A foreign language is immediately placed in perspective by music. Speaking and studying become much more enjoyable. In addition, music can also help you become more culturally fluent. Here is how to apply it.
Start with Children’s music
Simple children’s music, poems, and nursery rhymes are all quick and easy ways to learn a new language. They are not only catchy, but they frequently have a lot of repetition. Even now, 15 years later, I can still sing the song from my first French lesson, “Mon âne, mon âne / A bien mal à la tête / Madame lui fit fait / Un bonnet pour sa fête,” about a donkey who has a headache that his maker fashioned for him. Although it’s absurd, I always know what such terms signify when I encounter them in French. You may readily find traditional children’s songs and lullabies in any language by conducting a quick Google search.
Look for similar songs in the same genre.
Look for music in a style you enjoy. Find the “best music of all time in (language)” if you enjoy timeless folk music or classic rock. Find the most well-known musicians in your language or the nation where that language is spoken. I’m sure Serge Gainsbourg and Carla Bruni have taught me some useful French terms and expressions. When you start learning about classic musical figures, you not only discover new music but also open a door to another culture.
While listening, look up the lyrics
Normally, you won’t understand every word in a song sung in a foreign language. Songs often employ colloquial language and slang, so you might not understand all the performer is saying. For this reason, it’s beneficial to read the lyrics while you’re listening to the music. After a few repetitions, you’ll be able to comprehend what is being stated.
Translate All The Lyrics You Don’t Understand
Even if you believe you comprehend the song’s main ideas, take the time to look up English translations of the lyrics or enter the song’s lyrics into an online translator. When you can read the entire song in your own language, new levels of understanding can suddenly open up for you. After then, return and give the song another listen while reading the English translation. Can you reasonably follow along?
Sing the Music
The last stage is to sing the song you just learned. Simply practice alone in your room if you’re too shy to perform it in front of others. You’ll discover that after going through this extensive research procedure, you’ll be able to sing along at least in part. Reading, understanding, and speaking are all put to the test when you can sing a song in another language. Even when you sing aloud, you’re telling a tale.
Although Nasma Of NY won’t force you to sing aloud in class (unless you want to! ), we are fairly good at coming up with original and inventive ways to encourage you to learn other languages. Today, have a look at our upcoming classes.
Not so sure that you can pick up a new language? Select one that is simpler for native English speakers to take the quick cut. Some languages are close to English geographically, historically, or grammatically. Here are a few excellent options.
Spanish
You probably aren’t shocked to learn that Spanish is the most popular language. Given its global dominance and ubiquity in the US, Spanish is a language that is frequently used. Additionally, English speakers find it to be one of the simplest languages to learn. Since Spanish is a Romance language, it has numerous words in common with English, such as “telephone” (teléfono). Also, words are generally pronounced phonetically, so what you see is generally what you get. If you reside in an English-speaking nation, you will undoubtedly hear Spanish spoken by people nearby, on the radio, or on television, providing you with plenty of practise opportunities.
French
Despite not being quite as simple to learn as the other Romance languages on this list, French is a language that tens of millions of people throughout the world speak. The biggest advantage for English speakers, like with other Romance languages, is the enormous vocabulary that they share. Due to the history of wars, conquests, shared lands, and cultural exchange between France and England, this vocabulary of common terms is bigger than average. It’s interesting to see how many French words have gradually made their way into English and vice versa (e.g., they say “le week-end,” we say “à la carte,” etc.).
Italian
Italian continues to be a favourite among users despite not being quite as popular as the other languages on this list. You must already have a variety of Italian cuisine on your list of go-to meals, and chances are you’ve picked up the odd vocabulary word (Marone! Mangia!) from movies and television. Because of how close these two languages are to one another, speakers of Spanish and Italian frequently have conversations with one another in their mother tongues. It won’t be difficult for you to learn Italian quickly if you already have a solid foundation in Spanish.
Hindi
The official language of India’s government is Hindi. It is spoken in the country’s northern and central regions. It is third among the most spoken languages in the world when combined with Urdu. The US, UK, and Canada have all been profoundly influenced by Indian culture and language. Hindi and English currently do share a large number of vocabulary words. Hindi can be one of the most helpful languages for a worldwide traveller to know if you’re prepared for the challenge.
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Although learning a language is not simple, there are several advantages to doing so. Learning a new language alters your brain and makes use of all of your memory types. Aside from the social and communication advantages, learning a second tongue will actually increase your intelligence. It takes work to get there, but it’s work for your brain, not the kind you do at the gym.
One of the most diverse methods for brain stimulation is through language learning
When you learn a new language, you have to memorise a whole new vocabulary as well as the intricate grammatical rules needed to put it all together. You gain the ability to control your tongue such that you can literally wrap it around new words that don’t sound anything like those in your native tongue. You must develop your speed and intuition in order to become fluent. If it isn’t evident already, getting here needs a lot of mental effort.
