Learning languages can both be a fun endeavor and something is useful for one's career or travel. It’s also a way to expand one's cultural horizons.
Although exploring the intricacies of different languages can in itself be engaging, a lot of learners end up getting bored when things start getting difficult. It requires more time to absorb, often leading to a plateau where learning stagnates and people usually end up ditching their language studies altogether.
With new tech resources like online videos and learning apps, learning a foreign tongue can remain interesting. In language expert Shannon Kennedy's series, "Ask the Polyglot", she breaks down ways to learn words faster and retain focus. In one episode, she shares the value of setting aside short bursts of time to engage in different activities that test your skills. Much of her tips can actually be followed pretty easily with the use of technology. There are different ways this is put into practice, too.
Focus is an important thing when learning anything new, but this is especially true in cerebral pursuits like language. You have to understand grammar rules, pronunciation, and different uses of each translation. The advantage to using tech is that each lesson can be accomplished in a more interactive way than just reading from a book.
Online platforms and apps provide audio-visual stimulation that actually helps memory retention and engagement. A study in the open-access journal Procedia reveals that audiovisual aids motivate learners and make the teaching process more effective.
On top of that, many apps often gamify the learning process. With puzzles, timed quiz games, mnemonic association, and other features on platforms like Drops, tackling challenges doesn't feel like a chore because it feels like a game with rewards. The gratification of "winning" also comes with successful learning.
Experts note the importance of fitting in lessons every day to keep your memory refreshed, but what time in the day really depends on the person. The beauty of digital resources is that they allow users to be unbound by schedule limitations. Different individuals have set appointments and responsibilities, after all.
Besides, a guide for professionals working from home during COVID-19 suggests exploring the hours of the day when you’re most productive. Learning from home is much like remote work. And according to the guide, peak productivity is different for everyone.
Since tech-enabled language learning can be customized according to your own schedule, learners can feel free to set their own pace and base it on times where they feel most energetic. This creates more flexibility and can even remove some of the pressure that individuals may feel as they progress with their studies.
Part of getting bored is being stuck in the same routine and monotonous resources, so having access to different mediums and platforms can sufficiently change things up in a way that still feels consistent.
You can check out different websites, listen to music, watch a few videos with subtitles, play games, and even reach out to other fellow learners. This is a great way to actively train your language skills and create a circle where you can hone your learnings after each milestone.
An article from the Cambridge University Press even notes the role of artificial intelligence in fostering learner independence and providing accessible ways to practice. As AI continues to evolve, the bigger its potential in enhancing the learning process.
Language learning has come a long way, and we finally live in a connected world where we can really start communicating with each other wherever we may be.
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About the Author: Remi Greenfield is an educator and freelance writer. She is passionate about empowering the next generation of thought leaders, and likes to use her free time learning new vegan recipes and teaching her pup new tricks.
"Love my fun language learning and practice with daily Drops sessions, and monthly Challenges to participate in, and quiz mode to test contextual learning - brilliant! So much thought, consideration and inclusivity has gone into the design and function of this app, I can't praise it highly enough."
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"Amazing language learning tool. Excellent app for increasing vocabulary in your foreign language of choice. Useful for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners. The repetition of the words makes them much easier to remember, and without the hassle of making your own flash cards. I have used Drops for two years now and have seen great results."
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"Less than a week in but using this alone with the popular one babbel working on German. When using just one app I got bored, babbel is not as fun. So using both at once actually let's my adhd do its thing but I still focused since I can switch easily between both apps and work in different areas. Also I like the quick little sessions makes me feel like I actually did something."
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"I have been desperate to find an app that really helps me learn Japanese and this is the best by far"
"I like that you can switch between different subjects and topics constantly and it’s really easy to learn a lot of vocabulary very quickly! This works perfect for me because I can learn a lot of words but then practice sentence structure with my grandmother whose from Croatia"
"Fantastic app great opportunity to learn languages on your spare time. Drops makes it easy to learn and retain words to formulate sentences."
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"Definitely recommend! I'm using this to learn mandarin 10/10"
"Fun and interactive. Great for repetition!"
"Very engaging way of learning Yoruba in a stimulating way. Will be using to learn myself and to teach my child!"
"Amazing language learning tool. Excellent app for increasing vocabulary in your foreign language of choice. Useful for beginner, intermediate, and advanced learners. The repetition of the words makes them much easier to remember, and without the hassle of making your own flash cards. I have used Drops for two years now and have seen great results."
"Great little learning app! I've learned at least 5-10 new words in Spanish in my first 5 minutes. Easy to pick up and thorough."
"I have been desperate to find an app that really helps me learn Japanese and this is the best by far"
"I like that you can switch between different subjects and topics constantly and it’s really easy to learn a lot of vocabulary very quickly! This works perfect for me because I can learn a lot of words but then practice sentence structure with my grandmother whose from Croatia"
"Fantastic app great opportunity to learn languages on your spare time. Drops makes it easy to learn and retain words to formulate sentences."
"What an amazing app! I’ve tried several apps for language learning and I cannot recommend Drops enough. I don’t know how a short Drops session can teach me as much as 1 hour+ of focused use of other apps, it’s like magic."
"Love my fun language learning and practice with daily Drops sessions, and monthly Challenges to participate in, and quiz mode to test contextual learning - brilliant! So much thought, consideration and inclusivity has gone into the design and function of this app, I can't praise it highly enough."
"Definitely recommend! I'm using this to learn mandarin 10/10"
"This app us the best and how I am doing Learning Ukraine is Helping me alot tnx"
