Hello again and welcome back the blog. The topic of today’s post is, “learning on the go.” It seems pretty self-explanatory, I know, but who knows? Maybe I can inspire you today. 

So, here are some of my tips for making your language learning as effortless as possible, and some of the methods I have personally used to improve and accelerate my own language learning.

Tip #1

Listen to music. 

You’re probably already doing it. There is a lot of great music in English, and some of the biggest artists of all time have come out of England and USA. For me, music is one of the best ways to learn new vocabulary while having fun or relaxing. I mean, if you can learn while you dance or nod your head, it’s a win-win situation. 

However, it can sometimes be trickier than expected to learn from music, and that’s because you also need to be proactive. Words can often be misunderstood or difficult to hear in a song, so make sure you check the lyrics a few times. Read the text while you listen, and if you want to go a step further, translate the lyrics into Spanish. 

This is just awesome practice. 

Tip #2

Listen to audio files/podcasts

By audio files I mean any files you may have relating to English learning. Maybe you have a textbook that comes with audio? Get those files on your phone so you can listen to them when you’re cleaning, taking the bus, walking to the supermarket or any other time where you can fill the gaps of silence with language learning. 

Podcasts are also great, and it doesn’t have to be a podcast specifically for learning English. Just find a topic you’re interested in or a celebrity podcaster that will keep you entertained. Spotify has added a few!

#Tip 3

Talk to yourself

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this one before, but it’s worth a rehash. If you forget your headphones, or anytime you’re on the move, you can play with the voice in your head to learn a language. 

Instead of worrying about money, or your relationship, or any other mundane problem you may have, why not narrate your life instead? It’s a super cheap trick to practice speaking and spot your mistakes, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. 

I’m cycling. It’s cold. My face is freezing out here. I think I’m turning into an ice cube. God, damn it, it’s cold. I’d better speed up. Don’t wanna get frostbite…

Right? You get the idea. The same can be done in writing if you carry a note-book or your cellphone. Well, of course you carry your cellphone, who doesn’t?

Tip #4

Read books (for God’s sake!) 

I don’t need to say too much more, do I? Read, read, read. I know it’s not as exciting as scrolling Instagram or sending Snaps, but come on, you’ve got to read. You can easily incorporate it into your phone. 

Read news reports, fun articles, follow English groups on Facebook… Whatever you do, you’ve got to read more. I’ve experienced with many of my students that they just don’t read. It can be intimidating for beginners, but even if you’re more advanced, don’t be scared to pick up a book that you feel is totally out of your league. 

Just read it, cover to cover. Get into a flow and don’t worry too much about new words. If you completely don’t understand something then you’re gonna have to look it up, but as long as you get a general idea, then just keep going. 

Afterwards, you can go back and read again, make notes or lists…

Well, that was it. Four super simple tips you can use to quickly boost your language skills. Maybe you’re using them already, maybe not. Maybe you know better ways to practice on the move? Let us know in the comment section below. 

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