GETTING STARTED

There are many different methods available to help teach the budding linguist. One of the most well-known and pioneering companies dedicated in helping students learn foreign languages since 1901 is Linguaphone. By reading books (from beginner through to advanced) and listening over and over to CDs, the student works through a self-study course at his or her own pace and emerges at the other side with (in theory) the ability to speak the acquired language.

There are also online courses some of which are free, whilst others you must pay and sign-up for. However, should you wish not to go-it-alone and prefer to learn with others, there are many language schools around the UK that offer courses (full-time and part-time) in a variety of different languages.

Another option is to study abroad. This is by far the best method of teaching yourself a foreign language if you are have the means or are lucky enough to be able to do so. Studying and living abroad gives you the opportunity not only to learn the language, but also learn about the culture and society that you are interested in. You will undoubtedly have to communicate with the local population in order to live there comfortably and by doing so you will develop the language skills a lot quicker than if you were to stay at home and study in the UK. In order to alleviate expense issue, “exchange schemes” have emerged whereby a foreign student and British student will swap places for a period of time in order to learn the other’s language and culture. This is commonplace in schools around the UK.