It takes a lot of effort to learn how to speak French. There are many different sides to it as well. It is not enough to learn grammar or vocabulary, you will also have to learn how to pronounce French, the intonation, spelling... and eventually combine all what you have learned to a whole language you can use to communicate with people. You probably already know it but let's say it anyway: the only way to learn to speak French is to study and  practice. But wait, there IS one thing you can do to learn French easily. You cannot escape the studying but you can make sure you are using the right methods.

What are the best methods then, you might ask. That is a question only you can answer, because everyone is different. You need to define your individual learning style. Once you know what your preferred learning style is, you can simply adjust your French learning methods accordingly. Don't waste time on methods which don't work for you! Once you have the right learning tools, you will notice that it is easier for you to learn the language.

People are either holistic or analytic learners or in other words, use either their right or their right brain hemisphere more. There is no better or worse ways, just different ways to learn. We usually have traits from both groups, but one learning style will still feel more like "you" once you start looking into them.

Once you have the right learning tools, studying will also be more enjoyable and effective. Try using mainly the methods which work the best for you, but add some other means of learning as well to activate the other hemisphere as well. Using both left and right brain thinking when studying is the ultimate learning method, because you need so many different skills when learning a new language. Learning grammar rules by heart won't get you far if you don't remember any French vocabulary. If you actually want to communicate with others, you will have to learn to understand spoken French and also start learning how to speak French fluently. Take advantage of your whole brain power while studying! 

It can be difficult to make yourself a versatile enough study plan and choose materials so that you will get all the benefits. Luckily you don't have to do it yourself. The best French courses are able to do just that: they introduce learning material which automatically makes the student process the new information in more than one way. If you are wondering how to learn French, consider using a French language learning software which you can find online! You will use different learning techniques without even noticing it! However, being aware of your personal learning style is still beneficial for you. You can use the information in any learning situation.

Published in Advice