Learning a second language has so many important benefits. Plenty of people list learning a second language as their New Year’s resolution, but actually following through can be difficult. Dr. Juhi Deolankar is a Urologist driven by her commitments to patient care, both locally and around the globe. Multilingual herself, she understands the value in learning a second language. She shares her tips to help you stay committed to your language goals:
- Understand that learning a language is a long-term commitment. There is never a point where you’ll stop learning. Even if you are a native English speaker, there are still always new words to learn! Any other language will be the same, and that is part of the fun.
- Find ways of sustainably working your language learning into your currently lifestyle. For example, if you commute on the train, you could spend some time each day on a language learning app.
- Practice speaking as much as you can! Connecting with a native speaker whenever possible is a great way to improve your speaking skills.
- Watch TV, read books, and listen to music in the language you are learning. Even simple children’s books are a great place to start when learning a new language.
- Plan a trip to the place that speaks the language you are learning. You don’t need to be fluent by then, but perhaps you could set a goal to be able to order at a restraint in the language by the time you get there. Travel is a great way to immerse yourself in the culture and language.