Wednesday 7 September 2016

Ryan Elantri - Tips for Mastering A Second Language

Pennsylvania State University senior Ryan Elantri has a unique skill set: he’s mastered Mandarin Chinese, and he’s currently minoring in Arabic. Elantri has always seen the value of learning foreign languages, which is why he began pursuing Chinese in the third grade. Mastering a second language can open up tons of new opportunities for you, and it’s never too late to start. Here are some tips to make learning a new language a little bit easier. 

Ryan Elantri
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- If you have a commute, listen to podcasts or audiobooks in the language you are learning. It’s an easy way to fit just a little bit of practice into your day. You can access a huge amount of audio content in foreign language for free online. 

- When you are watching a movie on Netflix, see if you can add subtitles in the language you’re learning, or for an extra challenge, switch the audio into that language. Learning a language from pop culture is often more effective and fun than learning from books. 

- See if you can find an online community where you can practice speaking and writing with others who are learning foreign languages. too. The best way to really test your skills is to interact with another person, and in this environment, you won’t feel judged or overwhelmed. 

- Make a habit of learning a few new vocabulary words every day. Even if you don’t have time to do any other practice, you’ll still be maximizing your vocabulary, which is something that is important in every language.

Ryan Elantri has mastered foreign languages with lots of dedicated practice.