How to learn a language faster: 3 techniques that worked for me.

Don't count sheep before you sleep: go over vocabulary instead

Have you ever heard of the famous remedy for insomnia? Some people say that counting sheep jumping over a fence before you sleep helps distract your mind so you doze off faster.

Well, I used this technique but adapted it to language learning. Before going to sleep, I would look at the ceiling and go over the vocabulary I had just studied during my self-study session to see how much I could remember.

For example, if the theme of that day's session was animals, I would try to remember the words in Korean, and if I realised I had forgotten some of them, I would make a note to revise them the next day. The first time I tried this, I realised the next day that I could remember most, if not all, of the vocabulary I had learnt.

This probably sounds too basic to be effective. However, it's a simple way of checking what I've learnt and whether the information has actually entered my brain and stayed there.

Interestingly, this was a habit I developed on my own, without knowing that I was actually practising something called active recall: a learning technique that involves retrieving information from memory rather than simply rereading your notes.

I did this more often at the beginning of my learning journey. Over time, I moved on to other techniques for longer vocabulary lists and more difficult grammar.

Learning through song lyrics

You've most likely seen this recommended in many other articles as a way to learn a language faster, and there's a reason for that. Guilty as charged! At the beginning of my Korean learning journey, I loved listening to music in my target language, whether it was a rap song or a ballad. If a particular song caught my attention, I would print out the lyrics and break them down by highlighting any unfamiliar vocabulary or grammar.

After writing down new vocabulary on a separate page, I would research the meanings of the words and how they were used in different contexts to make sure I understood them as thoroughly as possible. At this stage, it's important not to just read this information but to write down useful notes and examples to help you remember it better.

When it came to grammar, I would look up the grammar points, and if they were straightforward, I would jot down some notes to understand the meaning of the lyrics better. If a grammar structure seemed more difficult to understand, I would make a note to dedicate a whole study session to it.

There were moments when this technique felt overwhelming, especially if the theme of the song was complicated or too poetic to be translated accurately. Some songs use phrases and expressions that are not very colloquial and could sound unnatural in daily conversation. This distinction is something you learn to recognise over time.

So don't feel disheartened if you still can't understand the whole song. The main point of this technique is to enjoy learning the language, so that the next time you listen to your favourite song, you actually know what it's about.

I use this technique with my students too, so make sure to visit my English lessons page to learn more about my classes.

All it takes is a good TV show

Most people love a good show or a good movie! So why not make it part of one of your study sessions?

When I was at school, we had to choose a foreign language to study besides English. My first choice was Italian, as my mother knew the language well, so I could count on her guidance. Over time, I decided to take it more seriously and chose to study it at an intermediate level. At this point, it became harder to understand, as the vocabulary and grammar were getting more difficult.

It was no longer about introducing yourself or having basic conversations with strangers. It was about reading longer paragraphs or listening to segments from shows and broadcasts with the aim of understanding what was being said.

To improve this skill, I decided to watch my favourite show, Avatar: The Last Airbender (originally an American animated series), dubbed in Italian. I had watched it so many times that I recognised every scene and every storyline without even having to look at the TV.

Over time, I noticed that my listening skills had improved, as I was becoming more familiar with how Italian was spoken and could understand more of what was being said.

If you choose to watch a movie or TV show in your target language, I wouldn't recommend starting with something new. Trying to follow a new story on top of learning the language can become overwhelming and eventually boring, and it might not encourage you to watch the next episode or the sequel. Instead, watch something you already know the gist of, so you can focus on absorbing the vocabulary, since you already know what's happening and where the story is heading. Here, knowing the context is everything.

If it's too difficult to understand what's being said, try turning on subtitles in your target language. This way, you can follow the dialogue while hearing how the words are pronounced.