4 Ways to Master Foreign Languages without Even Leaving the Couch
Your home is not only a fortress. It can be everything from a master-chef’s restaurant and to a higher educational institute if you put your mind to it.
Master Foreign Languages on Your Favorite Couch in These 4 Awesome Ways
Education is tough. All those sleepless nights over essays, armadas of useless, outdated books you had to read from cover to cover for the sake of a decent grade, years of depression in college are burdensome at the very least. If only there was a simple, better way to gain new skills and knowledge…
And the worst part? College does not give fast, easily used, actionable knowledge! Remember all those tales of freshly graduated friends who were told to forget everything they’ve learned as soon as they stepped over the corner of their internship. That has to hurt, right?
Luckily there are dozens of ways smart people can learn quickly, without even leaving the comfort of their own home, their favorite couch even. Take online classes for instance – you can freely practice English via Skype on preply.com. This way you will get an effective, skillful workout with an experienced native speaking tutor.
What are the coolest ways of learning foreign languages while at home?
#1 – Skype
As I already mentioned above, Skype is a fine mean for educational purposes. Why? Simply because you will get a chance to communicate with a native speaker in real time. Your vocabulary will blossom with phraseology that is actually used and not merely described in a textbook from the beginning of the twentieth century.
That’s not even the best part! What’s really awesome about learning English via Skype is the personalized approach. You get a teacher for every session, a teacher who works with you and you alone! You get to ask whatever questions tickle your fancy without any fear of criticism or stage fright. What’s even better is that you will get all the answers!
#2 – Video Courses
This one is rather simple – find a site like Udemy and benefit from whatever kind of knowledge available there at the moment. Some of the best online course sites offer dozens if not hundreds of lections, each equipped with testing sessions and quizzes to ensure you are getting the best results.
On the bright side – you get limitless access to knowledge whenever and wherever you feel like it. Enroll in a new certification on a Wednesday night or a Sunday morning. Not a living soul will bat an eye.
On the downside – you only have access to a limited array of courses. Not all of them will fit your current needs or skill level meaning you will have to be more flexible and picky.
#3 – Watch a movie or two
Netflix is now commonly available all over the world and so is any other popular streaming service. You can sit back and have fun while watching a movie and learn at the same time. Just watch whatever content you prefer in the language you wish to learn!
Why? Recent, relevant films rely heavily on pop culture. Not only will you be listening to correct words and sentences in an appropriate pronunciation – you will learn about the incorrect ones. Usually teachers prefer to avoid phrases which are common in films as well as TV shows. You’ll get to grasp everything from the “F” word and up to popular idioms like “Sup”, “WTF”, “LOL”, etc. Oh, and you will learn about using them in the right way, within context – a skill that’s pivotal for adequate social survival skills once in a foreign country.
#4 – Read a book
Books are the best way to enrich your personal vocabulary with new, fancy words. Plus, they are a great talking point to start a conversation with people from a different country you barely know or see for the first time.
Just think about it – “Have you read the Hobbit?”, sounds like a decent question on a party and is destined to find you new, like-minded acquaintances unlike the trivial “Hey, how’s the weather today?”
Conclusion
Is there really anything else for me to day? You now know it all so feel free to rush onward and watch that movie or read that book. Just remember – you are officially doing the stuff you like on your favorite couch as a part of your studies. How cool is that?
