Studying abroad offers valuable and enriching opportunities for foreign applicants, especially those who have met international standards and applied for scholarships. Obtaining a degree from a prestigious university in another country increases a student’s employability in the global job market. It’s also the opportunity to immerse oneself in new cultural and social landscapes that raises a student’s appreciation for diversity on top of enhancing their personal and professional growth.
The most satisfying part of that is learning and using the local language. Along with exposure to cultural practices and norms, foreign students can complete their experience if they can master or, at least, become competent in using a language other than their own. It allows them to deepen their understanding and appreciation of the local environment, as well as boost their chances of being employed in that country.
It’s only a matter of knowing how to sharpen their second language skills and use them not just to perform better in classes but also to enrich their confidence and growth. The tips below should be a good starting point:
1. Converse with Your Peers
Whether it’s learning formal Japanese or using conversational British English, foreign students get optimal language exposure through their interactions with native speakers, particularly their fellow students who are native or long-time residents. Connecting with them allows for a better understanding of how the local language is used under more casual conditions and in ways that language classes fall short of delivering.
Foreign students should always aim to build networks of academic and professional allies, taking note of how conversations are used at varying levels of formality. This provides a more natural way of learning how the language is used in more authentic and dynamic real-world settings.
2. Use Apps and Games
Along with finding peers who are native speakers or well-versed in the native language, foreign students can also depend on software offering short tutorials and engaging methods of learning essential vocabulary and structures. Aside from apps like Duolingo, students can go for platforms that teach only specific languages, which allow for more intensive training.
They can also continue practicing through mobile and traditional word games. Those who learn English as a second language can benefit immensely from playing games like Boggle or Scrabble and enhancing their vocabulary-building experience with sites like the Unscramble.me word unscrambler to discover new words.
3. Interact with the Culture Outside the Classroom
Being a foreign student also offers a good opportunity to interact with the locals in ways that allow for more genuine approaches to using the second language. Aside from talking with their classmates, foreign students can go outside and immerse themselves with residents. Restaurants and shops frequented by locals can provide a demonstration of informal discourse habits, particularly the use of common expressions that build a sense of community.
What’s more, paying attention to these habits can provide foreign students with a better understanding of what’s too formal and informal, allowing them to avoid using terms and expressions that may sound off under specific conditions. Students should use every opportunity to immerse themselves in the culture as a way to acquire a second language both directly and indirectly.
4. Consume Media in the Local Language
Another approach towards building mastery in a second language is for foreign students to expose themselves to films, music, and other types of media in that language. Not only do they help in building familiarity with the local culture, but local media can also be channels for learning new phrases and other linguistic features. Students can try watching the most popular film of the country and turn on the subtitles in their first language.
Other than that, they can also read books, blogs, and newspapers in the second language so that they can hone their second language writing and reading skills and use these in class, taking note of technical and specialized uses of the language, which could boost their academic performance.
Endnote
Language learning is also a major benefit of studying abroad. It’s only a matter of foreign students to boost their confidence in learning a second language and using it in ways that can enrich their experience with the local environment.
