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L'homme qui sait deux langues en vaut deux
French proverb
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All in all, my study abroad experience was one of the best and most rewarding decisions I have ever made. The experience, of course, helped me become more fluent in French and made me more passionate about language and culture. However, I also grew in other ways that I never would have thought possible. Today, I am more confident, more outgoing, and more adventurous than I was a year ago and that is due in large part to my study abroad experience.
One unexpected way in which my study abroad experience improved my life was the friendships I made along the way. The trip was made up of a small group of girls, so we naturally became very close. I had anticipated getting along with them, but I had not anticipated becoming as good of friends as we are now. We all come from very different backgrounds and therefore we were all able to learn from one another throughout the trip. Furthermore, I met people while I was in Paris who are now “pen pals” of sorts. I still communicate with them today, which has been very valuable to me in multiple ways. It is of course nice to be able to practice my French with a native speaker, but communicating with someone from another continent has made me a much more globally aware person.
By talking with people in France and observing their way of life, my perspective of the world has changed. There are certain aspects of life in the United States that I took for granted before that I now appreciate more (such as air conditioning!). In contrast, there are aspects of life here that I accepted as normal before but now question, such as our tendency to rush through everything that we do. I feel that we, as Americans, are less mindful than Europeans. If we slowed down, stopped multi-tasking, and really took the time to appreciate things, such as a good meal or the beauty in nature, we would get much more pleasure out of life. This is one aspect of European life that I have tried to take home with me.
Above all, my study abroad experience helped me to come out of my shell and be a better, more confident version of myself. When I first started college and the honors program in particular, I was told that I had the option to either complete a thesis or study abroad. Both seemed absolutely terrifying, but I assumed I would complete a thesis because although it would be challenging, it would at least be in my comfort zone. I never even considered studying abroad as an option. However, mid-way through my junior year of college, I went through a bad breakup and I was convinced that my life was over. This is when I decided I needed to do something not only to move on with my life, but also to push myself out of my comfort zone and grow as a person. On a whim, I decided that the answer was to study abroad. I now look back on that breakup as the best thing that ever happened to me because it led to the best growth opportunity of my life. After returning from my trip, my newfound confidence and independence empowered me to accept new challenges, which in turn has earned me multiple promotions at my job and acceptance into graduate school. Four years ago, I never would have imagined being who and where I am now - I know my freshman-year self would be both amazed and proud.
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Mon expérience d'études à l'étranger a été l'une des décisions les meilleures et les plus enrichissantes que j'ai pris. Bien sûr, l'expérience m'a aidé à améliorer mon français et m'a rendu plus passionné par la langue et la culture. Cependant, j'ai grandi aussi d'une autre manière que je n'aurais jamais cru possible. Aujourd'hui, je suis plus confiant, plus sociable, et plus aventureux qu'il y a un an et cela est dû en grande partie à mon expérience d'études à l'étranger.
Une façon inattendue dont mon expérience d'études à l'étranger a changé ma vie a été les amitiés que j'ai nouées pendant le voyage. Le voyage était composé d'un petit groupe de filles, donc nous sommes naturellement devenues très proches. J'avais prévu de m'entendre avec eux, mais je n'avais pas prévu de devenir aussi bon ami que nous le sommes maintenant. Nous venons d'horizons très divers et nous avons donc tous pu apprendre les uns des autres tout au long du voyage. De plus, j'ai rencontré des gens pendant mon séjour à Paris qui sont maintenant des correspondants. Je communique avec eux aujourd'hui, ce qui m'a été très utile de multiples façons. C'est bien de pouvoir pratiquer mon français avec un locuteur natif bien sûr, mais communiquer avec quelqu'un d'un autre continent a fait de moi une personne beaucoup plus consciente du monde.
En discutant avec des Français et en observant leur mode de vie, ma vision du monde a changé. Il y a certains aspects de la vie aux États-Unis que je tenais pour acquis avant que j'apprécie maintenant (comme la climatisation!). En revanche, il y a des aspects de la vie ici que j'ai acceptés comme normaux mais qui sont maintenant en question, comme notre tendance à nous précipiter dans tout ce que nous faisons. Je pense que les Américains, en général, sont moins conscients que les Européens. Si nous ralentissions et prenions le temps d'apprécier les choses, comme un bon repas ou la beauté de la nature, nous tirerions beaucoup plus de plaisir de la vie. C'est un aspect de la vie européenne que j'ai essayé de ramener chez moi.
