10 Ways to Develop your Language Learning Skills Outside the Classroom

Once you get to grips with your chosen language, your skills will give you new freedoms and enable you to understand new cultures. Here are some of our suggestions on how you can accelerate your learning after class:

1. Buy a dictionary.

It may seem simple, but a dictionary is a powerful tool for any language learner! Not only is it essential for your lessons, but it can be interesting to flick through in between classes. Filled with key translations, synonyms and sentence examples, it is a low-pressure way to strengthen your vocab. Plus, buying a smaller, travel-sized dictionary will allow you to look up quick translations on the go so that you can find out the meanings of words from the world around you. A dictionary is a non-negotiable for anyone learning a new language.

2. Change the language settings while watching a film or TV show.

No doubt it has been suggested to you that you should phone settings to the language you’re taught by your teacher, it makes eminently good sense. However, a more advanced version of this is to switch the audio settings while watching your favourite films and tv shows. Not only is this a fun activity with the entire cinematic landscape at your disposal, but it can also be a great way to learn the informal language that you’ll find in everyday life. Already knowing the characters and plot will make this listening exercise easier and putting on the subtitles can further support you.

3. Get a pen-pal!

Perhaps another tip you’ve heard before but, in an age of global interconnectivity, it has never been easier to find a friend to help you out on your language learning journey. Organisations like WorldWide Snail Mail Pen Pals, Geek Girl Pen Pals Club and Kids for Peace (for our younger linguists) are brilliant options to unite you with the experts themselves, the native speakers. Writing to a friend in a different country will help break down those social barriers to make it less intimidating to talk to native speakers on your travels and it can also be a great way to learn about culture, sharing gifts with your pen pal in the form of snacks, books and other trinkets.

4. Use AI.

Too shy for a pen pal? AI can be your virtual best friend and more. Anytime, anywhere, ask a AI search engine (ChatGPT, Gemini, etc.) to have a conversation in your chosen language and boost your reading and writing comprehension in the most modern way possible. As your language skills develop, you can ask to advance the level of conversation (or simplify it if you’re struggling) and, if you get bored of this one-on-one style, you can ask the search engine for translation exercises and any other games it can come up with. Who knows how AI will be able to support our language learning in a few years…

5. Teach your friends new phrases to use in conversation.

Become the teacher yourself and educate your friends on all the new vocab you’ve learned. Start by greeting your mate with a ‘buenos días’ or sign a ‘quelle domage!’ when something goes wrong and slowly increase those little phrases throughout your language learning journey. Code switching will help you to start thinking in your chosen language, plus we only remember 50% of what we see and hear, while we retain 70% of what we discuss with others.

6. Make to-do lists, shopping lists and reminders in your language.

Writing does not have to be limited to grammatically complex, wordy translation tasks. Language is everywhere around us! Integrate language learning into your daily routine with simple lists and notes, adding a bonus layer of secrecy and mystery to these little personal memos. This will speed up your comprehension when you have a quick check of your shopping list in the supermarket or make a note to yourself while in a rush.

7. Buy a cookbook in your language and make a native dish.

Much like the language and culinary courses provided with offered by Wiseward, have your own at-home cooking sessions by picking up a recipe book filled with foreign cuisine. While you may need to refer back to your dictionary at first, you will soon get the hang of this subject specific vocab and the recognisable layout of the ingredients lists, numbered instructions and top tips will aid your understanding. Its benefits are tenfold, getting the satisfaction of learning about foreign culture and refining your vocab while also getting a tasty reward at the end of it!

8. Read the Highway Code for your chosen country.

Another tip for if you want to get those sector specific, technical words and phrases, read the highway code from your chosen country. Be it the ‘Code de la Route France’, ‘Código de Tráfico y Seguridad Vial’ or the ‘Straßenverkehrsordnung’, knowing the traffic rules and regulations is sure to impress any native speakers and the books will be filled with useful diagrams and signs to help your understanding. You will thank yourself for doing this when you’re on the roads and saving more money while travelling because you don’t have to rely on planes and trains.

9. Try doing karaoke with some songs for your chosen new language.

It’s one thing listening to songs in your chosen language, it’s another to actually perform them. Use the original artists as a guide and practise your inflections and pronunciation at karaoke. Singing will help you to remember the lyrics mentioned in the songs and aid your understanding of what they’re singing about – this in turn will help you to know what current issues artists are concerned about at the moment. Great practise for any concerts you go to and a fun activity to get your friends involved in!

10. When you are studying in country, collect as many receipts, leaflets, scratch cards, etc. as you can.

Whether you have chosen one of the many in country immersion courses offered by Wiseward or you are simply going on your own adventures, make sure you pick up as many souvenirs as possible while on your travels. If you come across any receipts, brochures, leaflets, scratch cards, labels, food packaging, newspaper pages, anything written at all be sure to save them. Not only do they make great mementos of your trip which can also be made into a personal scrapbook, but they can furthermore be a fantastic reminder of places to go in your new country and brands that are popular.

And there you have it, the world is your oyster! Don’t limit your language learning to the classroom, immerse yourself in the culture as well, there is so much joy to be gotten from it. Happy language learning!

Katie Nicholson - Wiseward