Hi there!
This is Mirari from MosaLingua.
Practicing with a native speaker in the language you’re learning
without even leaving your couch?
It’s not only possible, but it can also be super fun
and, with a few tricks,
might really help you make a lot of progress in your target language.
So keep watching, because today I’ll give you the 7 golden rules
of studying with a language partner
and making the most of your language exchanges.
Before I go on, please be sure you subscribe to our channel and click the bell icon
so you don’t miss any of our new videos about language learning.
Done?
Great!
Find a partner who is at the same level as you
If you play a sport, competing with someone who is as good at the game as you are
makes it way more fun, doesn’t it?
Well… the same goes for language partners.
For example, in an English-Spanish exchange,
if your partner speaks Spanish better than you speak English,
Spanish will likely be the dominant language during the conversation
and you might end up making less progress in English.
Change partners if you aren’t making progress
There are people who you can chat with for hours
without ever running out of things to say.
Yet with others, you constantly run into awkward silences
which seem impossible to break.
It all comes down to how well you mesh with, or get along with, each other.
There’s no use in forcing yourself to talk to somebody you can’t really relate to.
If you aren’t satisfied after a few conversations, just find a new partner!
Establish starting times
To start off on the right foot, it’s best to set clear expectations from the beginning.
If you can only meet for an hour at a time,
split the first meeting into two 30-minute sessions
and give yourselves a few minutes at the beginning to set things up
in whichever language is easiest for both of you.
You need to decide on the best times to meet and find out if you will be able
to set up another conversation in the future.
Scheduling is one thing that language exchange websites and apps can facilitate.
Avoid the topic of grammar
Don’t waste your learning time asking your partner about grammar rules.
You’re much better off investing in a textbook
or using online resources for this.
When most of us learn our mother tongue, we do it naturally
and not by memorizing grammar rules.
As a result, we just know if something “sounds” right or wrong
not the reason why.
To make the most of your conversations
use your time together to practice.
You can learn grammar on your own!
Prepare for your conversations beforehand
Even if your topics are basic at the beginning,
such as “where are you from,”
“what are you studying,” or “why are you learning my language,”
you need these discussions to be planned ahead of time.
Learn how to keep these conversations alive
so you don’t run out of things to say.
It doesn’t even take much effort.
All you need to do is to find 2-3 articles online
or come up with more elaborate topics, like sports or work,
to introduce if you feel the conversation is slowing down.
Decide how you will handle corrections
While some people don’t mind being interrupted,
others would rather save corrections for the end.
Personally, I feel the latter is more productive.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Besides, today’s language learning methods
are far more focused on natural, fluid conversation
than they are on perfect grammar or pronunciation.
However, if you find yourself routinely making the same errors,
it’s a good idea to revisit those issues later.
And, of course, the MosaLingua apps are perfect for this!
Switch up partners
It’s best to have 2-3 people you can chat with and rely on
to be available when you have time to practice.
After a while, you’ll learn the best methods for studying with a language partner
including the right one for you.
Try to have at least two speaking partners
so you can get used to different accents.
As always, let us know what you’ve learned
about studying with a language partner,
and leave us your questions in the comments section
if you need some help getting started!
Well, that’s all for today.
I hope you’ll be able to try these tips out with your own conversation partners.
See you soon!
If you learned something new from this video,
give it a thumbs up.
Then, hit subcribe and turn on your notifications.
Have a look around our channel for more hacks and tips.
And if you're watching on another social media platform,
like of follow our page.
See you next time!