Federica Lupis's Blog, page 7
February 7, 2021
Should I learn a language on my own or hire a teacher?
One of the most common questions I get when talking to someone who wants to learn a language is about the choice between teaching themselves or hiring a teacher.
For some learners, the answer is straightforward and comes down to preference. For others, it may require some thought.
Let’s see what factors you should consider before making a decision.
Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash
Are you an active or passive learner?
Think about the last time you learned something. It could be a recipe, changing your car’s oil or playing an instrument. Did you learn on your own or did someone teach you?
Learning a language cannot be compared to any of these activities. However, your past behaviour can be a good indication of which learning style you may enjoy the most.
When learning a language:
Active learners take care of the whole learning process. They find their learning resources, decide on the best learning strategies, and usually have a clear plan to achieve the result they want.
Passive learners are committed to learning a language but prefer not to take care of the learning material and strategies and enjoy having the guidance of a teacher.
Personally, I started out as a student and it took years of experience as a teacher before I decided to teach myself Japanese. However, many people out there have successfully learned a foreign language on their own without any previous experience.
I think the choice comes down to two factors: your discipline and how much time you have on your hands. Simply put: can you see yourself researching different learning material, coming up with a plan and sticking to it without the help of a teacher?
If you’re still not sure what to do, it might be worth trying both strategies. You may find that a teacher makes your life easier or that your will is so strong that you could teach yourself more than one language!
Good luck with your studies and thanks for reading!
Can I learn a language on my own?
One of the most common questions I get when talking to someone who wants to learn a language is about the choice between teaching themselves or hiring a teacher.
For some learners, the answer is straightforward and comes down to preference. For others, it may require some thought.
Let’s see what factors you should consider before making a decision.
Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash
Are you an active or passive learner?
Think about the last time you learned something. It could be a recipe, changing your car’s oil or playing an instrument. Did you learn on your own or did someone teach you?
Learning a language cannot be compared to any of these activities. However, your past behaviour can be a good indication of which learning style you may enjoy the most.
When learning a language:
Active learners take care of the whole learning process. They find their learning resources, decide on the best learning strategies, and usually have a clear plan to achieve the result they want.
Passive learners are committed to learning a language but prefer not to take care of the learning material and strategies and enjoy having the guidance of a teacher.
Personally, I started out as a student and it took years of experience as a teacher before I decided to teach myself Japanese. However, many people out there have successfully learned a foreign language on their own without any previous experience.
I think the choice comes down to two factors: your discipline and how much time you have on your hands. Simply put: can you see yourself researching different learning material, coming up with a plan and sticking to it without the help of a teacher?
If you’re still not sure what to do, it might be worth trying both strategies. You may find that a teacher makes your life easier or that your will is so strong that you could teach yourself more than one language!
Good luck with your studies and thanks for reading!
December 27, 2020
Which language should I learn?
With 2021 fast approaching - yay! - you may be wondering which language to learn in the new year.
In this post, I'll give you some tips on how to make a decision that you won't regret.
Happy reading!
Photo by ,Atlas Green on ,Unsplash
1. Choose what you love.
When I was in high school, I had to choose between Spanish and German for a language course. One of my teachers strongly suggested that I choose German because "everyone can speak Spanish" and "if you learn German, you'll earn more".
Over 10 years later, I'm glad I didn't listen to that kind of reasoning!
Learning a language is fun, but it requires time and effort. You'll spend several hours with the foreign language, so make sure you feel excited about it.
Stop for a second and think:
It would be fantastic to watch a movie/read a book/talk to the locals in...
For me, the answer was Spanish. What's yours?
2. Find what you love
It's all good and well, but what can you do if no language has made you fall head over heels yet? In this case, the Internet can come to the rescue.
Start by searching 'most popular foreign languages' and then... explore! Listen to music in the languages that catch your eye and watch some YouTube videos. You'll have to do a little research, but it will pay off!
Learning a foreign language is like having a new friend who can show you the world from a different perspective. I guarantee the time you spend looking for your new companion won't go to waste.
Thank you for reading! I will be back with more tips soon.
Before I go, I want to thank each one of you for your support throughout this year. I hope you had a good time over Christmas and that 2021 will be a great year for you all!
