There are many different ways to learn a language and none of them are necessarily the right or wrong way to do so. Here are some methods I have tried and my opinions on them.
Textbook
Having a book can be favourable for some people as there is the ability to have vast amounts of information in a single book. It’s also nice to have information organized in different sections. However, learning from a book may be difficult for languages where pronunciation is complicated as you can’t hear the words.
Pros: Simple, lots of information consolidated in one place, subjects and topics are organized
Cons: Not good for learning pronunciation, not interactive
Online Instructional Videos
There are countless of content creators online that provide language lessons in video format. I have found these extremely helpful in getting started with languages as I am able to hear how the languages sound. These videos are especially helpful when interacting with them (e.g. writing notes, sounding words out)
Pros: Good for learning pronunciation, instructors can point out nuances and give tips
Cons: It may be difficult to find videos that cover subjects of interest, pace of the instructor may be too fast or too slow
Duolingo
Duolingo and its green owl is usually the first thing that comes to a person’s mind when thinking about language learning. This popular language learning app makes learning fun and easy when on the go. I find Duolingo to be great for getting started with languages and building a basic foundation. However, I find that its usefulness begins to plateau as proficiency develops.
Pros: Fun, easy to use, convenient, lots of vocabulary, great for beginners, large variety of languages
Cons: No explanation of grammar rules; relies solely on pattern recognition and repetition, has limited “lives” that limit number of mistakes that can be made until lessons are locked
Media: Music, Films, Newspapers
Using media is an important part of language learning but is only beneficial when already having some level of understanding in the language. Music is definitely the most difficult to understand, followed by newspapers. Films are usually the easiest to understand. When watching movies and TV shows, try watching with captions in the language of interest. I find English subtitles to distract me from listening to the language of interest.
Pros: Entertaining, many different niches of media to explore, ability to learn slang and get a feel for how a typical conversation looks like
Cons: Not useful when just starting out, needs to be supplemented with other methods
Flashcards
Flashcards are a tried and true method of learning vocabulary. There are many online flashcard decks that can be download to Anki or accessible using Quizlet. This is a great way to practice and learn many words fast.
Pros: Effective way to learn vocabulary, flashcards are editable; any word can be added
Cons: Can be boring, doesn’t help with grammar
Take home message
There are many methods and some may work better for you. Try them all out and stick with the ones that feel the most fun. Happy learning!