In recent years, a wide array of alternative language learning methods has emerged.
Games and even music-based language learning are examples of new methods that may have been disregarded just a few decades ago as frivolous.
Many of these alternative methods are now widely accepted as helpful and productive methods of language learning.
As computers and the internet have emerged, they've also been applied to language learning.
Being able to easily combine graphics, sounds and animation have allowed teachers and computer professionals to make new tools for students of language to use.
While the methods of language learning have expanded greatly over the past quarter century, something that has remained constant is that each person must find their own preferred ways of learning.
Students can make a real difference in the pace and success of their language learning if they first find the most effective methods for them.
A little known secret to finding the best method for you to learn a language is to harness the power of asking yourself effective questions.
A teacher once told me how the questions that we ask ourselves have the power to help us find solutions to our most vexing problems and challenges.
This method of finding answers within yourself comes from the theory that your mind is always subconsciously looking for answers to the questions you ask yourself.
Furthermore, you can harness this power to help you, as long as you ask the right kinds of questions to yourself.
In challenging circumstances, you may find that you ask yourself pretty unhelpful questions like, "How could I have been so stupid" or "Why does this always happen to me?" In language learning, these might take the form, "Why can't I learn French?!" or "Why is learning French so frustrating?!" Even if you were to get the answers to these kinds of "why" questions, the answers wouldn't be helpful at all.
They might be something like, "Because you're not smart" or "Because you're unlucky.
" As an alternative, you can cast questions to yourself as empowering questions.
These are questions that, if answered, would actually benefit you and get you closer to solving your problem.
For language learners, these good questions can help you unlock what are the most effective ways to learn a language.
If you're having trouble with, say, French verbs, you might ask a question in this format, "What's a better way for me to learn French verbs?" or "How can I learn French verbs fast and have fun doing it?" If you focus on these kinds of solution-oriented questions, you'll find some new ideas come to mind that you might not have thought of before.
That's because you're focusing the power of your mind on discovering helpful solutions, ones that your mind has always known, unconsciously.
Asking good questions is not something that comes naturally to most people.
However, if you discipline yourself to ask good questions, it will help you gain access to your hidden creativity and task your subconscious mind with helping you find the best ways for you to learn.
As a test of this technique, take a few moments for a short brainstorming session.
Get a pen and paper and sit down and ask yourself a question like, "What activity would make learning French (or whatever language you're learning) easier and more fun for me?" Write down any ideas that immediately come to mind, and continue asking, "What other activities would make learning French easier?" As you continue to ask, your mind will come up with ideas that you never thought of before.
Just keep asking your mind to reveal the answers that it knows, and, if you're like most people, you'll get some answers.
The more you apply this technique, the more you'll see just how powerful it is.
Just remember that it's not something most people are used to doing, so keep at it.
If you do, you'll find out just how your own mind can teach you how you can learn languages better.