that learning new languages can help them have better appreciation of other cultures.

Learning new languages can bridge a lot of gaps and are very beneficial in the future that is why it is better to start learning languages while you are still young!  If you are a parent or an elder sibling or a teacher of young students, better encourage young children to learn new languages and help them equip themselves for their future!

Why Should One Learn Foreign Languages?

Monday, October 13th, 2008

Foreign languages play an important role in a person’s existence.  It can help a person improve his or her life in many aspects whether for one’s career, education, or leisure purposes.  The more diverse and more developed are a person’s skills, the wider is his or her options in life.

There are many advantages when a person learns a foreign language.  When learning a foreign language, one can:

  • Have a better understanding of the world. Globalization plays an important role in almost everyone’s life; being able to understand and communicate in other languages can help one have a better understanding of other cultures.
  • Improve his or her employment potential. A person with more skills especially in communication can have more employment options not only in the business sector but also in various fields such as education, engineering, travel, medicine, entertainment and a whole lot more.
  • Hone life and cognitive skills. Since learning foreign languages involves an assortment of learning skills, it enables the learner to enhance his or her other abilities.  People who have learned foreign languages have shown greater cognitive development, and have higher test scores in other subjects as well.
  • Increase his or her native language ability. Research has shown that having knowledge of other languages can boost a person’s understanding of languages in general and it enables him or her to use his or her native language more effectively!
  • Improve his or her chances of entry into a college or graduate school. Most colleges and universities require their applicants a minimum of two years of high school foreign language instruction for admission.  Various courses in college require knowledge of foreign languages in order to guarantee success in the given field.
  • Increase his or her options for studying abroad. A person who would want to pursue educational programs abroad can have better chances of being grated admission if he or she can speak the language spoken in the target country.  Being already equipped with the native language of the place one is heading to can help minimize mishaps and increase productivity and knowledge.
  • Learn to appreciate international literature, film, and music. Most of the greatest literary and artistic works in the world are available in various languages other than English.  Being able to understand those works in the original languages they are in can give one a better grasp of what they really intend to mean since some translations cannot capture the essence of the original languages.
  • Make traveling to different places more realistic and enjoyable. Traveling abroad is possible even though one doesn’t speak the place’s native language but a totally different experience will be at hand when one is able to communicate with the locals.
  • Make life long friends from different parts of the world. Knowing other languages can effectively increase the number of people on the planet one can communicate with and can built lasting friendships with.  Being knowledgeable in languages and interested in cultures can help build connections with people around the world.

Start learning foreign languages now and have a better and more fulfilling life ahead of you!

Tips in Learning Foreign Languages

Monday, October 6th, 2008

There are so many ways in learning foreign languages and almost everywhere you can find numerous tips in making your language learning methods and experience more effective and successful.  Read on to learn more tips you can use in learning foreign languages.

  • Carry a dictionary with you.  A pocket dictionary of your target language can be really helpful especially in expanding your foreign language vocabulary.  It will be very convenient to consult your pocket dictionary once you hear or encounter a word you do not understand.
  • Use word association.  When memorizing new words in your target language, try playing with the words by making connections and word associations.
  • Say the words out loud.  It is better to say the words of your target language out loud to enable you to be familiarized with the sounds.  It is also effective if you try to exaggerate the sounds when you talk.
  • Use flashcards.  Flash cards with the foreign words on one side and the meaning on the other side can help you expand your vocabulary easier.
  • Use a traveler’s phrase book.  A phrase book can be very helpful in creating phrases and sentences of your target language whether you are traveling to the place where the language is spoken or just practicing your skills with the language. Phrase books can also help you create conversations.
  • Think the language.  It helps a lot if you try to think in your target language anytime during the day or as much as possible and try to associate words and sounds with your thoughts.  This exercise will eventually become a habit and it can help you become more confident and comfortable in speaking the language.
  • Imitate a native speaker of your target language.  It is best if you know somebody who is a native speaker of your target language since you will be able to study how the words are pronounced in the most natural way.
  • Watch movies and shows in your target language.  Hearing how the words sound and seeing how they are spoken can help you in imitating how to speak the language naturally.  It is also wonderful to watch those movies and shows without subtitles so that you will be able to exercise your thinking skills in your target language and thus, learn to understand the movie or show better.
  • Listen to foreign songs and music.  Music can be very helpful and appealing since melodies can be very inspiring and it can help you learn the language in an interesting way.
  • Use language CDs and tapes.  These audio language tools can help you train your ear to the sounds of the language.  The more you hear the language, the faster you will be able to learn and understand it.
  • Obtain children’s books in your target language.  Children’s books are easier to learn and understand so it is good to start reading them.
  • Read foreign magazines, books, comic books and newspapers.  These are very interesting print media and they can help you become more familiar with the words of your target language and how they are used in conversations and storylines.
  • Write letters in the target language.  Write letters even though they are just pretend ones in your target language.  Don’t be afraid to make mistakes since these letters will just be your drill in writing in the language.  However, it will be very advantageous if you pay attention to correct grammar.
  • Use the language as much as possible.  Whether you interact with native speakers of the language or dine in foreign restaurants, use the foreign language more often in order to hone your language skills.
  • Go to the place where the language is spoken.  Being fully immersed in the natural environment of the language can help you learn it in a much better and faster way.  It can also help you understand the culture where the language originated from.
  • Keep practicing.  It has been said many times over that practice makes perfect.  Well, it does not really have to be perfect but practicing will help you become proficient in your target foreign language.