Study Preparation: the Key to Learning a Language Faster

Welcome to my series of articles in which I show you exactly how I'm learning foreign languages every day.

In these articles, I talk about how I'm using my Core Study Time – a 30-45 minute period at the start of every day, which I set aside for intensive study. Today, we're looking at study preparation and how it helps your language learning.

Before you read this post, you should go back and check out the first two posts in the series:

Speaking of core study time, I've discovered that reading stories daily in my target language is the best way to learn fast while having fun.

That's why my courses teach you through StoryLearning®, a fun and effective method that gets you fluent thanks to stories, not rules. Find out more and claim your free 7-day trial of the course of your choice.

How To Make Study Preparation Part Of Your Routine

Talking regularly with native speakers is a huge part of my language routine. And no wonder, as consistency and getting over the fear of talking by doing it are keys to fluency.

But one of the side-effects of regular lessons is I don't always plan them … I just turn up and speak!

A study preparation routine aims to prepare for your conversations in a foreign language, so they are more effective.

I've always found that taking the time to plan my speaking practice can elevate it from good to great.

If you know you've got a lesson later in the day, plan what you'll do in advance.

Your morning routine is the perfect time to do this while you're fresh and can focus.

Here's how I prepare for my language lessons with my tutor.

Step 1: Decide On A Topic For Your Lesson

Lessons can often be unfocused.

You can jump around from one topic to the next or leave it up to the teacher to decide.

That can be fine, but I like to be in control of my learning.

If you cover 10 topics in a lesson, you won't remember much from any of them. But if you spend the whole class discussing one topic, you're going to use related vocabulary many times over and be more familiar with it by the end.

You know best what your weaknesses are, your teacher can only make assumptions. For that reason, when you have a lesson, you should focus on topics or vocabulary you struggle with, rather than those you're most confident with.

Step 1 in your study preparation is to decide on the topic of the lesson.

How do you decide on the topic?

Think:

What do I talk about with my friends and family?
What would I like to be able to talk about in my new language?
What would help me if I could discuss it effectively?

Somewhere in there is your answer. Here are some other ideas for inspiration:

Talk about the place you live, what you like about it, and what you dislike.
Discuss one of your favourite hobbies – chances are you'll have much to say about the matter.
If your vocabulary allows it, talk about current affairs and the news.
Tell your tutor about a book you recently read and your opinion about it.
Speak about your aspirations – something you'd like to do in the future and why.
Discuss travel – maybe you want to learn this language so you can travel to a place where they speak it, talk about this and why it's important to you.

I'll often stick to one topic for a number of lessons. I like the repetition. Although it can feel a little artificial, repeating the same vocabulary over and over is excellent practice.

Step 2: Choose Vocabulary To Focus On

Unless it's a brand new topic, you should have a list of vocabulary somewhere related to the topic you've chosen (probably in your notebook).

Your upcoming lesson is a chance to practise that vocabulary by using it in real conversation.

At this stage, it can be tempting to say: “I'm going to practise it all!”

But actually, I prefer to select a small number of really useful words and phrases and decide to practise them instead. So I look over everything I've previously “learnt” on the topic and select my favourites.

Why does this step matter?

You learn through repetition.

If you're always looking to learn something new, you'll never learn anything properly.

So here (and throughout all my learning), I'm always trying to identify what's most important, and focus my energies on learning that.

Decide which vocabulary you want to try out before your lesson, you'll get the opportunity to put it into context, and it will stick.

Step 3: Put It Down On Paper

This is a practicality…but an important one.

You've chosen your topic.

You've selected the vocabulary you want to practise.

But how are you going to make sure you use it in the lesson?

Simple: Put it somewhere you'll see it!

For me, this means writing the words and phrases down on a piece of paper and having them in front of me whilst I'm speaking.

I can then refer to the paper easily throughout the lesson to make sure I cover everything I want to. It's a simple tip, but it will make your lesson more structured, less random, and you'll get more out of it.

You could even send the vocabulary you want to focus on in the lesson to your teacher in advance. That way, they can shift the conversation in the direction you want. This works wonders for keeping the lesson focused and not going off on a tangent.

Step 4: Get Speaking!

During your lesson, use the words and phrases you've written down as much as possible.

Don't worry if it's unnatural or sounds forced.

You're there to practice.

If they're any good, your teacher will pick up on the fact you're trying to learn that vocabulary and help feed it into the conversation too.

Speak as much as you can during your lesson, this is your opportunity to shine and show what you know. If you get stuck, don't be afraid to ask your teacher for a little guidance, that's what they are there for!

Step 5: Ask For Homework

After the lesson finishes, ask your teacher for homework. That way, you'll HAVE to do some more work on the vocabulary you went through in class. Repetition is the key to retaining information, so the more you can reiterate what you learnt, the better.

Also, having homework forces you to sit down and focus. When you do this, you can take an extra 10-15 minutes to plan what you want to study in your next class.

If you're only taking a class with a teacher once a week, try to carve out a little time every day for your language learning. If you only do the homework and forget about your language until the next lesson, you aren't going to make much progress.

Consistency is key when it comes to language learning, so try to carve out a window every day for some core study time. It doesn't need to be a whole hour, just 15-20 minutes is enough to keep what you learnt at the front of your mind.

You could also ask your teacher if they can recommend relevant articles, podcasts, or TV shows about the topic you discussed in your last class. That way you can go deeper into the subject and add even more new words to your vocabulary.

The more study you do outside of your lesson, the more you'll get from it when it comes around.

Start Preparing Your Study Time In Advance

With a little study preparation and advanced planning, you can maximize the use of your time with a language tutor. If you plan your lessons, you won't waste time going over concepts or vocabulary you already know, and you'll have a more structured approach to learning.

A structured approach with your teacher can help you make progress and achieve your language learning goals faster.

What are you waiting for? Start taking control over your learning and get planning your next study session.

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.

How To Make Study Preparation Part Of Your Routine