Surtout, mon expérience d'études à l'étranger m'a aidé à sortir de ma coquille et à être une version meilleure et plus confiante de moi-même. Quand j'ai commencé l'université et le programme d’honneurs en particulier, on m'a dit que j'avais la possibilité de terminer une thèse ou d'étudier à l'étranger. Les deux semblaient absolument terrifiants, mais je supposais que je terminerais une thèse parce que ce serait au moins dans ma zone de confort. Je n'ai même jamais envisagé d'étudier à l'étranger comme option. Cependant, au milieu de ma troisième année d'université, j'ai traversé une mauvaise rupture et j'étais convaincu que ma vie était finie. C'est à ce moment-là que j'ai décidé que je devais faire quelque chose non seulement pour continuer ma vie, mais aussi pour me sortir de ma zone de confort et grandir. Sur un coup de tête, j'ai décidé d'étudier à l'étranger. Je considère maintenant cette rupture comme la meilleure chose qui me soit arrivée, parce qu’elle a conduit à la meilleure opportunité de croissance de ma vie. Après mon retour de voyage, ma confiance et mon indépendance m'ont permis d'accepter de nouveaux défis, ce qui m'a valu des promotions dans mon travail et l'acceptation à la troisième cycle universitaire. Il y a quatre ans, je n'aurais jamais imaginé être qui et où je suis maintenant - je sais que mon moi plus jeune serait à la fois étonné et fier.
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Benefits of Bilingualism
You will stay mentally stronger for longer - Being bilingual can keep your brain healthy by improving your multitasking skills, attention control, problem solving skills, creativity, and memory. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that the brains of bilingual people age more slowly and therefore these people can live longer and more satisfying lives. It is now widely accepted that being bilingual can delay neurological diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
It can give children an academic advantage - Bilingualism can help improve a child’s educational development, cognitive functions, social skills, literacy, and emotional skills. Even if you yourself are not a child, learning a language would allow you to teach it to your children if you choose to have them. You could therefore confer these benefits upon them.
You will increase your awareness of the world around you - Being bilingual exposes an individual to diverse ideas and perspectives. You can of course still learn about other cultures without knowing a second language, but learning about a culture in its respective language is a more immersive experience that allows for greater insights.
It makes travel easier and more enjoyable - Knowing the language of the places you visit allows for a more authentic experience. Not only can you make conversation with the locals and build friendships around the world, but you can also enjoy practical benefits such as understanding a menu in a restaurant or being able to easily ask for directions when you get lost. During my time in Paris, I missed my stop while taking the RER and ended up getting lost. If I had not been able to read signs and ask for directions, I would have been in a much more difficult situation.
You can improve your competitiveness in the job market - Speaking a second language can provide more job opportunities. Communication in the workplace is important, and more companies, especially those with international offices, are considering bilingualism a high priority. As a future school psychologist myself, cultural competency is incredibly important so being proficient in French will serve me well when I enter the workforce.
You will find it easier to learn a third language - Learning a second language helps you reflect on your own language and gain a better aptitude for languages in general. The improved understanding of how language works, coupled with the experience and knowledge you have already gained, makes it that much easier to learn a third or fourth language.
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Learning a language is a lot of work, but all my hard work really paid off through my study abroad experience. In the United States, I don’t have many opportunities to speak French, so being in Paris was really the first chance I had to see just how much I have learned.
One aspect of the study abroad trip that I really appreciated is that the group was made up of people from so many different backgrounds. Some of us were more advanced speakers of French, others spoke little to no French, and others were fluent in entirely different languages such as Spanish or Mandarin. This meant that we were all able to learn from each other and help one another. As one of the two students in the group that spoke semi-fluent French, other group members relied on me to help navigate the city. This was a very rewarding experience, not only because I was able to use my skill to help others, but also because it made me realize that my French skills were better than I gave myself credit for.
Because I am able to speak and understand French fairly well, I was able to be quite independent throughout my study abroad trip. For example, I was able to go to restaurants on my own - I ordered my food for take-out, made small talk with the employees, and was able to understand how much I needed to pay. During one of these experiences, I was able to hold a conversation in French with a restaurant owner while I waited for my food. He asked me where I was from, what I was doing in Paris, and even complimented me on how well I spoke! These seem like very small achievements, but it was very significant to me to be able to do this in a non-native language.
Throughout my trip, I consistently surprised myself by being able to say or understand something in French without thinking about it. Prior to the trip, it took me a while to understand spoken French because I had to first process the fact that it was in French and then translate it to English. By the end of my study abroad trip, I understood French for what it was rather than translating it in order to understand. I sometimes found myself responding in French before I could even think about what I was saying. After returning home, I even spoke French without realizing it at times. This was a huge indicator to me that I was making progress and has really motivated me to keep learning and keep getting better!
