Does Flashcards Make Any Difference In Learning New Languages?

[carolinejames]

Enter further question details here...

[mikey4444]

They didn't work very well when I was trying to learn Italian a few years ago !

[Tilly2]

Anything that helps to reinforce your learning is useful. Using flash cards could be one method.

[murraymints]

it may help you decide when to use the plural or not ?

[pixie374]

They are useful for vocabulary, but won't help with grammar or pronunciation.

[Trawlerman]

Go to your country of choice language, stay for a fortnight, take a good phrase book and promise yourself that you will not speak English. The results may surprise you.

[murraymints]

on a serious note.. you have to live the language to learn it properly..as said.. if at all possible live there..if not, live at home but speak only your chosen foreign language... every Sunday was French day when the kids were learning...that was all that was spoken ...and they learned fast

[mikey4444]

I tried that in Rome....well, for one week at least, and it was an abject failure !

[murraymints]

lol.. a wee bit more than a week is advisable.... love Rome !

[douglas9401]

"I tried that in Rome....well, for one week at least, and it was an abject failure !"

Give it another go Mikey, but this time ditch the German phrasebook for an Italian one. Ciao!

[Eve]

Everyone has their own way of learning which suits them, think of ways to find easy to learn things generally, for example, do you respond better to audio or visual learning or a mixture? Do you learn better from spoken lectures or classes or from books and notes?

Repetition is a good way of learning. Tying a word or phrase in one language to English and repeating it a number of times to link it in your memory better.

I studied a number of languages, being where the language is spoken is the best way but do you know a native speaker that you could practice with if that isn't practical, in person or online? I used to have penpals to practice when I was young. The key is to learn the way that the language is actually spoken rather than learning words and phrases parrot fashion.

Just generally speaking as much as you can, even in your head day to day, having a device handy like a phone with internet so you can look up words etc...

Watching TV/films in the language is great, even with subtitles at first. Which language are you learning? Someone may be able to suggest some good things to watch. Similarly, reading as much as you can, maybe find a good news site or even a site like this but in the language that you are learning.

[Tilly2]

Fabulous answer, Eve. Well done. :-)

(I couldn't be bothered but you could.)

[Eve]

Talking of immersing yourself, it reminded me of this, always makes me well up!

[Eve]

Awww thanks Tilly :) Learning languages has always been a bit of a passion of mine.