Learning Resources
The most important thing about learning a language is HOW you do it and what resources you use.
Everyone learns and practices differently, so here are some of the resources and methods I use to learn.
- Duolingo
- Duolingo is my primary source of learning. Duolingo has tons of languages
to learn and the exercises can be pretty humorous sometimes.
If you plan to use Duolingo, it is free with ads, however if you are serious about
learning a language, I highly recommend you invest in Duolingo's monthly subscription
so you face fewer restrictions.
- Babbel
- Babbel is another online language learning service that is very similar to
Duolingo, but with a few minor differences. I only used Babbel briefly, so my experience
is limited. First, Babbel is more expensive per month than Duolingo, but often has
sales. Second, Babbel has more of an 'adult' feel, if that's something you're looking
for. There is no placement test for Babbel and I tried it years into my learning process, so
I quit Babbel for the sole reason that I would have to start from square one. Overall, Babbel
and Duolingo's lessons are very similar in content and style.
- Books
- While it certainly takes a while to build the base needed for this, reading
books can easily be your greatest helper. You can even begin with children's books.
Reading books helps you understand the language you are learning in a more complicated
setting and is often written or translated by natives. So, you'll be reading the
most authentic form of the language. By reading a translated story that you already
know, you can learn new words and phrases with context clues. You can do that with an
unfamiliar story too, but it often requires a larger knowledge base. There is a whole
genre of books meant for those who are learning languages too. They typically have
translations, vocabulary pages, and comprehension questions at the end of each chapter.
- People
- It may seem strange, but people are your greatest resource. While it is not easily
accessible for everyone, the greatest thing you can do is find someone fluent in the language
you are learning and speak with them every single day in that language. You may have to look
up words, but you would be amazed at how easy some words are to figure out when you know what
you are having a conversation about. For me personally, I primarily speak to Alfred. Because I am
not fluent, we speak in English on Snapchat and Norwegian on iMessage. So, if I have something to
say that I know I can say in Norwegian, I will text him on iMessage. But if I need to ask him
something and I don't know how in Norwegian, I will Snapchat him instead.
- Libraries
- Libraries are the ultimate hub for language learning. Libraries often have cultural events that may be
relevant to your chosen language. Libraries are peaceful, quiet places that would allow for listening,
comprehension, and pronunciation practice. And, of course, there is no better place to find books than a library.
Here
is an article on the uses of a library as a language learning resource.