1. Understand why you want to do it
Clearly set your goals at the beginning, and then map out the path to achieve them.
The twins set themselves the challenge of learning a language within a week so that they could give it their all. Then, choosing which language to learn becomes a question. Turkish was a natural choice, since there are 300,000 Turkish speakers around the German capital, and the districts of Kreuzberg and Neuk?lln are dotted with shops decorated with Turkish signs. The first step to understanding Turkish is to truly understand its environment.
2. Use sticky notes
Tag everything around you in the new language immediately. You will unconsciously build and strengthen connections between them in your daily life.
The first step in the twins’ learning process was to fill their apartment with sticky notes. The twins turned it into something of a ritual as they delved into dictionaries and began labeling everything around them with their Turkish names. After staying in such a space for an hour, even if you do something as trivial as making coffee or turning off the lights, you will inevitably see at least three different words related to this activity.
3. Find a partner
There is almost no better motivator than a partner who shares the same goals. Whether you're motivated by competition or mutual responsibility, a study partner is likely to provide just the right amount of pressure to keep you going.
When Matthew and Michael finished decorating their room with sticky notes, the importance of having a twin brother became immediately apparent. Simple tasks like asking each other little questions are on the rise. In fact, they can become each other's source of knowledge when they set aside a little time each day to study different topics. When one party suddenly asks "What should I say?", the other party is often able to answer. The best moment was when the week came to an end, when the two brothers were able to hold everyday conversations in Turkish, asking each other if they wanted tea or coffee, if they were ready to make dinner, or when they should leave the house the next day.
4. Prepare some small incentives
You need to put some signposts on the way to your goals. These signposts can consist of small challenges, such as engaging in daily interactions in a new language. They will prompt you to prepare vocabulary in related fields to achieve your goals, and the joy after completing your goals will motivate you to move towards higher goals.
Matthew and Michael had many micro-challenges throughout the week. On the first day, a Turkish friend came to visit them and complimented them in Turkish on how quickly they had picked up their initial vocabulary. They then learned the names of fruits and the numbers from one to a billion so they could visit the Turkish market in Kreuzberg. After they demonstrated their first effective communication in Turkish, they went home with pride and joy to continue their studies.
5. Digest the language
Find a way to connect everything you do to learning. Surround yourself with relevant food, music, and movies so that you can fill your brain with the language even when you take a break, and maybe trigger new interests.
When we visited the brothers’ apartment for the second time, we found them stocking up on dozens of samples of Turkish snacks. Just like children staring at the back of cereal boxes before heading off to school, they analyze and compare the nutritional content and various special ingredients on the bags during tea breaks. During the eight hours the twins allotted to learning the language, they never stopped for a moment. The intensity of learning may wane or fluctuate, but it never disappears completely.
6. Apply existing knowledge
As you progress in learning, you may be able to retain more information more easily. Have fun comparing the languages ??you already know with the new ones!
One twin brother's catchphrase is "Ah, does this look a bit like...?" They continue to use their existing knowledge to support their growing knowledge of Turkish. Not only will this help you discover etymological connections between different words, but it will also ensure that once the new word is woven into your vocabulary network, it will never be forgotten again. Even if you're just learning a second language, you can cross-reference and discover words that have the same etymology as those in your native language.
7. Variety is the spice of life
After you have determined the path and favorite method to achieve your goals, remember to try something new. Your new language has as many resources as your native language.
The twin brothers spend much of their time immersed in books or on computers and mobile apps, eagerly clicking or swiping through their exercises. But at other times, they are busy searching for Turkish radio stations or writing favorable articles about Turkish football games online.
There is no standard way to learn a language, and no tool or teacher can single-handedly elevate you to fluency. Language skills are writing, speaking, reading and listening. Each is considered a core skill that requires significant investment of effort.
Would you limit your native language skills to just one of these skills? All too often, people only interact with teachers in weekly language classes but have almost no contact with native speakers of the target language or media broadcast in the target language.
Try something new every day. Listen to a chant, read an article from a newspaper whose politics are different from yours, write a story for the kids, try watching an improv show, or talk to yourself while cooking.
Spice up your language learning!