Learning a language as an adult can feel intimidating. But it should not be so, because methodologies like gamification make learning a new language fun and less daunting. Although fun helps, you must devise your learning path by developing good study habits. If we compare learning a language with building a house, habits are like the foundations on which you build the structure.
“Habits are the small decisions you make and actions you perform every day.” James Clear, author of Atomic Habits
Habits and How to Build Them
According to research conducted by Wendy Wood, PhD, about 43% of the actions we take every day are habits, things we do repeatedly in the same circumstance and in the same way. This behavior formed through repetition constitutes a habit. The good news is that good habits can help you achieve your goals, but the bad news is that bad habits can hamper that process.
Habit-building is a relatively simple process if you are clear on what you want to achieve. James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, suggests you start small. Choose a new habit that you can do easily and effortlessly, something that does not take a huge amount of willpower to do. Then, build on that by increasing the frequency or by adding another habit. For example, if you want to walk one hour a day to improve your health, start by taking a, say, 10 minute daily walk. As it becomes easier, start adding time gradually until you reach your desired objective. Alternatively, you can build on the walking habit by adding a stretching session at the end of your walk.
Context is fundamental in habit-building. The Habit Lab at the University of Southern California found that location is a key context cue, as habits become stronger when they occur in a certain location. So, finding the right time and the right place for a new habit helps you stick to it.
Developing Good Study Habits
As we mentioned above, good habits help you achieve your personal, professional, and academic goals. It is essential to state your goals and intentions clearly in order to decide which habit to develop, because lack of clarity is sometimes confused with lack of motivation. Also, pick and time and place where you are most likely to follow through. The environment is important, too: for example, a place with minimal distractions where you can focus on your study materials.
Some useful tips for developing good study habits include:
- Set a regular schedule for revision or practice. Find the time of day when you are the least likely to be distracted and make sure you are not too tired or hungry. Remember that nourishing the body is as important as nourishing the mind.
- Commit to doing mini-sessions, short bursts of language practice, for example.
- Make a habit of eliminating distractions: turn off notifications, close the door, and mute your phone.
- Take intentional breaks during long study sessions: stretching, taking a short walk, or listening to soothing music are good options. However, resist the temptation to check your social media because it can affect your performance.
- Set a goal for each study session, like mastering a list of irregular verbs.
- Reward yourself after a study session. Rewards can help to form good habits.
- Design your environment. For example, stick Post-It notes with the words you want to learn.
- Listen to podcasts to improve your listening skills.
- Do the gamified extra practice activities on our LMS.
We use many different methodologies and techniques in our language classes, like gamification or mindmapping, based on the Neurolinguist Programing approach. We can help your team communicate in a new language. Request more information about our corporate language training programs here.