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Il faut beaucoup de travail pour apprendre une langue, mais tout mon travail est devenu utile grâce à mon expérience d'étudier à l'étranger. Aux États-Unis, je n'ai pas beaucoup d'occasions de parler français, donc être à Paris était la première chance que j'avais pour observer et démontrer ce que je sais.
Un aspect du voyage d'études à l'étranger que j'ai apprécié est que le groupe était très divers. Certains d'entre nous parlaient bien le français, d'autres parlaient peu ou pas du tout le français, et d'autres parlaient couramment des langues entièrement différentes comme l'espagnol ou le mandarin. Cela signifiait que nous pouvions tous apprendre les uns des autres. Parce que je parle un français semi-fluide, d'autres membres du groupe comptaient sur moi pour aider à naviguer dans la ville. C’ était une expérience très enrichissante, non seulement parce que j'ai pu utiliser mes compétences pour aider les autres, mais aussi parce que cela m'a fait réaliser que mes compétences en français étaient meilleures que je m'en croyais.
Parce que je parle et comprends assez bien le français, j'ai pu être assez autonome tout au long de mon voyage d'études à l'étranger. Par exemple, j'ai pu aller au restaurant par moi-même - j'ai commandé ma nourriture à emporter, j'ai discuté avec les employés et j'ai pu comprendre combien je devais payer. Au cours d'une de ces expériences, j'ai pu tenir une conversation en français avec un restaurateur en attendant ma nourriture. Il m'a demandé d'où je venais, ce que je faisais à Paris, et m'a même félicité pour la façon dont je parlais! Celles-ci semblent être de très petites réalisations, mais il était très important pour moi de pouvoir le faire dans une langue non native.
Tout au long de mon voyage, je me suis toujours surprise de pouvoir dire ou comprendre quelque chose en français sans y penser. Avant le voyage, il a pris du temps pour comprendre le français parlé parce que je devais d'abord traiter le fait qu'il était en français puis le traduire en anglais. À la fin de mon voyage d'études à l'étranger, j'ai compris le français pour ce qu'il était plutôt que de le traduire pour le comprendre. Je me suis parfois retrouvé à répondre en français avant même de pouvoir penser à ce que je disais. Après être rentré aux Etats-Unis, j'ai même parlé français sans m'en rendre compte parfois. Ce fut un énorme indicateur pour moi que je faisais des progrès et cela m'a vraiment motivé à continuer à apprendre et à m'améliorer!
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A language is not just words. It's a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. It's all embodied in a language.
Noam Chomsky
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In my last post, I discussed the challenges associated with learning a new language, so now I would like to focus on overcoming those challenges. There is truly no secret to rapidly becoming fluent in a language, but the following strategies combined with dedication and consistency are a surefire way to slowly but surely make progress.
The first important question to consider is what type of learner you are. Some people are visual learners, some are auditory learners, and others learn best through reading and writing. Depending on the type of learner that you are, certain study strategies are going to be more effective than others. For example, if you are an auditory learner, you might be better at listening to and observing the language first rather than reading grammar rules in a textbook. You therefore might benefit from watching movies and listening to podcasts in the language that you are trying to learn. If you are a visual learner, you could try making flashcards with the vocabulary word on one side of the card and an image of that word on the other side of the card. No matter what type of learner you are, there are countless study strategies to pick from!
While finding the study strategies that work for you, you must consider that there are four major aspects of any given language: reading comprehension, verbal comprehension, written expression, and oral expression. In light of this fact, you must consider not only your own learning style but also your objectives. If your goal is to be able to hold a conversation, flashcards may not be the best strategy, even if you are a visual learner. It is therefore important to find a variety of strategies, not just one or two, that work for you and your learning style so that you can develop your proficiency in all aspects.
The final tip I have to offer is to always pay attention to the patterns of a language. All languages have patterns, and being able to detect and understand those patterns is helpful no matter what type of learner you are. Once you have learned how to conjugate one verb, you’ve learned how to conjugate countless other verbs! For example, if you recognize that most verbs that end in -er are conjugated in a specific way, then you will not have to think about each individual verb - it will just come naturally. While it is true that there will always be exceptions to patterns, you should not underestimate how far they will get you!
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Dans mon dernier article, j'ai discuté des défis associés à l'apprentissage d'une nouvelle langue, alors maintenant je voudrais me concentrer sur la résolution de ces défis. Il n'y a vraiment pas de secret pour apprendre rapidement une langue, mais les stratégies suivantes combinées avec dévouement et cohérence sont un moyen infaillible de progresser lentement mais sûrement.
