You may have heard that it gets harder and harder to learn new languages as you get older, and it's true that children have an easier time picking up a second or third language than an adult with a fully developed brain -- but that doesn't mean that learning a new language as an adult is impossible.
In fact, with new advancements in technology that make learning languages much easier than it was even a decade ago, if you're trying to pick up a new language for your business needs, you can be speaking with relative fluidity in no time. So if you're looking for a few more tech-based ways to learn a language as an adult, then here's what you need to know about educational media.
1. Language Websites
No, not online translation tools or dictionaries -- actual websites such as Duolingo or the Foreign Services Institute are designed to get you reading, writing, and speaking as quickly as possible, as well as building your vocabulary and your confidence incrementally. These websites range from free to subscription-based, but they all have one thing in common: they're designed to help you get a handle on your new language as quickly and effectively as possible.
2. Online Classes
The most traditional approach, online classes are still a tech-based option for those who don't live on college campuses or don't have the money to enroll as a university student. Online classes allow you to attend via video calls, giving you access to a class and an experienced teacher without all of the commuting that your busy business schedule doesn't leave time for. Though the classroom might be virtual, the concepts --and the progress you make -- within the class are very real, and they can help you quickly learn the basics before progressing to harder and harder material.
3. Phone Apps
Whether as a business professional or even in your everyday life, let's face it -- you're probably rarely without your phone, and more than likely spend hours a day playing games, surfing the web, or texting your friends. New language learning apps, however, like Busuu, HelloTalk, or Drops, give you all the convenience of an app with the in-depth learning of a college course. These apps don't just help you learn via flashcards and games, however -- they also give you the chance to chat with native speakers of your target language in order to learn what speaking in that language is really like.