Your brain expands to make room for this new information due to the diversity of information it must be able to process and store, from acquiring words to comprehending novel social interactions. Additionally, mental fitness offers many benefits.
Learning a new language keeps your brain young as you become older.
It turns out that learning a language has long-lasting advantages that have been shown to protect against cognitive ageing and the onset of dementia. The strength of the shield increases with level of second language skill.
Learning it increases your brain’s reserve capacity, which will keep you motivated in your senior years. So even if you didn’t get the chance to study a language as a child, it’s never too late to start benefiting from it now that you’re an adult. Learning a second language will help you safeguard your intellect as you age in addition to broadening your worldview.
Your focus and memory will increase after learning a new language.
The mastery of two languages necessitates the simultaneous juggling of these two communication systems, as it entails learning an altogether new system of communication. A second language was once thought to be an impediment to growth, but gradually studies found that this impediment actually forces the brain to grow more cognitively capable. Your brain learns how to allow different languages to coexist by learning when and where to employ each one.
Studies have demonstrated that bilinguals often perform better at mental exercises and multitasking tasks that call for ignoring distractions, maintaining focus, and remembering information. Basically, learning a new language teaches your brain to focus attention in the right places.
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People learn in a remote learning way now than they did a few decades ago due to the interplay of education and technology. Mobile apps, interactive software, internet video classes, and an abundance of learning options are all implications for language study. The future appears promising for those who previously had no access to foreign language instruction.
But is it genuinely feasible to become fluent without going to school or relocating abroad? Can remote employees who wish to relocate overseas increase their marketability by becoming multilingual beforehand? Since remote writing and blogging jobs are among the most sought-after career options available,
Without ever leaving their phone or laptop, remote workers can make significant advancements in their language education. Here are a few advantages of online language study.
Remote learning is always accessible
The only people who could take language classes in the past were those who had the time, money, and access to language teachers and classrooms.
That is no longer the case. As a remote learner, you can access your “classroom” at any time and from any location. Take micro-lessons at any time, whether you’re waiting in line at the store or testing your knowledge on a packed bus.
Some fundamental guidelines still hold true whether dealing with someone in person or online. One of the most fundamental principles of language learning is the idea that “practise makes perfect.” Practice may happen anytime you want with your mobile classroom.
Remote learning doesn’t mean you never have a real conversation
The justification for traditional classroom instruction over online instruction arises from the fact that conversation-based courses provide you the chance to use your language abilities in practical situations. Sitting in front of a computer screen and clicking on things is all well and good, but what happens when you’re trying to arrange a cab from the airport in a foreign country? How much can your computer aid you at that point?
It turns out that there are a tonne of remote learning choices that put your on-the-spot speaking and comprehension to the test, just like international travel would.
You’re upping your chance at landing a remote job
Remote businesses frequently want to hire someone with experience. Those who are unfamiliar with remote work may need some time to become used to its intricacies. Learning new abilities, especially new languages, might improve your CV if you lack remote work experience. You are demonstrating your capacity for self-learning while operating remotely.
You gain an understanding of the culture associated with the language you are learning. You’re not only broadening your horizons personally, but you’re also displaying your adaptability and openness to many cultures in your professional life. This is particularly crucial for remote-first businesses with globally dispersed teams who struggle with the problem of communication failure. Win-win!
The ultimate line is that you can acquire fluency in a language online. But in order for remote learning to be effective, you must know how to use it. However, if you go about it correctly, nothing can stop you from becoming fluent in a foreign language, even if you’re doing it from your laptop. Check out Nasma Of NY’s virtual Levantine Arabic Masterclass now!
Every day, more than 6,500 different languages are spoken worldwide. Where should you start if you want to try learning one or two more of them?
The languages that are often used in international business, diplomacy, and the media are those that language learners tend to choose. What languages are you most likely to encounter while travelling the globe? The following are the languages that are currently most widely spoken, per the annual reference book Ethnologue, which keeps statistics on languages that are still spoken today around the globe.
Mandarin Chinese (918 Million Speakers)
Mandarin is a native language spoken by 918 million people worldwide, or more than 11%. Mandarin is the largest of the related languages that make up Chinese. Singapore, Taiwan, and the People’s Republic of China all recognise it as their official languages.
Despite being one of the most challenging languages for English speakers to master, it is definitely worthwhile to pursue. A working grasp of Mandarin will place you in an exclusive group of Westerners who can interpret between this potent language and culture and the rest of the globe, as it is one of the main languages in international trade, business, and diplomacy.
