So you’re interested in learning a new language? Congratulations! Learning a new language can be exciting but, often times, daunting. Never fear (and we mean that!); here’s a list of five things successful language learners do differently. Read on to find some useful tips to help you reach your language potential.

1.Set goals: Successful language learners define exactly what they want to achieve when they start learning a new language. Before you begin tackling a foreign language, take a few minutes to outline your personal expectations. Say, for example, you are planning a trip to Spain next spring. During the first month of lessons, set a goal to learn some basic greeting and dining phrases. If you do not set goals, you may find yourself straying from your initial intentions, and taking on too much at once. Transparent Connect online language courses can help you avoid such problems; our experienced language instructors can assist you in defining your goals, and staying on track.

2.Do a little bit every day: This might seem like a no-brainer, but for many, finding the time to dedicate to learning a new language can be tricky. One of the keys, as successful language learners know, is that you must reserve a little bit of time every day. For example, many Transparent Connect students report tackling one lesson every morning while drinking their coffee. Be realistic; as part of your goals, set a reasonable amount of time you want to spend learning a new language each day. Transparent Connect features an interactive curriculum that allows you to work your way through learning activities, and pick up right where you left off.

3.Have the right learning aides: We’re all different. Therefore, there is no “one size fits all” method to learning a foreign language. Successful language learners realize that tools suitable to your learning style provide a better language experience. If you’re an auditory learner, try listening to native music and radio, watching native television, and buying audio books in the target language. Transparent Connect features activities, such as pronunciation and dictation tools, where a native speaker helps you get a proper sense of the language. If you’re a more visual learner, it will be to your benefit to relate words and scenarios to pictures. Transparent Connect also features flash card games to help jog your memory of words and phrases.

4.Gain real-life experience: Whether that means going to a foreign country or finding people in your area who speak the language you are learning, successful language learners know the importance of immersing themselves with native speakers. At Transparent Connect, our online instructors are either native-born to their language or have spent an extended period of time in the corresponding foreign country. With Transparent Connect, you will be sure to gain experience with instructors who are not only qualified to teach their language, but can also give you the native interaction you need.

5.Set all fears aside: The most successful language learners are not afraid to make mistakes. One of the biggest problems beginners have is that they are afraid to make mistakes, whether in an online classroom or in person. Successful language learners make themselves vulnerable in a classroom; they learn from their mistakes, and use that knowledge to further their education. According to Transparent Connect Spanish instructor David Carmona, those students who make mistakes and continue to try again are able to advance more quickly than those who sit silently in a classroom.

Transparent Connect helps people of all ages to reach their full-language potential. With Transparent Connect, an experienced online language instructor can help you to follow these five tips and become a successful language learner.