Language is the main means by which humans communicate with each other. Language spoken in different nations or geographical locations varies. English is considered a global language as it is spoken by most people, either as their first, second, or third language. Likewise, there are around 7000 languages globally, all with their own specialties and beauty. Being in a foreign nation there is a chance for you to meet up with people from different geographical backgrounds speaking their native language. But, in the country in which you have reached for your higher education, they will be having a common language for communication. Thus, you should learn that language to survive in that nation. In this blog, we are looking into some useful tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad.
1. Start beforehand
The most important thing to remember in improving your language skill is that you should start your language acquisition journey much before you travel to the abroad nation. Do your homework. Research the official language of that nation. This will help you greatly to survive in an unknown land. So, try to learn the basics of the common language of the nation you are planning to move to. This is the first and one of the most useful tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad. Getting a little bit idea of the language will help you in getting the total grab of that language at a fast pace.
2. Listen to music and podcasts
One of the other tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad is listening. You can listen to songs and podcasts. Try to learn the song lyrics. This will help you to know the vernacular style of that region. Podcasts have become a very common language acquisition tool in recent years. You can search for podcasts according to the topics in your desired language. By listening to those, you will get a grasp of the pronunciation and you can improve your comprehension skills. Most of the podcasts are available free of cost.
3. Read
Reading helps you to improve your vocabulary. Having a rich resource of words is always an advantage. This will be useful for you in different situations. When speaking with people, they might be using different words which may be unfamiliar to you, making it difficult to follow. But by enriching your vocabulary you may find it easy to follow them. This will also help in your writing skills. While reading you will get familiarised with the words and their characters. This will help you in error-free writing.
Try to read as many things that are available in your desired language. Furthermore, try to learn new words which you find might be useful. You can read books, newspapers, or even content available online. In short, reading is one of the useful tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad.
4. Watch movies
When we look into some tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad, you can’t avoid the importance of watching movies. For learning a language there is no better option than watching movies or videos in the language you are planning to learn. During the first phases of watching movies in a foreign language, you can make use of subtitles for understanding. But don’t always follow the system of reading subtitles if you want to improve your language skill. So can test your language comprehension skills by trying to watch movies without subtitles.
5. Communicate with natives
Communicating with people is one of the most helpful tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad. Speak with people of that nationality. Mingle with local people. They can help you to learn the language fast. Building a relationship with the local people will always be helpful in your living. You can seek their help when you are in need. Always build a good bond with your neighbors.
In addition to that, try to find some native students as friends. When in college, if you are in some difficulty because of language troubles, they will be helpful. Having native friends will help you in understanding the nation in a better way. Communicating with those students can be considered among the tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad.
6. Communicate with other international students
You can learn the language with help of the natives and practice it with other international students. One of the other tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad is to use your desired language as the common communication language among international students. In this way, every one of you can enrich your language skills. You can improve it.
Moreover, you can overcome the issue of language barriers with other students from different parts of the world. Make the common language of the native country your medium of communication.
7. Live with Natives
When you are abroad, try to find accommodation with some natives. This can be like a homestay, or you can have a shared room with some natives. This way you will get great exposure to the language. You can ask them to correct you, and seek their help for enhancing your language skills. They will be really helpful for you in all your activities. This is because you are new to a nation and you are not aware of the surroundings and other aspects of the country. They can help you with all these aspects. They can act as a guide for you. So that, together with learning the language you can learn about your host nation. Therefore, living with people from your host country is one of the major tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad.
8. Join a club or association
Interacting with people is the first step in learning a language. Without speaking with someone, you won’t be able to develop your language skills. Clubs and associations are the best means of communicating with people. There will be different types of clubs and other organizations both inside your educational institution and outside that. Try to join any such groups and interact with more people. This can also be included in tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad. These groups might also arrange some programs in which you meet up with various other people. You can befriend with them. Through these programs you will get a chance to know more people and increase your networking.
The given tips for improving your language skills while studying abroad are some helpful measures in learning a foreign language. In addition to these, you can make use of the internet. The lion’s share of the knowledge in the world is available on the internet. You can also attend some language classes before you fly to your destination or after reaching there. Make use of a dictionary to help you in understanding the meaning of different words and also for learning new words.
Conclusion
There are a lot of languages around the globe. When you move to an abroad nation you will meet with people who speak languages that are very different from the one which you speak. You may even meet with people who speak a language that you are unaware of. The chances for all these are high. But being in the same nation, you should all know the common language of your host nation. That is the language that connects you all.
For most of the people, acquiring a new language skill is a difficult task. Some of them may find it too difficult to learn a new language. It may take time to be as fluent as a native speaker. The most important thing to remember is that you must never lose hope and don’t stop trying. In the primary stages, you will make mistakes. Correct them and aim for a future where you will not make any mistakes in language.
Your dreams of abroad studies can be fulfilled with the best study abroad consultants in Kerala Guidance Plus Private Limited. We avail you with the service of well-experienced counselors who will guide you in your study abroad procedures. You can contact us through a call or you can book an appointment with us.
