If you’re trying to learn a new language, whether it is by using an app like Duolingo or on yourself, this post is perfect for you. It discusses six insanely effective tips you can apply right now to make practicing a new language a non-negotaible part of your daily routine. 

1. Gamify your new habit

If you treat language practice as a chore, it will feel tedious and you will lack motivation to keep at it. But if you treat it like a game, it will instantly become way more interesting and you won’t have to struggle so hard to include daily language practice into your daily schedule. 

Of course, it won’t be easy, but where’s the fun in playing a game that you know will win. In this game, your biggest opponent is yourself, and the winner is also you. The prize will be bragging rights that you learned a new language all on your own and a chance at expanding your intellectual horizon.

2. Read newspapers

When you are committed to learning a new language, reading a newspaper every day written in that language can be an incredibly powerful way to help you move ahead on your path.

Reading the news in your target language means you get to keep up to date with the most important happenings around the world. Not only is t a way to brush up on your language skills, but this habit can equip you with amazing bits of knowledge that will help you get better at initiating conversation with strangers nad friends alike.

3. Listen to podcasts

Listening to podcasts in the language you are trying to learn can be an incredibly effective and powerful to tool to get used to the cadence, the way of speaking, and the tenses and grammar rules. 

It can also be a great way to enjoy boring menial tasks that you would otherwise be miserable about. Hearing someone speak to you for long hours each day in a language you are trying to learn is a super fun, easy, and effective way to get yourself familiar with the language you are trying to learn.

4. Journal in the new language

Write a short summary of your day in the new language you are trying to learn. This way, you will get better at organizing your thoughts in the new language and also be able to build a daily journaling habit. 

The biggest advantage of this method is that you will be able to boost your productivity and also get better at expressing yourself in the new language. When you write something you know no one else is going to read, you can really let yourself go and make the most of this daily writing practice.

5. Track your language practice habit

This is the step where you congratulate yourself for sticking to your daily habit of spending some moments practicing the language you are trying to learn. The other steps mentioned here help you incorporate this new habit into your routine. This step is all about keeping track and holding yourself accountable. 

You can download a habit tracker and start marking how many minutes you spent practicing the new language each day. This will help you feel accomplished for small achievements and serve as an invaluable tool towards keeping you more accountable for your laguage-learning goals.

6. Get an accountability partner

Having someone who is building the same habit with you is a great motivator. However, depending on where you work and how your friends are, it’s difficult to find a friend with the same goals. In that case, it’s best to hire an accountability coach to help keep you on track with your habit-building goals. These are trained individuals who will hold you accountable for your promises and help you get back on track if you ever fall off the wagon.

This article discusses a step-by-step process of how a beginner can learn English from to having mastery over it. There are no secret ingredients. The only things you will need to be fluent in English are a good internet connection and lots of patience and determination.

Here are the steps you can follow right now to start learning English.

Starting Out

For someone who barely knows beyond a few words here and there, you might find these tips useful (starting from the most basic and moving on to advanced ways)-

Watching cartoons

Most people will tell you that cartoons are for kids. But when you are trying to learn a new language, you are no less than a kid. The best thing about cartoon shows is that they depict the characters dealing with scenarios that you will easily come across in real life. One of the best examples in this regard is Spongebob Squarepants.

Reading comics

Reading books can be difficult for people not well-versed with the language. But comic books or graphic novels can come as saviors. Because there are eye-catching illustrations alongside the text, one can easily understand what is going on by looking at the pictures.

Building a vocabulary

Once you have mastered the basic level by learning simple words and sentence structure, you can build a solid vocabulary by reading newspapers.

• Whenever you come across a new word, write it down in a journal along with its meaning. If possible, also write a sentence in which the word was used so you can remember the usage.
• Use the new words in your speech or writing whenever you get a chance. Using a word in context helps you remember it faster than any mnemonic technique the experts might suggest.
• Repeat and keep using the words until they become a part of your speech.

Getting Better At Spoken English

There are no two ways around this. No shortcuts. The only way you can improve your spoken English is when you talk in English with your friends. I know, this can be pretty intimidating, but it is possible, especially if you are in a college campus with students of your own age.

Watch news broadcasts

A better option is watching news broadcasts as the presenters keep a very neutral and emotionless accent while speaking. You need to pay attention to the way the presenters pronounce the words and which parts of the sentence they lay emphasis on.

Watch TED Talks and speeches of well-known orators

Apart from news broadcasts, TED Talks and speeches also have the speaker talking in a very neutral accent.

Avoid local influence

A major problem non-native English speakers face while speaking English is that whether we want it or not, the way we pronounce our first language makes its influence felt while speaking in English.

Don’t go into it all alone

While it’s possible to start a daily practice of improving your English alone, having an accountability partner makes it easier. This can be a friend or colleague with whom you decided to start the new habit together. Or it can be a certified meditation coach who will guide you through the process and help you on days you feel like you can’t stick through with it on your own.

Don’t be inconsistent

You’re starting something that you’ve never tried before. Don’t be inconsistent as it will be even harder to keep yourself accountable. Missing a day or two when something major comes up is alright, but missing entire weeks or months in the name of “not finding time” is not. Download a habit tracker to help you stick to your goals even more easily.

Getting Better At Written English

The best way to get better at written English is by reading more books.

Don’t just skim through the pages; get into the mind of the author. Feel the emotions portrayed in it as the main characters do. Live in the make-believe world for as long as it takes you to finish the journey, and revel in every detail, every minute brilliance of writing displayed in the story.

Write more and write daily

When you make it a habit of writing something each day, the language becomes a part of your body, your blood. It flows in easily from your fingertips as if it belongs there.