La première question importante à considérer est de savoir quel type d'apprenant on est. Certaines personnes sont des apprenants visuels, certaines personnes sont des apprenants auditifs, et d'autres apprennent mieux par la lecture et l'écriture. Selon le type d'apprenti que vous êtes, certaines stratégies d'étude sont plus efficaces que d'autres. Par exemple, si vous êtes un apprenant auditif, vous pourriez mieux écouter d'abord la langue plutôt que de lire les règles de grammaire dans un manuel. Vous pourriez donc bénéficier de regarder des films et d'écouter des podcasts dans la langue que vous essayez d'apprendre. Si vous êtes un apprenant visuel, vous pouvez essayer de créer des flashcards avec le mot de vocabulaire d'un côté de la carte et une image de ce mot de l'autre côté de la carte. Peu importe le type d'apprenti que vous êtes, il existe d'innombrables stratégies d'étude parmi lesquelles choisir!
Pour trouver des stratégies d'étude efficaces, il faut également considérer qu'il existe quatre aspects majeurs d'une langue donnée: la compréhension en lecture, la compréhension verbale, l'expression écrite et l'expression orale. Il faut considérer non seulement son propre style d'apprentissage mais aussi ses objectifs. Si l'objectif est de pouvoir converser, les cartes mémoire ne sont peut-être pas la meilleure stratégie, même pour les apprenants visuels. Il est donc important de trouver une variété de stratégies, pas seulement une ou deux, qui fonctionnent pour vous et votre style d'apprentissage afin que vous puissiez développer vos compétences dans tous les aspects.
Le dernier conseil que j'ai à offrir est de toujours prêter attention aux schémas d'une langue. Toutes les langues ont des schémas, et être capable de détecter et de comprendre ces schémas est utile pour tous les types d’apprenants. Lorsque vous apprenez à conjuguer un verbe, vous apprenez à conjuguer d'innombrables autres verbes! Par exemple, si vous reconnaissez que la plupart des verbes qui se terminent par -er sont conjugués d'une manière spécifique, alors vous n'aurez pas à penser à chaque verbe individuel - cela viendra naturellement. S'il est vrai qu'il y aura toujours des exceptions aux modèles, il ne faut pas sous-estimer jusqu'où les schémas vous mèneront!
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It is no secret that learning a second language is challenging. Many college students consider the basic world language requirement the most difficult requirement to fulfill. This is especially true if you have no experience with the target language prior to college, as it becomes increasingly difficult to learn a brand new language as you get older. While it certainly isn’t impossible to learn a language later in life, it does become more difficult after childhood because neuroplasticity decreases, which means the brain is less able to change itself in response to new experiences.
While learning a language in general is difficult, each language also poses its own unique challenges to learners. Some languages use a completely different alphabet or writing system, other languages have different grammatical systems and concepts, and other languages are characterized by specific tones and mannerisms. All of these differences add an extra layer of difficulty to learning a language. When a language has completely different foundational concepts, you must first wrap your head around those concepts before you can even begin to apply them. This means that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to language learning because not only does every individual learn differently but each language requires its own approach as well.
French is often considered a particularly difficult language to learn, but what makes it so challenging? First of all, it is not a phonetic language. Knowing how a word is spelled does not help you understand how it is pronounced and vice versa. Word gender is also a difficult concept for learners of French to grasp. In English, we do not assign gender to our words so this can be a difficult transition to make. Another challenge of learning French is the counting system. The counting system is quite intuitive up until the number 70, which essentially translates to sixty-plus-ten. Similarly, the number 80 translates to four-times-twenty. 90 translates to four-times-twenty-plus-ten. This number system means that you are trying to recall vocabulary words while simultaneously doing mental math! These are just some of the major characteristics of the French language that make it so challenging and frustrating for students, but with that being said, it truly is not difficult! It simply requires time and dedication.
Now that we have explored the major challenges that language-learners face, my next post will focus on methods of overcoming these challenges!
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Ce n’est pas un secret que l’apprentissage d’une langue seconde est difficile. Beaucoup d'étudiants considèrent l’exigence linguistique comme la plus difficile à satisfaire. Cela est particulièrement vrai si l’on n’a pas d'expérience avec la langue avant de l'université parce qu’il devient de plus en plus difficile d’apprendre une toute nouvelle langue avec l'âge. Bien qu’il ne soit certainement pas impossible d’apprendre une langue plus tard dans la vie, cela devient plus difficile après l’enfance parce que la neuroplasticité diminue.Cela signifie que le cerveau est moins capable de se changer en réponse a de nouvelles expériences.
