Languages. You either love them or you hate them. Either way, they’re extremely beneficial to study, as they can differentiate you and the other students when applying to university. It can also play a massive part in future career goals, as many companies look for bi-lingual applicants. And, if you want to travel, need I say more?

Many students don’t reap the benefits of having the opportunity to learn a language at school, and later on, go on to regret it. In any case, if you have decided to learn a language at school, here are some of the best techniques to use when studying GCSE.

Set Language Learning Goals

So, first things first. Language goals. When starting any sort of study, it’s always good to set some kind of target. At the start of the year, figure out what topics you need to have learnt by your exam, and bullet-point those topics give you a great revision guide throughout the year. By doing this it means that you save all the faffing and panicking at the end of the year trying to remember what you studied, as you just follow your guide!

Choose Keywords to Learn

Within any language that you’re studying, there is always going to be a maze of sub-topics. Following the guide you have created (as instructed previously) you can find out some keywords within those topics and perhaps sub-topics and can make sure you practice them and revise them. Perhaps even ask your teachers what words they are most impressed by if you have to do a speaking or writing exam at the end of the year. You can go to the AQA website here to access some vocab examples for different languages at GCSE.

Use Flash Cards

Now, you’re probably going to see this a lot if you’re looking for revision tips and tricks. Flashcards! One of the best tried and true methods of revision. These will be your best friend. Write out questions for yourself, and your answer that you want to say/write in the exam, and then, with a friend, they can ask you the question and you can test your knowledge. Seriously, use this method religiously and you will ace your exams. You can use Quizlet for online flashcards, click here to access GCSE French AQA Flashcards for key phrases.

Every Day All Day

Okay, every day and all day is a bit extreme. Every other day or every two days, try to insert some language practice into your daily life. Be it post-it notes with translations stuck onto the objects in your house, songs, or watching your favourite movie in another language with English subtitles or vice-versa, this will help you understand the flow of the language. Perhaps even the tone when expressing certain words, or what part of a word needs to be emphasised. It might even open you up to a new genre of film, who knows! I’ve found that the best website for ACCURATE translations is Reverso Contexto.

Connecting with Native Speakers

Another way to learn the ins and outs of a language is, of course,starting communication with someone that knows the language extremely well. And who knows French better than someone who was born in France and grew up speaking the language? But, how do you find native speakers I hear you cry! Well, for starters, you may be fortunate enough to have a native speaker as your school teacher. If you do then see if you can practice with them during lunch times or perhaps after school, I’m sure they would only be too happy to help. If you don’t have a teacher who is a native speaker, then, with the permission and supervision of your parents, you could join Facebook groups and perhaps find someone who would like to learn English and you can alternate zoom calls and take turns practising in each other’s language.

Don’t Lose Motivation!

Understandably, it can be extremely tiring when learning a language. That one concept that never seems to stick can become tedious after a while, but that’s like with any task. Don’t give up! Learning a language is always about continuous learning and enhancing your knowledge. Even if you’ve been learning a language for 10+ years, there’s always more to learn.

For instance, you’ll find different areas of a country will have different dialects. People from the north of England sound different to those in the south of England. Even in the different parts of London, you’ll find a whole variety of accents. Well, it’s the same in any other country. And, even more so, people in Spain speak a different version of Spanish than those in Mexico. So there’s always something more to a language than you think, which makes it so interesting and unpredictable! So, if you’re feeling a bit weary, click here to watch a Youtube Video by The Intrepid Guide, wear she explains 25 tips to stay motivated when learning a language.

All in all, with anything practice, makes perfect. Being able to speak another language is an extremely sought-after skill and can also widen career potential in the future. It also allows you to connect with people from other cultures and countries, so opportunities for new friends are just another added benefit.

If you are very much interested in languages, I recommend taking up additional tutoring with Neon-Edu. The teachers and Mentors are certified in the field and with the regular tests and assessments, they offer, it’s clear that any student will excel. They also, help identify strengths and weaknesses and collect your data points through the use of the platform which allows them to predict future grades!

You can sign up for their GCSE French and GCSE Spanish courses here.

Furthermore, if you haven’t been convinced to learn a language, let me share with you some statistics according to Berlitz about some of the most spoken languages in the world

So good luck with any upcoming exams, please feel free to use any of these tips and tricks and I’m sure you will smash it!

Goodbye.Adios. Adieu. Ciao. Auf wiedersehen.