How many of you have ever wanted to be fluent in another language, but just never had the time to dedicate towards an entire four-plus years in a course? Well, I had the exact same dilemma. However, because the extent to which I wanted to learn Spanish was so great, I took learning the language into my own hands.

…And you know what? It was easy. It just takes patience and passion. So I hope that you can come away from this article understanding how you too can learn a language without ever having to touch a textbook.

So how do you do it? Well, it just takes three simple steps, which I like to break down into three types of engagement: physically immersing oneself in the country of the language spoken; mentally immersing oneself by listening to both music and movies in that language; and finally, reinforcing what was learned through many free online language programs.

So, as previously stated, one of the best ways to learn another language is by physically immersing oneself in a country which that language, and preferably only that language, is spoken. Immersion aids in the development of the two essential parts of learning a language. The first being comprehension. A study by Roy Lyster of McGill University involving French immersion students displays that, through immersion, students will develop the highest level of proficiency in the language to the extent of having “nativelike comprehension” (Ayoun, 2008, p. 7). I can relate to this personally. When I went to Ecuador for a Spanish immersion program, I saw my level of comprehension skyrocket. This sort of outcome is only to be expected when you are constantly surrounded by those speaking the language; eventually what were first random syllables, will find meaning as words in your mind.

Likewise, immersion will develop skill in speaking. When no one around you speaks your language, you are forced to constantly practice theirs. The repetitiveness of doing so eventually allows useful words and sentences to become a part of your everyday vocabulary. Wally Lazaruk, who graduated from McGill University with a masters in French Language and Literature, argues the overall benefit of immersion, claiming that it provides not only “linguistic [and] cognitive benefits,” but scholastic advantages as well (Lazaruk, 2007, p. 605).

Similarly to physically immersing oneself in another country, mentally immersing oneself in the language can prove to be virtually as effective. Mentally immersing oneself in a language can be done in numerous ways, but the two I find to be the easiest and most helpful are listening to music and watching movies.

Listening to music in the language you are trying to learn has actually been proven to be quite effective. Currently, some language teachers are actually utilizing music in the classroom as a teaching tool. Dr. Judith Failoni, professor of musicology at Fontbonne College, asserts that this method has been justified by the theory of “musical intelligence." It argues that humans naturally possess an intellectual capacity to attain knowledge through music. I myself can attest to this, because a majority of my Spanish language acquisition and retention actually came from listening to Spanish music.

Another thing you can do to make this even more effective is reading the lyrics in both the language you are learning - as well as in your native language - while you are listening. There is actually a website called lyricstranslate.com, which I use all the time to do that and I feel that it has truly enhanced my comprehension.

Moreover, you can choose to take a more visual approach. You can either watch movies or television to further your learning. For years, I have been watching TV shows in Spanish, and I have to say that a great deal of my vocabulary actually comes from doing so. I highly recommend watching with subtitles in your native language, and if you can, even watch with subtitles in the other language at the same time in order to better solidify vocabulary comprehension. One reason that watching is so helpful, is that it is truly a sort of immersion. When you see the plot in action, you begin to understand the words in context; it’s a step down from being in the actual country and interacting with the words yourself.

Lastly, if you really want to reinforce what you are learning, there are plenty free online resources out there to help you do just that. Online resources, such as language-learning applications like Duolingo, Mango, and many more, are out there to help you better your speaking, writing, and overall comprehension. One thing that this method helps you improve much more than the other two will, is the scholastic aspect of the language. Most of these online resources are highly interactive, so you will often have the opportunity to practice reading and writing. This helped me personally, because while the other two methods greatly enhanced my vocabulary, I was lost when it came to actually spelling out or reading the words.

Another aspect of these online resources that can be very useful is their potential to enhance your skills in both speaking and listening. Many of these websites will give you the opportunity to type what you hear, or even record your own voice, therefore practicing speech. Personally, without the aid of these free online resources, my experience learning would not have been as well rounded.

Overall, through physically and mentally immersing oneself in a language, as well as reinforcing this knowledge through a plethora of free online resources, anyone can learn the language they’ve always wanted to know. Therefore, please don’t let a lack of time or access to a classroom hold you back; you too can learn a language in these three simple steps, without ever having to touch a textbook. So if you replied “yes” to my question at the beginning of this article, now’s your chance to get out there and start making that dream a reality!

CITATIONS:

Ayoun, D. (2008). Studies in French Applied Linguistics. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing.

Failoni, J. W. (1993). Music as Means To Enhance Cultural Awareness and Literacy in the Foreign Language Classroom. Mid-Atlantic Journal of Foreign Language Pedagogy, 1. Retrieved from http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED355796.pdf

Lazaruk, W. (August 2007). Linguistic, Academic, and Cognitive Benefits of French Immersion. Canadian Modern Language Review, 63(5). Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/article/228709/pdf