Spanish (418 Million Speakers)
Spanish is today widely spoken all across the world, from Southeast Asia and Africa to Central and South America, thanks to the conquistadors who disseminated it. 418 Million people are native speakers.
If ubiquity is what you’re searching for, Spanish has it in spades because it is an official language in 22 different nations around the globe. Given the close ties between the U.S. and Mexico, Spanish is typically the second language that Americans study. That indicates there are lots of options for practise as well as lessons and classes.
English (379 Million Speakers)
English and Mandarin compete to be the most spoken languages globally, despite the fact that English has fewer native speakers overall. There are about 379 million native speakers of it. Children begin learning English the year they begin attending formal school in many nations. At the greatest levels of international collaboration, trade, and communication, English proficiency is essentially a requirement.
We don’t need to spend a lot of time on this one because you’re reading this and already know how to speak English. However, we will point out that if you know English, you might find learning German and several Romance languages to be rather simple.
Hindustani (341 Million Speakers)
Hindustani is the name given to Hindi and Urdu when combined. The languages come from the north and west of the Indian subcontinent and are two dialects of the same language.
It is spoken daily in India, the second-most populous country in the world, where it is the official language. It has 341 million native speakers. Speakers of Hindi and Urdu can communicate effectively with one another because there are little differences between the two languages’ lexicon and pronunciation. In general, their writing styles differ, with Hindi appearing to be written the closest to written Arabic.
Arabic (315 Million Speakers)
Arabic is without a doubt one of the languages that is spoken the most over the globe. Arabic has 315 million native speakers worldwide, but that doesn’t tell the whole story because local dialects vary so widely that it may nearly be considered a set of languages. Two Arabic speakers from Sudan and Qatar may have difficulty understanding one another due to the huge differences between their respective languages. Djibouti, the Comoros, the UAE, and Yemen are just a few of the 25 nations that have Arabic as one of their official languages.
Which of these languages are you planning to study next? If Arabic is in your wishlist, Nasma Of NY is the ultimate destination for your language learning journey!
The way we learn has also gone more digital in recent months, as have many other elements of our lives. Distance learning is the most effective technique to ensure that students of all educational levels can continue their education during a pandemic.
Finding the drive to study might be difficult, whether you’re enrolled in more conventional college classes or a different kind of online school. Lack of a daily routine can make it particularly difficult to maintain a steady study schedule, and spending the entire day staring at a screen may make it feel tough to break up the day.
Here are some pointers to help you adapt and maintain your concentration.
Create an everyday schedule
The greatest approach to keep motivated if your normal schedule has completely changed is to establish your own habit. The best thing you can do to keep focused on your activities is to know when to study and when to concentrate.
The simplest method to do this is to set aside one day every week for organising your obligations and planning your study time. Be sure to include breaks as well as the time you spend studying and attending classes. Your ability to plan your daily activities and determine what to work on when will be easier the more ordered your timetable is.
Organize your study space
The most crucial aspect that many people neglect is their study area. It can be challenging to focus and get into the correct frame of mind when studying at a crowded desk.
Get inventive with the way you organise your area if your workspace is small and your resources are constrained. Pencils and pencils should be stored in cups, documents should be piled properly, and everything should be put away when not in use. Simple things like a clean, well-organized workspace can occasionally make studying and learning at home more motivating.
Keep distractions away
Being distracted by your phone while you’re learning may be quite detrimental, especially in this day and age when we are all more dependent on our phones for communication with friends and family. Even yet, you should make studying a priority to spend alone time, therefore think about leaving your phone somewhere else when in class or studying.
Take into account additional distractions, such as the news, neighbour noise, or the temptation to snack as you study. It will be simpler to stay on task if you keep all of these distractions out of the way.
Stay focused during classes
When it comes to online learning, the ability to maintain concentration during lectures and classes is essential. Even if it’s impossible to mimic the experience of being in a classroom, it’s important to pay attention to your teacher.
Take note of everything you read and hear. Keep thorough notes so you can go back and review them. It will be simpler for you to remain focused and motivated to learn the more you attempt to comprehend the material.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions
Asking a lot of questions in class is a terrific strategy to stay interested.
Writing expert and Supreme Dissertations editor Marie Fincher argues that asking questions is a natural aspect of learning a subject and making it your own. Additionally, it will enable you to get to know your teachers better. They will be able to identify your learning needs as a consequence, and they will assist you in moving forward with your academic endeavours.
Making distance learning work in your favor
Although distance learning and online classes may be unfamiliar to you, there is no reason why this should prevent you from achieving your objectives.
The best course of action is to adjust to this new way of learning; do this by creating a regular schedule for yourself, avoiding distractions, and asking lots of questions. The more quickly you can adjust, the simpler it will be for you to maintain motivated.
