Learning another language should be a fun and rewarding experience, but many foreign language students become frustrated early on in the process of learning their new language. Language study does not have to be a source of disappoinment or frustration! Practicing some simple and productive study habits will improve your learning and prevent you from feeling frustrated. Here are some suggestions on how to develop more productive study habits.

1. Set time aside every day for brief study sessions. Brain research shows that studying for fifteen minutes every day is more productive than studying for an hour the night before a test.

2. Don't make a habit of cramming. At first, you may do very well on tests after intense cramming sessions, but you aren't putting the information into your long-term memory. Foreign languages are cumulative. They build on what went before, and every deficiency in your learning will catch up with you sooner or later.

3. For the same reason, don't let yourself fall behind. If you must be absent from class, find out what you missed.

4. Unless you're blessed with a photographic memory, you'll have to work at learning your vocabulary. This part of language learning is mostly memorization, and yes, that does mean work. Many students like to make flashcards for themselves. Others find that writing the words over and over helps them remember. You can also try saying the words and phrases aloud repeatedly. These different activities activate different parts of your brain, and that may result in better learning.

5. Stay on task during class time, and complete all assigned exercises. You may think the exercises are just busywork, but that is not the case. Repeating a new skill you are trying to learn is helpful in every area of endeavor, from academics to sports to music. Just do it!

6. Review what you've already learned. The more you reinforce your prior knowledge, the more easily you will learn the new material.

7. Don't be afraid to participate. Everyone makes mistakes while learning, and, as with almost everything else, practice makes perfect!

8. If you have a friend studying the same language, try practicing phrases and bits of dialogue together. Practicing with a friend can be fun, and what you learn while having fun stays with you longer!

9. If you know any native speakers, try practicing your new language with them. Native speakers make the best conversational partners, and they tend to be very sympathetic. They know what it's like!

10. The sounds of the new language may be strange and unfamiliar to you. Listen carefully as your teacher pronounces new words and listen attentively to any recordings in class. When pronouncing new words, try to imitate what you've heard as closely as you can. The more accurately you can produce the sounds, the smaller your own foreign accent will be. That's right: when speaking another language, you are the foreigner with the funny accent!

11. Have a good attitude. Even if you're taking the class only because it's a requirement, you're still in the class. The truth is that requirements won't vanish from your life once you graduate. Get used to it, be positive, and succeed.

12. And last but not least, if you have any questions, ask your teacher! The only foolish question is the one not asked.

Learn more about this author, Deanna Gallo.
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