What is the best way to learn a new language?

What is the best way to learn a new language?

A language school class

Whatever language you wish to learn, there are so many ways to do it nowadays. But which method is the most effective and which is the best for you?

Textbook study

A book is convenient and can be taken wherever you go. You have the flexibility to use it whenever you like, without being tied to a class time or course deadline. A book, however, cannot respond to your questions or correct your mistakes, and it sorely lacks the ability to teach conversational skills. At the very least you will need a book with an audio component to help you learn the rhythm and pronunciation of a language.

Audio courses

While highly popular for their learn-on-the-go appeal, helping many fill what would otherwise be dead time, audio courses are limited by the amount of subject matter and vocabulary they can cover. In addition, these courses need to be supplemented by written material if the student is to learn anything other than listening and speaking skills.

Software programmes
Using language learning software

The benefit of software programmes is their ability to offer a lot of material in one easy-to-transport package. They may comprise audio, text, pictures and video, and furthermore they are much easier to use at your own pace than an audio-only course. These courses do tend to be more expensive, however, and you will need a computer with you in order to study. Before you invest, check out other people’s reviews of language software courses.

Internet courses

With similar benefits to software courses, online courses have the added bonus of often being free. However, make sure you trust the quality of what is on offer and be warned that many are aimed solely at beginners, meaning that they will quickly become redundant to the serious language student. Have a browse, using search engines, or follow other people’s recommendations to find the best language sites.
Language courses with a tutor

Your choice of evening class, intensive period of study or even studying abroad will depend on your commitments, but there really is no substitute for learning a language with a tutor. The drawback is that you must commit to set study times, but the gains are many.

The personal attention a tutor offers cannot be replicated by any other form of learning, and lessons are truly interactive, with conversations developing naturally rather than being forced by a text or audio instruction. Classes also teach you to speak publicly rather than repeat phrases from the comfort of your car or home, which helps you meet real-life situations head-on.

For some, the intense focus of one-on-one lessons is what they need to develop, and this gives them the added bonus of learning at their own pace rather than that of the whole class. Others prefer the motivation and camaraderie that group learning can offer.

Study-abroad courses

Living abroad provides the ideal language learning environment. Taking an English course in the UK with a school such as  UIC English London means you are surrounded by the language even when you leave the classroom. At UIC English in London courses provide an immersion experience for students, meaning they can learn how to use the language in a variety of contexts.

Which is the best method?

Although immersion is widely regarded as the most effective way to learn a language, the course you choose will naturally depend on considerations of price and time. Whether you are studying English in London or enrolling on an online course, remember that language learning requires great dedication – but it can be an enriching and rewarding experience.