Sprachdirekt is an exciting new agency based in Germany that organises language trips abroad – and right now Sprachdirekt is giving you the chance to win a 2 week English language course in London! The prize will give you the chance to not only improve your English language skills but also explore this vibrant city full of exciting attractions and immerse yourself in the British culture.
Idioms are some of the most interesting features of any language – and some of the hardest to understand as a foreigner. English has many idioms in common usage and learning a few of these is a fun way to sound like a native speaker.
Idioms have a figurative meaning, rather than a literal meaning and because these words mean something completely different when used in an idiomatic phrase, non-native speakers can find them very confusing! Read on to explore how you can use idioms to sound like a native speaker. Continue reading
Learning a second language will be compulsory in junior schools from September 2014. The education secretary, Michael Gove has announced that changes to the curriculum means that all children will begin learning a second language from the age of seven. Languages on offer will include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin, Latin and Greek. But should second language learning start even earlier? Continue reading
Immigrants to the UK face a new, ‘more robust’ English language test in an attempt to stop any potential benefits cheats. Immigrants will need to answer questions on their working plans and take an extended ‘habitual residence text’ along with a sitting an English language skills test before being allowed to claim income-related benefits. Continue reading
Learning a language is not a simple task. Many students can spend years studying a language and still have trouble conversing with a native speaker.
There are many different ways to learn a language. Although it is important to study the grammar of a language, often this theoretical knowledge does not always transfer to real life as easily as we would like. This is why one of the best ways to learn a language is sometimes to step away from the exercise books and do something completely different.
Find a new way to learn a language and not only does this keep the brain actively thinking in fresh ways it also keeps study interesting. This maintains student motivation – one of the most important aspects of language learning. Continue reading
When we learn a new language we often try to translate the new words into our mother tongue as we read or listen. The better we become at a new language, the less we tend to perform this type of mental translation and the more we understand the words directly.
There are some obvious problems with mental translation. Firstly, it takes time to keep translating everything into a second language and secondly, languages cannot be directly translated word for word, only idea for idea. So, how long does it take to be able to understand a new language directly without having to mentally translate the words first? Continue reading
We have a winner! Congratulations to Lourdes from Spain who guessed closest to the correct number of tiles in the swimming pool (71,482 tiles). Lourdes wins a 2 week language holiday to Malta with Maltalingua Language School! Continue reading
When learning English, some teachers advise that students should avoid using their native language and interact primarily with those who speak their target language. The idea is that by practising total language immersion and by avoiding contact with your native tongue, you will get used to speaking your target language and will improve more quickly.
This technique could be applied for all language learners – but is avoiding your native language a practical way to learn a new language or even a good idea? Should you avoid your native language when learning English? Continue reading
Learning a language is often thought of as the preserve of the young, the adventurous, children at school or travellers looking to broaden the mind by journeying to exotic new destinations. But language is a special part of being human and learning a new language can be as thrilling and rewarding for an octogenarian as for a teenager.
Some people think that it can sometimes be too late to learn a language. However, others believe that a greater age can help someone appreciate the subtleties of language. In fact, older people often have better pronunciation skills and usually a stronger motivation. But can it ever be too late to teach an old dog new tricks? Continue reading
The call for immigrants to learn ‘proper’ English is commonly heard from natives wanting to help preserve their country’s linguistic heritage. But what is proper English? The language of English is rich in borrowed words and foreign phrases, and the language continues to grow and evolve thanks largely to the influx of foreign words brought over by immigrants. This leads us to ask, with such a mingling of languages in the world today, can a ‘proper’ language ever really exist?