How to Teach Yourself a Foreign Language
So you want to learn another language, and you want to do it yourself. Here’s a few points you may want to consider in the process:
What’s your language learning background?
If you already speak a couple languages, then adding on another will be quite a bit simpler. Now, this is not to say it’ll be easy - it most certainly will not. It’s worth doing, after all 🙃
However, if you’re learning a foreign language for the first time, you’ll have your work cut out for you. It’s completely possible, regardless of your linguistic experience, but how long it’ll take and how much support you’ll need throughout the process will depend on your academic background - that’s right, not just just your language background, but your overall past success with education in school or independent studies.
Learning a language is like learning anything else, and because of this, if you have a track record of being able to solve problems and direct your own learning, language learning will be easier for you.
Independent study does NOT mean learning all by yourself
As contrary as this may seem, self-study does not actually mean you’re learning entirely on your own. Think about it: your knowledge must come from somewhere other than yourself.
So why is being a self-taught learner and being an independent learner such a hot topic these days?
Well, you’ve got to do the work to learn anything worth learning. Learning is a process of teaching yourself when you really do it well, but the reason you teach yourself is not because you learn “all by yourself.” People who are “self-taught” are successful because they do their part in their studies and ask for help when they need it - they don’t actually teach themselves everything. They do their work, get themselves as far they possibly can on their own; then they seek help in the areas they struggle in.
Taking a class does NOT mean you’re being “taught”
Many people have the misconception that it’s the teacher’s job to make the students learn - it’s not. It’s the teacher’s job to teach the students how to learn and how to teach themselves because these skills are so much more valuable than any content matter itself.
Still not sure you believe me?
Well, you clicked on this article because you wanted to read about teaching yourself, so you clearly value these skills or at least have an interest in them 😉
It’s the teacher’s job to teach how to read, writing, speak, and listen in the primary grades. Then as the students progress, it’s the teacher’s job to teach students how to use these skills to learn other subjects like math, science, history, art, etc. It’s up to the student how much of each of these skills and subjects they actually learn though. The teacher can stand in front of the class all day long and lecture, but if the students don’t do their part and their work - homework, notes, questions, practicing the skills - they are not going to achieve mastery in the skills or subject.
It is the students who decide whether they learn and ultimately who teach themselves using what they learn from the teacher. It is the students who determine whether they will be successful and the teacher guides them to that success.
So, how can you teach yourself a foreign language?
It’s really quite simple: you do the work to learn. If you’re taking a class, you do every single assignment and then some. If you’re learning without formal classes, you do extra research on the most effective ways to learn your target language, work through textbooks, and practice with fluent speakers or tutors.
But what if you don’t see progress, or you just can’t seem to figure it out on your own?
I’ve been there, multiple times, in fact. And when this happens, I seek help; I think about what I’ve tried and how it’s worked for me. I make sure I’m realistic about what I’ll actually do given the circumstances. If I know I won’t get the work done on my own, I enroll in a course. If I know I’m struggling, but I don’t know where I’m struggling or how to fix it, I ask questions until I find the help I need. I don’t stop until I find a solution that works.
Ultimately though, it’s up to you to determine the best learning route for you. It’s up to you whether you reach your goals, and it’s up to you what you do with the information on this page🙂
My favorite resources for language learning:
Online classes through a college or private program
I absolutely love online classes and online learning in general because it truly is a way to “teach yourself,” but with the support of a teacher and the structure of a class. I’ve learned so much more through my online studies where I actually have to do all my reading, manage my own schedule, and present my ideas to the online class rather than sitting through a lecture (if I really need a lecture, I just watch one of the many recorded ones that already exist online). Here’s a few of the online learning resources I’ve used and love:
Oregon State University is amazing for these online classes.
Udemy is another excellent place to find courses if you don’t need them accredited.
tutoring through sites like italki where you can get one-on-one lessons and support is another excellent option for practice with fluent speakers and teachers.
And of course, my course and book if you’re looking for something really top-notch for learning how to learn using an integrated, applied approach to reading, writing, speaking, and listening in any language 😉
