Fun Social Settings to Improve Your Language Skills
Many of us struggle to learn a new language. Yet, polyglots—people who speak four, five, six, or more languages—walk among us. Polyglots are a daily reminder that anyone can improve their language skills.
While there are many tips on becoming better at a language, nothing works better than immersion. Immersing yourself into a world where people speak and breathe English a certain way will help you to better your language skills.
Here are some great ideas for improving your language skills in social settings:
Speak English to Your Friends and Family
If there’s a hack everyone says helps learn a new language, it's this: hours of speaking the new language. If you want to speak English like a native speaker, talk English to everyone who understands the language.
Don't worry about saying the wrong words. Hours of awkward pronunciations give you confidence. They also show you areas to improve. Speaking English with people who are better speakers helps you learn new words, master pronunciation, and increase your confidence.
Many language experts agree that an hour of conversing in a new language is better than two hours spent in a classroom. It is also better than studying a new language for multiple hours alone.
So, why is speaking so effective in improving language skills? The answer lies in how our brains process new information. If you learn something by doing it, your brain registers it as important. But if you only spend time listening, your brain chooses what information to keep and what not to treat as important.
Text your Friends in English
You need practice to improve your English. So use all the new words you learn in class while chatting with friends. Find a way to introduce new words you learned in your daily conversations.
Take an extra step by changing your phone’s settings to English. Henceforth, you’ll receive new notifications in the foreign language. This will force you to use English more often, thereby helping you become a better speaker and reader.
Join a Gaming Community
Playing games with friends isn’t just great for stress relief. It is also an excellent way to improve your language skills. Gaming relaxes you. It encourages you to talk flawlessly even if you’re not perfect in English.
The best part about it all is that it doesn’t matter the games you choose. You could join a Minecraft, Fortnite, CS: GO, or NBA 2K community. If the game has a chatroom, you can improve your skills.
If you enjoy casino games like blackjack and roulette, change the language settings at your favorite casino to English. If you don’t have a favorite casino, use this great information to discover the best social casinos in the US. Social casinos don’t cost money. They’re fun and free to play.
Some casinos have live casinos where the dealer speaks English. Here you can play your favorite gambling games in an environment that could improve your language skills.
Play Sports with English Speakers
Just like playing video games, sports force you to express yourself in English. Sports also relax your mind, making it easier to communicate with others without worrying about your language insecurities.
Another benefit is that playing a new sport exposes you to new vocabulary. You learn how to conjugate verbs related to sport. You can learn how to compliment your teammates or draw their attention.
If the sport is fun, it can encourage you to learn English. That’s because you want to converse with your teammates. And this can only work if you understand how to address them.
Watch American/British Movies with Family
Watching a Hollywood or British movie isn't just a great way to spend time with friends and family. It is also a nice way to pick up new words you can use to expand your vocabulary.
If you can't understand the words, use subtitles. Watching a movie with subtitles is like being in a language-listening class. You can get the benefits of listening to a native speaker. And you get the translated meaning of each word.
Additionally, watching a movie with friends gives you multiple topics. You can ask everyone his or her favorite character, favorite scene, and lines. By speaking about different topics, you expand your vocabulary and proficiency.
Join Book Club Focused on English Books
If you’ve ever needed a reason to join a book club, join to improve your language skills. In a book club, you can read multiple books. This helps improve your reading and listening skills.
You can also review these skills. Talking about books helps improve your conversation skills. It can also increase your vocabulary and make it easier to become fluent in the target language.
If you can’t find a book club focused on books written in English locally, join a virtual book club. Alternatively, create a book club with people also learning English.
Join a Language Exchange Website
If you’re not yet on a language exchange website, you’re missing a chance to learn English from a native speaker. Language exchange apps connect you with people who are also interested in your native language.
The native English speaker teaches you English. On the other hand, you get a chance to teach her your mother tongue. Exchange websites are great because they show you how everyone can struggle to grasp a new language. In doing so, you shouldn’t feel discouraged when you’re experiencing trouble learning new words.
Label Stuff at Home
Labeling items at home helps you remember foreign words. It is one of the most effective ways to learn new words. If you live with someone who's also learning English, labeling stuff makes it easier for both of you to learn the new language.
When you need to ask your roommate where something is located, you can just look at your stickie notes to determine what word to use. You can also take turns asking each to name different items in your house. If there’s an item you keep forgetting its English name, you can add it to your list of labeled items.
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