How to Learn the Local Language

As teachers of English as a foreign language (TEFL teachers) we’re usually focussed on teaching our students English. But if you’re living in a foreign country, perhaps you want to try and learn the local language. That’s where we come in! Let’s look at how to learn the local language.

Though it’s not always necessary to speak the local language to teach English there, learning the language helps you integrate into the community and feel more at home.

Read more: How Can I Teach English Without Speaking The Local Language?

What’s more, there are numerous proven benefits to speaking a foreign language. Being able to speak another language:

• enhances memory,
• improves your attention span and problem-solving abilities,
• delays the onset of dementia,
• encourages cross-cultural empathy and understanding, and
• improve your job prospects.

You might be wondering, How can I learn a language as an adult? What’s the fastest way to learn a language? Or even Is there a trick to learning a language?

And yes, learning a new language is a daunting thought. But it can be done! No matter what your first language is or how academic you are, it’s totally possible to learn another language.

Some people – polyglots and foreign service agents – have been known to achieve a high level of fluency in a language in just a few weeks!

So here are top tips for learning a new language – any language!

Take classes

Spend some time on the other side of the desk and become a student!

Find a language school that offers classes and sign yourself up. Learning a language in a class setting gives structure to your learning. Plus, paying for it you are more likely to attend!

You might not realise but taking foreign language lessons not only improves your language skills, it helps your teaching. 

Being a student isn’t easy. If we haven’t been a student for some time we tend to forget that. Being a student again will give you insight into the difficulties of being a student and what works and doesn’t work in the classroom. This is especially helpful if you are teaching adults as you are directly mirroring their situation.

Go online

If you can’t find any classes near you, turn to the trusty world wide web. 

There are so many language learning apps out there for whatever language you want to learn. Learning with a language-learning app makes language learning simple and convenient. Simply log on whenever you have a chance. 

Even better, apps these days mostly make us of gamification, which is highly motivating. Most people find it easy to use their app on a daily basis, which is exactly what you should be doing when learning a language.

Find a private tutor

If you’d rather not spend your free time in a classroom, find a friend who would be happy to give you lessons or do a language exchange. 

If you’re living in the foreign country, you should find there are plenty of people who are willing to have a cup of coffee or a beer once or twice a week and chat to you in their language in exchange for chatting in English. What’s more, you’ll find out more about the local culture and perhaps even find a new group of friends who can show you around town.

If you’re still in your home country, it’s easy enough to find conversation partners online. If you can afford it you can use paid platforms to find tutors. But if you’re looking for a way to learn a language for free, find an English language learner who would be willing to do a lesson exchange with you. 

Though these people may not be qualified teachers, you can use what you discover with them as the basis for further independent study. 

Don’t be shy

Getting to grips with a foreign language can be a real tongue twister. No matter how great you sound in your living room, speaking to native-speakers in authentic contexts is the real test.

The trick? Don’t be shy. Don’t be afraid to speak, even though that means you’ll probably make mistakes. This is how we learn.

Use it or lose it

Yes, we’ve saved the best for last. 

The absolute best way to learn a language for free – is to live in the country! You can’t help but pick up the language if you’re constantly surrounded by it – immersed in it – and you make an effort to use it.

You know all that advice you give to your students about learning English – using sticky-notes, talking to waiters, making friends? Well, the same applies to you. Take advantage of being constantly surrounded by the language to expose yourself to it as much as possible and practise at every opportunity.

Living in a foreign country forces you to use the language every single day, in genuine and unpredictable situations.

While not everyone is a natural language learner, just trying to pick up some of the local language will be appreciated by the local community. Try these tips and you may be surprised just how much of the language you pick up.

And if you’re main goal is to learn a foreign language, maybe you should think about qualifying as a TEFL teacher so you can live and work abroad to truly immerse yourself in the culture.