9 Scientific Hacks to Accelerate Language Learning

Whether you're aiming to master a new language for traveling abroad, professional purposes, socializing with friends and colleagues, or simply enjoying foreign films, books, and music, you're likely eager to expedite the learning process and achieve fluency as quickly as possible.

Regardless of the language you're learning, patience, persistence, and a long-term mindset are crucial. However, there are methods you can employ to accelerate your learning journey. So, what are the secrets to rapidly acquiring a new language? We've compiled some key research findings to help you make the most efficient use of your time.

1. Consistency and Spaced Practice

Learning a new language requires unwavering dedication, much like embarking on any new adventure. The more you use the language, the more likely you are to persevere. However, the manner in which you learn is also vital—studies suggest that it's more effective to engage in short learning sessions spaced over relatively long intervals rather than attempting to memorize new vocabulary for hours at a time.

This approach, known as spaced repetition practice, has been shown to be highly effective for long-term learning and memory retention.

Why is this? When you cram large amounts of information in a short period, you're likely to forget much of it within a day or two. By spacing out your learning sessions, with, for example, two short practice sessions per day (e.g., 30 minutes each), you'll have more opportunities to digest important concepts and review information you may have forgotten.

2. Immersion in the Language Environment

Research indicates that learners who immerse themselves in a new language, such as by experiencing it firsthand, tend to demonstrate higher levels of fluency. This effect is particularly pronounced when learners are highly motivated to learn and absorb the new language.

If circumstances allow, consider planning a trip abroad to experience the local language and culture firsthand. This will provide opportunities to test your new skills in real-world situations, such as ordering at restaurants or asking for information at grocery stores.

However, even if you can't spend time studying a language abroad, there are still ways to create an immersive environment at home. For example, you can try changing the language settings on your phone and social media accounts, or start enjoying foreign-language music, subtitled films, or even children's books and comics.

3. Learn in Context

One way to convert learned content into long-term memory retention is to add context rather than simply memorizing vocabulary lists. Research indicates that context is crucial for language comprehension. Of course, the extent of this impact also depends on various factors such as the learner's age, literacy skills, and language proficiency.

So, how can you apply this approach to language learning? A good method is to integrate each lesson's theme with aspects of your own life.

For example, if you're learning vocabulary related to holidays, think about your last vacation and consider how you would use the words you just learned to tell someone about it. You can also try to imagine situations in real life where you might use the specific words you're learning, such as ordering food or asking for directions.

4. Focus on Pronunciation First

While we tend to focus on vocabulary memorization when learning a new language, many studies suggest that prioritizing pronunciation may be more beneficial for adult learners.

Research shows that infants and young children are capable of distinguishing between different language sounds, including unfamiliar ones, but as we become more proficient in our native language, we often lose this ability to discriminate sounds.

Considering this, it's worthwhile to spend some time familiarizing yourself with the pronunciation of a language first. This will help train your brain to recognize the unfamiliar intonations of a new language and eventually enable you to reproduce them.

5. Harness the Power of Sleep

Just as spaced learning intervals can help retain new information in memory, research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that a one-hour nap can significantly boost and restore cognitive function.

Studies indicate that the longer we stay awake, the more sluggish our brains become. In fact, sleep deprivation can lead to a nearly 40% decline in the ability to retain new information.

Factual memories are temporarily stored in the hippocampus before being transferred to the prefrontal cortex, and sleep plays a crucial role in clearing the brain's short-term memory storage, making room for the input of new information.

6. Practice with Others

Repetition and consistency are valuable qualities for learning, and receiving real-time feedback is crucial, whether it comes from your teacher or native speakers. While all forms of feedback are valuable, research indicates that immediate feedback leads to greater improvement.

If you don't know anyone with similar language interests, you can try to find language exchange groups in your area or through online channels. Some platforms offer courses with remote speaking instructors where you can open a video call and converse in real-time. You can find language tutors from around the world who can tailor your language practice sessions.

7. Break Down Big Goals into Smaller Ones

Setting language learning goals is a good way to track progress and maintain motivation, provided those goals seem achievable.

Familiarize yourself with SMART goal setting—To motivate learning and improve efficiency, your goals should be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

So, rather than setting the overall goal of learning Spanish, German, or French, it's better to set smaller goals first and then check them off the list. For example, your goals might be to practice for at least 20 minutes every day, learn and use at least two new words daily, or engage in a 5-minute conversation on a topic of interest.

8. Don't Pursue Perfection

Often, we try to memorize long lists of vocabulary, and when this action doesn't immediately lead to success, it can be a bit discouraging. However, striving for perfection should not be your primary goal when learning a new language.

You may have heard that we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes, and research supports this notion. A study at Baycrest's Rotman Research Institute in Toronto found that learners' ability to acquire new information was better when they made mistakes that they could have easily avoided than when they made no mistakes at all.

So, instead of worrying about making mistakes, consider every attempt to speak a new language as a learning opportunity. In most cases, native speakers will appreciate your efforts to learn their language and will do their best to help you correct any errors during the learning process.

9. Maintain an Enjoyable Attitude

Another method for quickly learning a new language involves deriving pleasure from it and finding ways to enjoy the learning process. The British Cohort Study, which surveyed approximately 17,000 people born in England, Scotland, and Wales in 1970, found that reading for pleasure can enhance language skills and even mathematical abilities.

When we perceive an activity as "fun," it's not just because it presents new ideas and concepts but also because it exhibits greater appeal and enjoyment, which, in turn, encourages us to delve deeper into a subject to fill in the gaps in our knowledge.

Given this, try to view your efforts to learn a foreign language as an opportunity—to become a lifelong learner, to continue improving existing skills. When contemplating how to better learn a language quickly, remember these scientifically backed techniques to motivate yourself, gain momentum, and achieve personal goals.