Six Tips for Achieving Your Language Goals in the New Year
The start of the New Year has arrived and we are all making resolutions, what have you got in mind? Perhaps you’d like to visit a new country or change job? Or if you’d like to learn a new language in the coming year, we have lots of tips to support you in reaching your language goals.
1. Immerse Yourself in the Language
It doesn't matter whether you are learning Irish or German, if you want to learn any language you need to integrate that language into every aspect of your life. For example, if you want to brush up on your Irish in the new year, make sure to change the radio dial to Raidió na Gaeltachta or Raidió na Life or watch TG4 to acquire authentic Irish.
Irish-language social media are a great way to enjoy the language too. Make sure you’re following @bloc_tg4, @miseciara and @muinteoirmeg on social media to add fun Irish language lessons to your feed.
2. Make Use of Online Language Resources
There are lots of great resources available online for those interested in improving their Irish. If you’re looking to enhance your Irish skills in the new year, we recommend using focloir.ie and teanglann.ie to learn new vocabulary. These two sites also have sound files which will be a great help to you as you improve your pronunciation of the language.
3. Register for an Interactive Class
There are lots of resources available to assist language learners with self-directed learning. While these resources can be valuable tools in enhancing the learner’s language skills, they are by no means a substitute for taking part in live language classes taught by language experts. Gaelchultúr offers a wide range of language courses, from Irish courses online to Irish courses on-site, all taught by excellent teachers. If you want to learn Irish in the new year, be sure to check out Gaelchultúr’s Irish courses and learn Irish with the Best Language School in Ireland.
4. Visit Native Speakers
It’s impossible to gain a holistic understanding of any language until you can appreciate the culture and community it belongs to. To make the most of your language journey, we recommend spending time meeting native speakers and even joining in with some of their traditions.
Remember, if you’re hoping to learn to speak Irish in the new year, you don't need to venture west to Connemara to immerse yourself in the Irish language community - you can meet Gaeilgeoirí in every corner of the country. Keep an eye out for Irish language events in your area and take part in them to gain a deeper understanding of this unique language.
5. Practice, Practice, Practice
'The life of a language is to speak it,' as the saying goes, and there is no better way to learn a language than to use it. If you want to acquire a natural command of the Irish language, we recommend that you speak it as often as possible. Ask a friend or family member to practice it with you or join a conversation circle with other learners like you.
Like any other skill, you won't succeed in learning a new language without practicing it. Don’t forget that you can also practice your speaking skills on your own. Speak it out loud when you are alone. Listen to it on the radio or on podcasts, write down new words you hear and try to pronounce them out loud in your own time.
If you want to learn Irish in the new year, make sure to take advantage of the many interactive lessons available on the e-learning website Ranganna.com. You can try out these programmes for free by clicking this link.
6. Enjoy It
And finally, it’s important to appreciate how challenging learning a new language can be. A language is acquired little-by-little and over time, so don't be disheartened if it takes you longer to get to grips with it than you thought it would. It’s human to make mistakes, but remember, with every mistake you make you learn something new. Be patient with yourself and don't lose that spark that inspired you to learn the language in the first place.
