It’s that time of year again when students from universities all across America are making their way to various study abroad sites. Studying abroad is an exciting and challenging time in a student’s academic career, butthosewho travel to non-Anglophone countries usually face an added challenge — the language barrier.
This extra challenge is not as daunting as it seems, as there are simple ways to improve your language competencebefore you leave and even during your time abroad. Whether you need to brush up on the language skills you already have or you’re starting from scratch, these five activitiescan help youboost your language abilities.
1. Watch TV shows or movies.
Watching TV shows or movies in the language of your host country is a great way to improve your listening skills, plus it is an opportunity to get used to the speed at which people speak.
Lisa Drusedum, a junior at Kutztown University, only spoke a bit ofItalian before she studied in Rome, Italy last semester. However, watching Italian films with Italian subtitles helped her learn moreof the language.
“[Watching films] was helpful for me because the subtitles allowed me to match up what I was seeing with the vocab in the dialogue,” Drusedum says. “The dialogue was very fast, and subtitles would make iteasier to understand.”
Erin McCulloch, a Hamilton College junior, brushed up on her language skills in Madrid, Spain with movies in Spanish with English subtitles.
“Watching movies is a great way to acquire a new language because it helps so much with your listening comprehension,” McCulloch says.
If you want to give this method a try, Netflix has a surprisingly extensive collection of foreign films that are sure to enhance your understanding of your host country’s language.
2. Change the language of your phone and social media accounts.
While you may not be walking around saying “one text message” or “accept friend request” in daily conversations, changing the language of your phone and social media accounts can behelpful.
By switching the language onherFacebook and iPhone to Spanish, McCullochwas able to learn new words andstop herself from thinking in English.
“Not only did it teach me new vocabulary, it also allowed me to continue thinking in Spanish as I wasn’t reading in English every time I received a notification,” McCulloch says.
You can change the language of your Facebook account by selecting “Settings” and then “Language.” For Twitter, go to “Settings” and then “Account”. For smartphones, visit your settings to do the same.
3. Download apps that will help you practice.
Apps for your smartphone often offer a sufficient overview of a language, including common words and phrases.
Fred Gard, a Syracuse University junior, used the popular app Duolingo to improve his French before he studied in Strasbourg, France.
Gard says, “These [apps] helped with the verbs and other vocabulary, but it separated the two and was easier to review section by section.”
If you want to try Gard’s approach, Duolingo is not your only option. The iTunes store and Google Play have hosts of language learning apps available for download.
4. Listen to music.
Kelsey Cook, a junior at Arcadia University, prepared for her semester in Paris, France by listening to French music.
Cook’s advice to students? “Find popular music and recent hits from the country you are traveling to,” Cook says. “Listening to French music really helped me learn French slang and popular French phrases.”
McCulloch agrees that listening to music is helpful.
“While in Spain I only listened to music in Spanish because I noticed that whenever I listened to a song in English, I tended to revert to thinking in English again, which I obviously wanted to avoid," she says.
A simple Google search will get you on your waytojamming in the language of your host country.
5. Talk to native speakers.
One of the best ways toimprove your language skills is to converse with native speakers. They are the onlypeople youcan really trust to answer your questions and correct your mistakes.
McCulloch says, “I tried to befriend and spend time with native speakers rather than my American friends to improve my language skills.”
Gard did the same, and took advantage of the native speakers’ help.
“I would ask questions about the vocabulary that [the native speakers] used,” Gard says. “They would correct my French from time to time as well. This also helped me pick up more of the accent as we talked.”
While practicing with a native speaker might seem intimidating, Gard says, “Many people in Strasbourg spoke slower andwere willing to hear my incorrect French and interpret what it meant before answering, questioning, or correcting what I said in order for me to get better.”
Similarly, Drusedum says, “The Italians were more than accommodating and always made an effort to adjust to be able to communicate with [American students].”
So when you arrive in your host country, talk to strangers. This might be the opposite of the advice you heard as a child, but the strangers are the ones who can help you this time.
Natalie Marshall is a junior at Arcadia University and is a spring 2015 collegiate correspondent.
This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.
