When I took Spanish in high school, I rarely studied during the semester, let alone during Christmas or Summer break. Maybe the week before classes resumed, I may scramble for my list of verb conjugations and important vocabulary words, but that was it. It wasn't enough to learn the language, or even relearn it.
I realized that breaks can be detrimental when I started again with German. You might be able to make it two weeks without loosing too much, but even then you'll need time and dedication just to recall what you last studied, let alone what you studied at the beginning of your course.
No one is saying you need to bind yourself to a chair and force the language down your throat. I've been there - it doesn't help. Instead, I found it's better to spend 10-30 minutes a day reviewing, especially if your goal is just to keep up with a college or high school course. And you can do this multiple ways:
One is to simply take your textbook and reread grammar and vocabulary. But I don't have to tell you that this route is the most boring one you can take.
For vocabulary, I tend to use Memrise, a flashcard program. You can create your own set or use someone else's. You might even find your textbook! This free program also encourages you to make interesting and fun memes for words as a memory exercise. If you get a word wrong in spelling or multiple choice, you'll get to see it again along with your meme. In addition, this program uses a spaced repetition model to help you retain what you've been over. Basically, after a certain amount of time, words that you've already mastered are readmitted into your study stack, giving you a chance to brush up.
I've gotten really addicted to this program over the past few months. There are some study sets for movies. For example, I used this set for the first 10 minutes of the German film Goodbye, Lenin!, and after finishing my study-set, I could watch the opening scene without subtitles! You can also download an app on your phone, so you can practice just about anywhere.
Another great way is simply to write, whether it be a diary, a short story, or just information about your family and friends. Of course this depends on your level, but I find that writing not only helps me practice vocabulary, but also grammar - without having to reread all the rules! Also, because you are writing things relevant or interesting to you, the vocabulary will stick better. And of course, if you have someone you can speak with, you should do that too!
I also like to do small things related to what we've learned. Sometimes I'll take a topic that we've discussed - let's say, the weather, and I'll google weather report videos. One video may be two to three minutes, and I may watch a few of these. That will be my review for the day. The more you use the words in context, the better they will stick. Listening practice also gives you an idea of the natural flow of the language. When I was recovering from jet-lag, I used this form from Saudi Arabia. It has English underneath the Arabic, but it let me practice reading and writing basic information.
No matter what method you use to study, whether it's what I've suggested or not, the main idea is to study for a short amount of time everyday during extended holidays. A few days off are never bad, but as scholarships and finishing general education requirements are important to all students, 30 minutes a day reviewing language material is better than trying to cram it all in the last few days of the break.
I realized that breaks can be detrimental when I started again with German. You might be able to make it two weeks without loosing too much, but even then you'll need time and dedication just to recall what you last studied, let alone what you studied at the beginning of your course.
No one is saying you need to bind yourself to a chair and force the language down your throat. I've been there - it doesn't help. Instead, I found it's better to spend 10-30 minutes a day reviewing, especially if your goal is just to keep up with a college or high school course. And you can do this multiple ways:
One is to simply take your textbook and reread grammar and vocabulary. But I don't have to tell you that this route is the most boring one you can take.
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| Screenshot from memrise.com |
For vocabulary, I tend to use Memrise, a flashcard program. You can create your own set or use someone else's. You might even find your textbook! This free program also encourages you to make interesting and fun memes for words as a memory exercise. If you get a word wrong in spelling or multiple choice, you'll get to see it again along with your meme. In addition, this program uses a spaced repetition model to help you retain what you've been over. Basically, after a certain amount of time, words that you've already mastered are readmitted into your study stack, giving you a chance to brush up.
I've gotten really addicted to this program over the past few months. There are some study sets for movies. For example, I used this set for the first 10 minutes of the German film Goodbye, Lenin!, and after finishing my study-set, I could watch the opening scene without subtitles! You can also download an app on your phone, so you can practice just about anywhere.
Another great way is simply to write, whether it be a diary, a short story, or just information about your family and friends. Of course this depends on your level, but I find that writing not only helps me practice vocabulary, but also grammar - without having to reread all the rules! Also, because you are writing things relevant or interesting to you, the vocabulary will stick better. And of course, if you have someone you can speak with, you should do that too!
I also like to do small things related to what we've learned. Sometimes I'll take a topic that we've discussed - let's say, the weather, and I'll google weather report videos. One video may be two to three minutes, and I may watch a few of these. That will be my review for the day. The more you use the words in context, the better they will stick. Listening practice also gives you an idea of the natural flow of the language. When I was recovering from jet-lag, I used this form from Saudi Arabia. It has English underneath the Arabic, but it let me practice reading and writing basic information.
No matter what method you use to study, whether it's what I've suggested or not, the main idea is to study for a short amount of time everyday during extended holidays. A few days off are never bad, but as scholarships and finishing general education requirements are important to all students, 30 minutes a day reviewing language material is better than trying to cram it all in the last few days of the break.
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