#22. Key skills you need to learn a language

Language learning requires a set of skills most of us already possess. These are:

Methodology

The more organised you are, the better! And by that, I don't just mean taking notes during the lesson and organising them in sections, so you can find the information quickly, as and when you need it.

I also mean creating the conditions for a linguistic immersion from home, so you can practise listening, speaking, reading, and writing equally.

Precision

When you learn a language, you learn its logic and in order to do that well, you need to be precise when learning your conjugations, key grammatical concepts, and vocabulary. This is particularly important to avoid any potential confusion with your own mother tongue, which most of the time does not help you learn a new language.

Flexibility

Because you're learning a new logical system, because the pronunciation is different, and the way sentences are structured can be very different – not to mention vocabulary – it is crucial to keep an open and flexible mind when learning a language.

If you expect everything to be the same as your mother tongue, you will not only miss the whole point of learning a language, but you will make the process much harder and less fun!

Awareness

Having the ability to step back, take stock, and reflect on the process of learning a language helps you get perspective, clarity, and understanding.

Without those key skills, you can end up feeling like you're trying to navigate a tsunami of words relentlessly coming at you.

With methodology, precision, flexibility, and awareness, not only do you know what you are doing, and are able to see your progress, but you will also grow into a confident speaker!

More about my teaching approach

Don't hesitate to send me your questions.

#1. Is it too late to learn a language?

#2. Not knowing the word is not the end of the conversation

#3. Is learning vocabulary lists a good idea?

#4. Should I use bilingual books?

#5. Practising all four skills equally

#6. On the importance of making mistakes

#7. You know more than you think you do

#8. Can everyone learn a language?

#9. With or without subtitles?

#10. Should I use a dictionary?

#11. What's the main obstacle when learning a language?

#12. There's no such thing as perfect sentences

#13. Learning French when English is your mother tongue

#14. Listening is key

#15. Language learning does not mean translating

#16. The right tools to learn a language

#17. Why grammar matters

#18. Leaving your linguistic comfort zone behind

#19. About rote learning

#20. Assessing your own level

#21. Language learning is pattern spotting

#22. Key skills you need to learn a language