How to learn A Language Twice As Fast:
Learning languages is key to making the most out of your time abroad as it allows you to learn new things, discover amazing stuff you would have missed otherwise and it allows you to immerse yourself in the culture of the place you visit.
The first step into learning a language faster it to identify your goals and to set realistic ones. There is no point setting a goal of learning a completely new language in 5 minutes because it will not happen and you will just get discouraged, at the same point there is no point setting a target of learning one new word within 1 year as that progress is too slow and you will end up off track and unsure what to do. I would suggest being able to describe yourself in detail within a week, as it is reasonable.
The next advice is to listen to the radio of the country which your new language comes from, it will help you to develop and accent as well as teach you to listen out for words which will help when in conversation in the future and you will be able to understand conversation quicker.
Next you need to utilise the applications which are on offer as well as desktop programmes and websites such as Duolingo as it will help you to structure your approach to learning as well as keep you on track and will speed up the time it takes to learn a new language. These are great as lots are free and very useful.
The next point is very important, as it will help you develop you vocabulary a lot quicker. USE FLASHCARDS. They are easy to make and are a simple way of increasing your knowledge and do not include much writing and work, they also are great for learning lists as you can put hints on the back to prompt you when stuck.
An obvious tip for faster learning is to have the right attitude as it will influence the effort and energy you put into learning something new which will have a great effect on the speed at which you will learn a new language. To heave the best energy make sure to get a great nights sleep and to eat well with a balanced diet as well as drinking plenty of water as it will give your body the energy it need to perform the best it can.
Finally you need to identify the words that will be most useful to you when travelling and learn the most used ones with more importance and then learn the rest of the words later. This means that you will have less to focus on and your rate of progression will be much quicker and you will learn more valuable language first.
In conclusion identify your goals, listen to foreign radio, use free resources, have the right attitude and identify the most important words, hopefully your language progression will be faster.