S’il est difficile d’apprendre une langue en général, chaque langue pose ses propres défis aussi. Certaines langues utilisent un alphabet complètement différent, d’autres langues ont des concepts grammaticaux différents, et d’autres langues sont caractérisées par des tons et des manières spécifiques. Toutes ces différences ajoutent une couche supplémentaire de difficulté à l’apprentissage d’une langue. Lorsqu’une langue a des concepts fondamentaux complètement différentes, il faut d’abord comprendre ces concepts avant de commencer a les appliquer. Cela signifie qu’il n’y a pas une seule approche correcte pour apprendre une langue parce que chaque individu apprend différemment et chaque langue nécessite sa propre approche.
Le français est souvent considéré comme une langue particulièrement difficile a apprendre, mais pourquoi est-il si difficile? Premièrement, ce n’est pas une langue phonétique. L’orthographe d’un mot ne fournit aucune information sur sa prononciation et vice versa. Le genre de mot est également un concept difficile à comprendre. En anglais, nous n’affectons pas le genre a nos mots, donc cela peut être une transition difficile. Un autre défi de l’apprentissage du français est le système numérique. Le système numérique oblige les apprenants a se rappeler des mots de vocabulaire tout en faisant simultanément des calculs mentaux. Ce sont quelques-unes des principales caractéristiques de la langue française qui la rendent si difficile et frustrante pour les étudiants, mais ce n’est vraiment pas difficile! Cela demande simplement du temps et du dévouement.
Maintenant que nous avons exploré les principaux défi auxquels sont confrontés les apprenants en langues, mon prochain article se concentrer sur les méthodes pour surmonter ces défis.
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Learning a Second Language: Study Strategies & Resources
Websites & Apps:
Conjuguemos - This is a great (and fun!) website for grammar practice.
Duolingo - This is a great app/website for learning basic vocabulary. Even now that I am in the more advanced stages of language-learning, I still use Duolingo to avoid rustiness. If you are learning a language in school, Duolingo is a great way to retain what you have learned over the summer so you can return to class in the fall without feeling like you lost the progress you had made.
Quizlet - Quizlet is a great website for learning vocabulary. There are many pre-existing flashcard sets and you can also make your own. Furthermore, you can add pictures to your flashcards or play educational games based on your flashcard set. This website is truly whatever you make of it.
WordReference - This is a very valuable website when you are writing papers in a foreign language. It’s better than Google Translate because it gives you much more information about the word you are looking up, such as the gender of the word and its part of speech.
Activities:
Listen to podcasts and/or music - Although passive learning will not single-handedly make you fluent in a language, it is a great way to incorporate a little bit of learning into your daily life
Watch movies and/or television shows - When I started watching movies in French, I had to have the English captions on in order to understand. Eventually, I was able change the captions from English to French. Now, I can watch a movie in French with no captions and understand the majority of what happens. This is a great strategy for training your ear to understand the language, and may also help you pick up on same slang or other conversational aspects of a langugage.
Find someone to talk with - For example, I met someone during my study abroad trip who is a native French speaker. He encouraged me to speak French with him and provided constructive criticism on my speaking. I learned a lot of conversational French in this way. Since I returned home, we still communicate through online platforms. Our conversations help me learn French and help him learn English! If you do not know a native speaker, find another person who would be willing to learn the language with you. The most important part is that you practice with someone who makes you feel safe and supported, who provides constructive criticism without passing judgment.
Take virtual tours in the language you want to learn - For example, The Louvre offers virtual tours of many different exhibits. You can read along and/or listen in French, so not only are you developing your listening skills but you’re also learning about French history and culture in the process!
Study Strategies:
Incorporate language-learning into the things you already enjoy - For example, I love watching movies, so I started watching movies in French. If you love to read, try reading a book in French.
Consistency is key - It’s better to study for 10 minutes every single day than to study for 2 hours once per week. Studying consistently will allow you to learn at a more steady pace, whereas cramming or binge-learning will most likely result in quickly forgetting everything you studied.
Be patient - You will not see rapid progress when it comes to learning a language and this can be discouraging. Try to focus on the big picture - look at how much progress you have made from the very beginning and think about how rewarding it will be if you stick with it.
Practice, practice, practice - Never stop practicing! This is especially true if you are learning a language in school. You will not become fluent just by spending 2 hours per week in class. One of my favorite ways of practicing is by taking the conversations that I have and trying to translate them into French in my head. For example, after I order coffee in the morning, I say it to myself in French. If I don’t know how (which is often), I look it up. The learning opportunities are endless with this strategy!
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