THE NEW GLOBAL VILLAGE

There has been an increased interest in learning a foreign language. Even governments advocate it, asking schools to offer foreign language units and even make it a mandatory part of the curriculum. But there also a number of executives who decide to take a foreign language in their free time. In the age of globalization it is now important to know a foreign language to do well at work: scuole inglese dublino.

But more than that, learning a foreign language gives personal satisfaction. As the Czech love to say, �You live a new life for every new language you speak. If you know only one language, you live only once.� Learning a language opens new horizons. This is never more true than when you visit another country. Now that you can speak the language, going beyond the usual recital of phrases in travel books and tourist brochures, you�ll be able to appreciate their culture from a completely different perspective. Here are some tools of the trade.

GRAMMAR BOOKS

This is one of the most classic language study guides and is absolutely indispensable. Of course grammar books are not entirely interesting and can seem tedious. However they are very important in remembering sentence structures and mastering the different concepts and seeing them at work.

PHRASE BOOKS

These books are tiny but they pack a lot of information. Most of the books will include instructions or guides on how to pronounce the words. There will also be a glossary of the words used in the book, and may include useful and practical idioms and phrases. Whatever language method you plan to use, these phrase books are a good way of complementing whateer you learn in the classroom.

DICTIONARY

This is one of the most important tools and you should always carry a small one in your bag and have a more extensive one on your study table. Dictionaries are absolutely essential in your efforts to learn a language. Without it you wouldn�t be able to understand what you read or even be able to build the vocabulary necessary to form sentences.

A good dictionary will have two kinds of translation, for example, English to French and French to English. You should also have one that contains idiomatic expressions, which are difficult to translate. (Ex: �It�s raining cats and dogs.�)

FLASHCARDS

This is a very easy yet efficient way of reviewing your notes and practicing sentence structures or vocabulary. There are many ready made flash card sets but it�s possible to create or customize your own. You can cut paper or purchase those that are pre-cut (the business-card sized ones are okay). Write about five or six words or phrases on one side of the card, and the English translation on the back. Put a few in your car, your purse, your kitchen, your office drawer, so you can make a quick run through whenever you find a few minutes of free time.

Don’t cram

It is very important that you review your notes and go through your reading materials every day, And don’t do it half heartedly either. Set your study time in such a way that you can give your full attention.

The optimum study session is one hour long. If you wish to study more, like if you have a major exam, then do several one hour sessions a day. Maybe you can read in the morning, and then do it once again in the afternoon. Allow your mind to digest the information.

You should not let more than one day pass without reviewing. If you wait more than a week then you won’t remember the lesson you are trying to master. Remember your goal is to master this lesson so that you won’t have a hard time understanding the next one. Language is cumulative. You must be able to perfect one skill before proceeding to the next. If you think about orthography and pronunciation alone, these topics are really hard enough without you trying to cram everything. So better devote more time and attention now at the start then to develop the wrong habits you will only have to unlearn down the road.

Give yourself goals

Like all great athletes you must set your eyes on the goal . Motivate yourself and tell yourself what you cant to accomplish. Push yourself and discipline yourself about what needs to be done. This kind of attitude will ultimately propel;your studies so that you don’t get stuck on one level. However, do remember to regularly check on your progress versus the goal. If you realize you are behind, then you need to quicken things up.

Don’t be a perfectionist

Learning is a process. No matter how hard you try there will be times when you will make a mistake. Don’t be ashamed. It doesn’t mean you aren’t making any progress. The real success is that you nothing to be ashamed of. The point is that you are communicating in a language that just months ago you couldn’t even understand.

Find ways to enjoy it

Once you have mastered the necessary basics of a language, you can gain satisfaction from practicing it—and there are many fun ways of doing this! Speak the language as much as possible, read materials and even write it! There are plenty of opportunities for you to do this, especially now. Form friendships at the Internet, join clubs or go on field trips with your classmates.

While grammar drills and dictionaries are all part of learning a language, do try to practice what you learn in fun and creative ways. This will not only help you develop your skills but will spark your enthusiasm and interest when you feel like you can’t take another verb conjugation list any more.

Magazines are a great way of resting while still having fun. Why not unwind with a fashion magazine—that is, one that’s written in the language you’re learning! Most major publishing firms have foreign syndicated titles. Or you can try audio magazines. You can rest your eyes while still reinforcing your vocabulary and learning how to pronounce words. It also sharpens your listening abilities and comprehension. Audio magazines are sold in different languages and often address a wide array of interesting topics, from sports to leisure to literature to travel. You can even find those on politics and entertainment. Look for those that come with the transcript of the programme so you can review vocabulary words and even find notes on the use of the language, like sentence structures.

Language is not meant to be learned alone. You will benefit from practicing with friends and classmates, but why not take it an extra step and practice it with a native speaker? You can form those on the Internet since there are many pen pal sites. Write emails to each other, schedule a chat session, and even discover more about the country. Writing is particularly helpful since you can practice your spelling, which can be hard for those who are learning a language.

Another way of studying for your foreign language skills is to record your voice. This is one way of reviewing your pronunciation and accents, and will serve as a good review strategy. Just play your tape while you’re doing things, like doing laundry or cooking dinner. You can also play it while taking a jog or walking on the treadmill.

Or if you prefer to listen to music while you exercise, why not make it an album in the language you’re learning? While this may not be helpful in terms of grammar since most lyricists will be very liberal about using sentence structures in order to make words rhyme, but it immerses you in the language.