Modern
technology can be polarizing. If you’re still unfamiliar with its grim and dark
side, try watching an episode or two of Black Mirror. It’s a British science fiction
television series that examines the ill and unforeseen effects of technology on
our society. However, if you’d rather stick to today’s news, it’s also not
surprising to hear reports that excessive use of social media affects mental
health.
But
with the bad definitely comes the good. A great way to benefit from advances in
technology is to use it as a tool for language learning. Decades ago, wanting
to speak Mandarin Chinese, Spanish or Portuguese usually entailed reading tons
of books and traveling to different continents to be able to fully practice
what you’ve learned.
Now,
with gadgets and apps made available to us, it’s easier, faster and more fun to
communicate and learn new things, such as a foreign a language. And because we
live in a global economy, there is a huge need for cross-cultural
communication. However, supply is unable to meet the staggering demand. For the
2017-18 school year, the US Department of Education has stated that schools
across the United States have reported shortages
in teachers,
with 41 states grappling with a shortfall in foreign language instructors.
But
instead of just waiting for this national problem to be addressed, we can take
advantage of everyday technologies, whether or not they are intended to teach
us a new language.
1.
TURN CAR
RIDES INTO LANGUAGE SESSIONS.
Research
shows that you can learn more effectively if you are doing so while
accomplishing a task. What better way to start than to listen to directions and
navigation vocabulary in a new language! But before you adjust your language
settings, make sure you’ve learned and reviewed common phrases for directions,
time and distance. If you’re a beginner, you should try second-language navigation
on routes that you’re already familiar with. That way, you won’t get too
stressed with being lost, and you can just focus on absorbing the phrases and
translating them as you drive yourself to your destination.
This
technique works for two reasons. First, while you may already be familiar with
the route, you are still pressured to follow instructions, or risk the chance
of completely losing your way. Second, because you also have a chance to look
at the map, you have some background information and context that can help you
understand what the GPS is telling you.
2.
CHANGE YOUR
MOBILE APP SETTINGS.
Nowadays,
we are attached to our phones and can’t go anywhere without it. It’s how we
send messages to friends, read emails and browse social media. We check our
phones first thing in the morning and do the same before we go to bed at night.
Studies have shown that Americans use
their mobile apps 5 hours a day and millennials, in particular
check, their phones 150 times a day! So with the amount of time we clock in
using apps like Facebook or Instagram for instance, it’s smart to maximize our
hours by learning a few words and phrases in a new language. Just like with
adjusted GPS settings, you’ll already have some context of the foreign words or
phrases you see while you navigate apps or check emails. For example, you can
change your Facebook settings to show the language you want to learn. With 100
languages to choose from, it’s highly likely that Facebook supports your chosen
foreign language. And because you are so used to seeing certain buttons in the
app’s user interface, you’ll have a fairly easy time figuring out how to translate
the foreign language version in your native language.
3.
SUBSCRIBE
TO YOUTUBE CHANNELS.
YouTube
is not just a source of random videos or movie clips, it’s a place that’s rich
in opportunities for language learning. There are hundreds of channels with an
endless selection of videos that teach the language you want to learn. Popular
YouTube polyglots use different styles and methods to inspire subscribers and
viewers to learn a new language. On channels like Create Your World Books, Susanna Zaraysky teaches
musical hacks and techniques as a way to activate more parts of the brain for
language learning.
4.
TAKE ONLINE
LANGUAGE CLASSES.
Today,
an online classroom includes videos, interactive grammar correction tools,
chatboards and webcams. Learning a new language has become accessible and
customizable, with options to learn autonomously, while still giving you an
opportunity to have an interactive dialogue with your teacher.
During
my first few years in China, I struggled to find classes that catered to my
level and fit my own needs. I tried it all. I used Rosetta Stone to no avail.
Berlitz, once the gold standard in language training was about as good as you’d
expect something built in 1878 to be. I tried local Chinese schools and failed
there too. I began to think I wasn’t a language person. I thought, like many
Americans, that ...unless you were born with natural abilities it was hopeless.
That
turns out not to be true. When I founded BRIC language systems, I wanted to
make sure that our language learning programs did not use a “one size fits all”
approach like some of the aforementioned programs. We connect the best teachers
worldwide with students right here in the US using interactive onscreen
content. Through BRIC, it became my personal mission to create a program where
students will not have the same experience I had when I was a young expat in
China.
With
these methods, you don’t need to be stuck in a classroom or spend thousands in
travel expenses before becoming fluent in your dream language. In fact, with a
smartphone, good Wi-Fi connection and the motivation to learn, you’ll reach
your goal in no time!
