Are you looking to learn a new language in the new year?
In my last article I talked about how I learned Spanish in quarantine. While I followed a protocol of learning via flashcards and talking to native speakers, I also dabbled in a few more fun methods, which I will share with you.
VRChat
VRChat is an online game that allows you to talk to other users in a virtual environment. You can explore countless different chatrooms called worlds, some of which are foreign-language only. There are plenty of Spanish, French, Japanese worlds and more to choose from. In addition to helping you learn, the game is also a great way to make new friends from around the globe without breaking quarantine.
Normally this game is played with a VR headset, but you can also play with just a mouse and keyboard. VRChat is free and available in the Steam game store.
Get Steam here:
https://store.steampowered.com/
Word Clouds
This is a great one if you’re learning how to read in a new language. A popular concept called the Pareto Principle states that 20% of our efforts will yield 80% of the desired results. We can apply this idea by learning the most common words in a given language. In theory, learning this small but important set of vocabulary would allow us to understand the majority of a text or conversation.
Example: If I want to practice Italian, I can find an article or book written in that language, copy all the text on the page, and paste it into this word cloud generator:
https://www.jasondavies.com/wordcloud/
…and then make a fancy word cloud like this:
Keep adding these words to your vocabulary, and you’ll find that reading in your target language will be considerably easier.
iTalki Notebook
I’ve used this method to prepare for the written section of my Goethe German exam. iTalki is an app primarily used to find language tutors. However, the app also has a really neat feature called the iTalki Notebook. This feature lets you write short texts in your target language and allows native speakers to correct the mistakes you’ve made, usually within 1-2 days.
Some tips for writing good posts:
- Keep the posts short and sweet. If they are too long you may not get a correction.
- Write a snappy title to catch people’s attention.
- Upload a picture!
Sign up for iTalki for free here:
Final Word
These methods can be a great supplement to your current routine and will help you stay motivated for your learning goals for this year. Consistency is key, but there’s nothing wrong with spicing it up!
Feature Photo by Jonathan Borba from Pexels
The Computer Chick 