At Studieskolen, we have more than 40 years of experience helping adults learn foreign languages – and helping them actually use the language they are learning. We love sharing our knowledge about how to fit language learning into a busy everyday life, because how do you find the resources to keep going? In other words, where do you find opportunities to speak the language or seek it out? Do you know someone who can help you practise? Maybe your aunt speaks the language, your neighbour, or your favourite shop assistant? Alternatively, you can speak the language to your dog or your coffee mug. The important thing is simply to get language out of your mouth!
When motivation drives you, you learn more
Of course, language learning requires hard work and persistence. But that’s not everything. It is also about finding your own inner motivation. Why do you want to learn a foreign language? What drives you, and what do you find interesting? People who succeed in learning foreign languages are often good at finding ways to practise that suit them and inspire them. This might be podcasts on the way home, short texts about topics they are interested in, a few lines in a diary each week, or more targeted use of their favourite apps.
The most important thing is to find resources in your everyday life – activities or social interactions that you actually enjoy – because that is what helps you keep going.
When you know what motivates you and how you learn best, your new language becomes both more enjoyable and easier to stick with. We know it works. That’s why we have developed language coaching at Studieskolen.
What is language coaching?
Language coaching is a short, personal conversation with a teacher who is trained as a language coach.
Together, you will:
- talk about your goals for the language
- identify how you learn best
- define what helps you learn what you want to learn
- activate what motivates you to learn the language
At the end, you will create a concrete plan together, so you can work purposefully and consistently with what you want to learn.
It is important to remember that language coaching is not a replacement for teaching, but a supplement that strengthens your learning. It is through teaching that you learn the language, build vocabulary, and get pronunciation and grammar in place. Coaching gives you the tools to make it work in everyday life.
How does language coaching work in practice?
Maria attends an Italian course, but she feels she can’t say very much, even though she can read and understand quite a lot.
A language coaching session gave her the confidence to speak more, because she created a simple, realistic and appealing plan:
- Listen to many more Italian songs, read the lyrics, sing along and become comfortable with the pronunciation.
- Speak Italian to myself in small everyday dialogues, for example while cooking.
- Meet with a fellow course participant 15 minutes before class and practise short dialogues.
- Say at least one thing out loud in every lesson to challenge my shyness.
These relatively small adjustments quickly led to positive experiences, giving Maria a more relaxed relationship with Italian and helping her start using the language actively. Language coaching clarifies your language goals and brings joy to language learning.
The impact of language coaching
In 2022, we conducted a study at eight upper secondary schools that use language coaching. The results show that when learners understand their own learning process, they take more ownership, become more motivated and have a better experience of making progress.
Here is inspiration from three of our participants who created an action plan after language coaching:
1. Do a little – but do it regularly
Find something you enjoy watching or listening to in the language (series, news, yoga, a song). It doesn’t have to take long, but it works when you do it regularly and turn it into a habit.
2. Do what you already do – but in the language
If you commute, listen to a podcast, music or short exercises in the language instead of what you usually listen to. Go for a walk and think about what the things you see are called in the language. Cook using recipes in the language and change the language settings on your phone.
3. Let enjoyment guide you
Choose topics that interest you and where you can guess many words because you already know the subject well. Love football? Watch matches in the language. Love history? Find books, graphic novels, podcasts or blogs in the language. Love food? Go for programmes in the language – for example, try watching The Great Bake Off in the language. It’s fine if it’s a bit challenging, because curiosity helps you get through the words you don’t (yet) know.
Want to know more or try language coaching?
You can read more about language coaching or book a session here.