In this post, we will discuss the 4 Ways Busy Moms Can Learn a New Language. As a mom, you are on call 24/7, especially while the kids are small and need your undivided attention. But, as they grow older and find their passions, you may also want to return to yours. We must keep learning as moms.
Maybe you want to go back to work, or you’re interested in opening a business; regardless of your plans, you need to take action for your dreams to become a reality.
So, if you’re warming up to becoming a working mom, why not try learning a new language? In today’s global business environment, it makes a huge difference to know how to communicate with people from all over the world.
4 Ways Busy Moms Can Learn a New Language
Learning a new language (at least the basics) is a lot easier than you think and, who knows, maybe your kids will want to learn as well.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
1. Include It in Your Daily Routine
We, humans, love routine (even though some like to say differently). We love our daily rituals and habits because they provide stability and balance. Just think about it.
How did you feel the last time you didn’t have time to drink your coffee in the morning? I bet you were bummed out all day.
While it’s true kids bring chaos into your life, you’re probably used to it by now. The same is true for new things you want to introduce into your life, such as learning a new language.
Turn it into a daily habit, and you’ll see progress in no time. And, since you probably don’t have an entire hour for yourself, ten minutes every day will suffice.
2. Take an Online Class
The great thing about an online class is that you’re learning at your own pace. For instance, if you take German classes at Lingoda, you have access to all the resources anytime, from anywhere.
You can listen to audio resources while doing things around the house, and when the kids are asleep, you can work on assignments, watch live video to learn a new language, and so on.
3. Expose Yourself to the New Language
One way to make learning a new language fun is to have it present in your life. Start by having it as much as possible in the background.
To do so, you could listen to books, podcasts, music, and other materials in your target language (let’s continue with German as an example) even if you don’t understand all the words. In doing so, your brain will start to register the pitch of the language and how to use various words and sentences.
This method is called passive listening, and it’s a rather controversial topic among scholars. However, the idea is to expose yourself to the language, and then, when you have the time and space to focus, your brain will be better trained to pick up sound and structural differences.
4. Use What You Learn
The best way to learn a new language is to use it in your daily life. You may not have access to conversation partners, such as other students or natives, but you can use words and sentences in your daily routine.
For instance, when decluttering the house and organizing things, you can make bilingual labels in English and German. This way, you use the words you’ve learned, and if you forget the meaning, you can just check the label at a later date.
Another way to do this is to change the language on your phone or other devices, make shopping lists, read German websites, set your browser to German, and so on.
Learning a new language doesn’t have to be a complicated thing. As you can see, with just a few lifestyle alterations, you can easily integrate the learning process into your life, even if there are a few rambunctious kids running around.