From A1 to C2 - Learn a Language on Your Own

How many times have you started learning a  language and stopped? First you feel enthusiastic, you want to study every day, every sound is magic, every word a mystery.

Then, all of a sudden it fades away. You lose focus, you don’t see progress and finally you give up. 

Some of the most common questions people ask themselves:

Why is it so hard to learn a new language? How can I make it more pleasant? Do I really need a tutor? Do I need to live in that country to learn a language properly? How long does it take? 

Truth is, if you manage to keep a steady routine for at least 3 months, the idea of giving up will not cross your mind. 

1. Discipline beats talent (prepare materials, structure your learning and stick to it)

Lazy talent or consistent discipline? Like everything else in life, everyone can learn a new language with proper structure, consistency, immersion and final goal. If you try Duolingo one day, then listen to a random podcast another day or read a news article after a week it’s called chaos. You lose your focus, don’t know what your goal is, what you studied, your brain doesn’t connect the dots and forgets it quickly. 

Do this instead: Prepare a textbook because it’s structured, go through one unit per week, listen to a podcast at your level (even AI generated are great these days), read a simple text a few times out loud, then write your sentences in that language and speak to yourself.

Spend 30 min a day in a week on one activity around one topic (daily life, hobbies, travel etc) or finish one unit in a textbook. Combine reading, listening, writing, speaking. Use AI to help you out, create texts for you or correct your mistakes. 

2. Patience is key! Forget those ‘’learn language in a day’’ courses

 Whenever you see a title ‘’Learn English in one week’’ ignore it. The language learning process takes time and effort. It’s not always easy and with today’s busy schedules and lack of focus, people give up so quickly abandoning something that can pay off in the long run. Be realistic with your goals, time and level.

3. Find your way (based on your personality and goals)

We come in different shapes and sizes. Even if it’s important to combine all 4 skills in a language through reading, listening, speaking, writing, people have different personalities, learning styles and preferences. For example, I am an auditory learner, that is, my brain remembers better when I listen to voices, intonation, sounds. Some of my friends and students are visual learners, they prefer pictures, motions, graphics. Some people like to walk around a room and touch objects, almost like live flashcards. 

Combine everything, but choose what makes the process easier and fun. Focus on topics you like (psychology, relationships, sports, politics) and gradually include others.

Forcing something that doesn’t work will just make you lose motivation.

4. If you’re an adult, learn like an adult, not like a child

I have heard so many times the same thing: ‘’Learn like a child.’’ Guess what, you are not one. You are an adult with reasoning skills and this is exactly to your advantage. A busy professional with a 9-5 work schedule, a family to take care of, a business trip to plan, a meal prep to cook doesn’t have the privilege to keep repeating the same thing for 3 years from childhood to adulthood. 

Grammar should be learned, but through context and active practice, vocabulary should be repeated but gradually increasing the number of words and to form sentences with them. 

Games, quizzes and other apps can be used as a secondary tool for interactive learning, not your main base. 

Study rules and put the theory immediately into practice by repeating the pattern with your examples from your life.

5. Read out load or repeat after native speakers

If you are an introvert and you need to build confidence, the quickest way to get there is to read a text out loud. This way, you will hear yourself, ‘’prepare’’ before talking to others and eventually unblock the fear of speaking. A better approach is to read the text out load, reorganize/rewrite it with your examples and do the same process again. 

Another way is to listen to native speakers online, pause videos or podcast channels and imitate their accents. Try to pronounce the same thing after them several times until you sound clear and confident.

6. Listen to podcast, youtube videos and songs based on your level

The biggest mistake people make here is to fully immerse in the language from the very beginning. If you are an A1 beginner and decide to listen to a B2 podcast about global warming while cleaning the house, your brain will perceive that as noise and will ignore most of the input. 

Your goal is to sit behind the computer, find a video with subtitles in the target language and your level, and listen to it several times.This way your brain will understand most of the words and keep them in your long-term memory. 

7. Talk to yourself in front of a mirror, send yourself voice notes on whatsapp

When I suggest this, people usually think it’s a crazy idea. It might sound so, but it’s highly effective. Stand in front of the mirror, imagine being on a stage, talk to yourself, change intonation, be an actor, have fun! You won’t believe the confidence you’ll build after only several days. If you don’t want to do that, send yourself voice notes on whatsapp. It can be your personal audio diary. Ignore the mistakes at this point, your focus is on speaking, especially if your don’t have the possibility to get a tutor. 

8. Learn vocabulary through context

Memorizing words from flashcards? It’s a waste of time. When learning vocabulary, the most important thing is to use that word immediately in the context. So, instead of learning ‘’glass’’ you can form a sentence ‘’I drink one glass of water every day’’. Your brain will connect the new word with a situation you created and remember it longer. 

The same rule can apply for grammar. Do not just practice exercises, try to include your examples from your life. If you want to understand the present simple in English, after seeing the rules and practising online, try to write down your hobbies or explain the daily routine of your family members. 

9. Use AI as your personal assistant.

Artificial intelligence is here to stay and it’s not your enemy. On the contrary, it can give you quick tips, correct your mistakes, create visual design or texts, have a conversation with you. Treat it as your personal assistant when a tutor is away. 

Listen to AI generated videos on youtube, for example ‘’English A1 podcast’’ or ‘’English A1 dialogues’’. It’s a great way to learn what you need free of charge for your level. 

Make the most of the free resources in the digital era we live in.

10. Frustration? Mistakes? It’s part of the process, don’t give up!

There will come a time when you feel tired, angry, frustrated. You will make mistakes, some days will be slow, ups and downs are part of any learning journey. When you don’t feel motivated enough, spend only 5 minutes talking or 10 min video watching. If you feel a lack of motivation, try another method. Change your routine, track your progress and be proud of yourself. It might be slow today, but it will be great after few months.