… and 1 idea to develop your cultural skills!
Some of you have asked me sometimes what can you do to practise your language skills a bit more at home. My answer has always been that we do a lot of work in lessons and I set homework every week, so if you want to do something extra, make sure it is meaningful and fun.
In this article I am compiling some of the tips I have been giving you and some new ones too to improve your language and culture skills. It will not feel like you are doing any school work, but you will be practising a lot!
Some of these ideas would work better depending on your level, so pick the ones you think that you can do. And if you have any questions or need any recommendations, do not hesitate to contact your languages teacher.
1. Change your phone settings into a different language.
Maybe for an hour, one day, one week… You will learn new vocabulary without even noticing. This is specially useful as one of the GCSE topics in languages is “Technology in everyday life”.
2. Select a different language when you watch a DVD, Bluray or streaming platform.
Nowadays most DVDs, Blurays and streaming platforms offer the opportunity to enjoy watching a film in a different language. There are different ways of doing this and different skills that can be practised:
- If you decide to listen to the film in English, but use subtitles in a foreign language, you will be practising your reading and English to foreign language translation skills.
- If you prefer to listen in a foreign language with subtitles in English, you will be practising your listening and foreign language to English translation skills.
- If you feel brave enough to listen in a foreign language without subtitles, you can try to guess as many words as you can and make a list.
3. Find a website or a blog in a foreign language where they talk about a topic you are interested in.
Maybe you have a passion for books, videogames, music, painting or sports. There are websites dedicated to a particular topic you might be interested in. Why not use these websites to learn new vocabulary and expressions? Then, you will be able to talk about your hobbies in a foreign language. Don’t forget you can also subscribe to especialised Youtube channels where you can listen to people talk about things you might like too.
For those of you doing your A levels, you can visit some online newspapers in a foreign language. There are even some online newspapers with UK news written in foreign languages. This will help you learn vocabulary on current affaires. You could even listen to foreign radio stations and podcasts for free.
4. If you are allowed to go on social media, follow a foreign celebrity who speaks a foreign language.
It can be a foreign singer or a sportsperson that you admire and who can speak a different language. There are also educators and language facilitators who share a lot of educational contents: activities, lessons explaining a particular topic… You could also follow one of them to practise your learning.
5. Talk to a penfriend.
Most of the time, in lessons, you write texts and paragraphs that will only be seen and marked by your teacher. Having a penfriend helps you communicate in a real situation with a real person. It is a really exciting experience!
Some of you have met international students this year. You can continue communicating with them by using the TwinSpace, which is a safe website for European schools. Ask me to remind you your login details.
6. Post-its on objects at home.
If you are a bit fed up with technology, you can use post-it notes to label all the objects in your room in a different language. You will see those words every day and it will be easier to remember the vocabulary to describe your room. Don’t forget to ask your parents for permission before labelling other objects in the house!
7. Greetings and key words in a foreign language.
Greetings are normally the first thing we learn in a foreign language, so sometimes it is easy to forget how to say those words. These days at home you could say “hello”, “thank you”, “please”, “sorry”, “goodbye” and “how are you” in a different language. If you have a sibling who is also learning a foreign language, you can have a short conversation with them. And if you cannot practise short conversations with your siblings, chat to a classmate who also wants to practise!
… and cook a meal!
Gastronomy is a very important aspect in any culture. Try your culinary skills and cook an international dish. This could be a fun task that can involve the whole family and you can create an “International dinner week”. The dishes do not have to be very complicated. You can eat an Italian pizza, a Spanish vegetable paella, an Indian curry or a Mexican burrito.
How do you practise languages at home? Do you have any other ideas? Tell me in the comments section what works for you.
Featured image Harish Sharma in Pixabay
Pitsford International 