Spanish Lessons Leeds

Spanish Lessons Leeds Mapping Spanish Classes in Leeds ChaptersFinding Spanish Lessons in LeedsWhat to Look for When Arranging for Spanish ClassesLearn Spanish with a Spanish TutorRain and drizzle fall from a gunmetal sky. It’s cold and wet in Leeds this time of year; some wonder if the sun will ever shine again.If we told you the sun is shining in Madrid right now, would you pack your bags with a swiftness? After all, there are 14 different ways to get to Spain from Leeds; some of them take only a few hours!Eagerly you search the attic; where did you put those suitcases?Wait; not so fast! How will you communicate once you get there?Granted, English is the lingua franca of these modern times but that doesn’t mean that everyone understands even a modicum of English.No, it would be much better if you learned a bit of Spanish before setting out.Besides, learning a second language has proven health and cognitive benefits, so why wouldn’t you study the language of Cervantes?And then, by the time you return home from your vacaciones en e l sol â€" holiday in the sun, you may have already decided to continue your Spanish language studies.You so enjoy the mellifluous tones of spoken Spanish...Say no more!Superprof is on task to find you the very best Spanish courses in and around Leeds, suitable for A-Level candidates and younger, adventurers looking for new horizons to explore or desperados craving type of sunshine that can only be found near the equator.For the wealth of Spanish courses available to Loiners, one might say nothing could be easier than finding Spanish classes!In fact, if you are enrolled at the University of Leeds, you may already be working toward fluency through their Spanish language program. Take note, A-Level candidates: this may be the course for you!What if you’re not headed to university or there already but still want to learn how to speak Spanish?Leeds City College would be the place for you. There, you could find a range of lessons, from beginner Spanish to intermediate level lessons.What ’s so great about these courses is that they intertwine language and culture so that you get a deeper understanding of the language, its roots and the people who speak Spanish.The downside is that they are not necessarily suitable for children younger than, say 14 years old.If you are planning for your entire family to study Spanish together, we may have to direct you elsewhere...We’ll discuss those options in our next segment.Suppose you are in a real hurry to grasp the fundamentals of Spanish vocabulary and grammar ahead of your holiday. You could sign up for intensive language training with Cactus.Established 20 years ago in the UK, the Cactus learning network has expanded to include language tutors and training schools all over the world!You would think that such a facility would have a hefty price list but you might be surprised to know that Spanish courses are their lowest-priced!So reputable is Cactus that their client list reads like a Who’s Who of the business world: Tripadvisor, Siemens, Eurostar... You?They don’t just teach Business Spanish or Medical Spanish for people going abroad for work, either. Indeed, Cactus does private as well as corporate language training, either one to one or in small groups.See? That’s the perfect solution for your family to learn together!Are you curious about how families learn Spanish in Birmingham?We would be remiss if we failed to mention you could learn Spanish at the Instituto Cervantes.The Cervantes Institute is dedicated to teaching the languages of Spain as well as the diffusion of Spanish culture in different Spanish speaking countries.Languages of Spain? Plural?  That is a salient point, Dear Learner.Not only is there more than one type of Spanish spoken in Spain and all of its outposts, such as Majorca, but the Spanish spoken in Chile is vastly different than what you would hear in Argentina or Mexico.We’ll discuss that in our next segment; for now, let us talk about the Spanish courses on offer at this wonderful Institut.Their courses are set up to mirror the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, with A1 representing absolute beginners, B2 being high-intermediate and C1 being fluent.Their language classes, taught by native speakers, are meant to be progressive; as you move from basic Spanish to the next level, you would build your vocabulary and grammar foundation that will support any future learning.The best part about learning Spanish at Instituto Cervantes is that your learning will be well-rounded.Instead of following a language learning guidebook â€" first greetings, then directions and then colours and numbers and so on, you will be immersed into the very culture of Spain, both through your curriculum and participation in cultural activities the institute regularly hosts.They even offer preparation for Spanish language exams and online tutoring!  There’s that word again... tutoring: we’re getting there; promise!What if you need Spanish classes i n Manchester?If you intend to explore the works of Gaudi in Barcelona, you'd better learn to speak Catalan! Source: Wikipedia Credit: BaikonourWhat to Look for When Arranging for Spanish ClassesTo our knowledge, Instituto Cervantes is the only language training school in the UK that specifies which type of Spanish they teach.As we mentioned before, this is a very important point to consider when arranging Spanish lessons.If you were learning Spanish to travel or relocate to Spain, the language you learn should depend on the region you intend to frequent.Whether you are a potential holidaymaker or a prospective international student in any of Spain’s fabulous universities, at some point you will surely have a conversation with native speakers.Castilian Spanish is not the same as Catalan and both of these are wholly different languages than Mexican or the Spanish they speak in anywhere in South America â€" should any of those countries be your desired destination.For this reason, yo u should make sure your Spanish teacher or tutor will instruct you on the language that will suit your goals.Spanish teachers in London are especially mindful of which type of Spanish they teach...Learn Spanish with a Spanish TutorFinally, we get to what we’ve been alluding to all along: engaging a private tutor to teach you Spanish!There are many advantages to working with a tutor; the main one being is that your Spanish learning is tailored specifically to your language learning needs.Do you wish for more emphasis on conversational Spanish or do you think equal time should be spent on reading and writing? Whatever your learning goals are, a home tutor will work hard to help you reach them.That contrasts with classroom learning which tends to be more of a set curriculum; where your learning is guided by the professional leading the class.A further benefit is that tutors often work with small groups of learners, so if you and your family or you and a group of friends wish to learn together, your tutor would happily oblige!You should, of course, discuss such matters in your initial consultation. It wouldn’t do to arrange for private lessons and then show up for class with a group of people!Obviously, when we think ‘tutor’, the first answer is Superprof.Leeds is home to more than 45 Superprof tutors, any of which would work with you in your home, their home or online.Mostly, they are native speakers of Spanish, with a few bilingual Spanish speakers thrown in.Ana has taught at private academies and secondary schools; she also teaches adults and young childrenMadeleine is a language virtuoso whose focus is teaching conversational Spanish; she has earned high praise as a Spanish teacher!Franco-Antonio is doing his postgrad work at the University of Leeds. He has a wealth of experience tutoring his native Spanish to school-aged children and adultsEsther teaches Spanish to students as young as three; she also works with students preparing for exams and adults .All of these tutors and others have a proven track record of teaching success and the credentials to affirm their ability to teach Spanish.Perhaps more enticingly, the average rate for a Superprof Spanish tutor in Leeds is £18 per hour and they all offer their first hour of lessons at no cost!How much does a Spanish tutor in Glasgow or Edinburgh charge?Exploring wildlife in Costa Rica would call for a different Spanish altogether! Source: Pixabay Credit: Fintan O'BrienFind out the best places to take Spanish lessons in Belfast and Cardiff here.One couldn’t say the same for Spanish tutors on the Italki platform... although to be fair, Italki tutors post a discounted rate for their introductory sessions.Italki is a tutoring marketplace where you first create your learning profile, after which you would peruse tutor profiles to select a possible match.Through their built-in scheduling utility, you would then select your meeting time and, logging in to Skype, your sessions begin!Eve rything happens online; learning as well as payment. No chance of an Italki tutor materialising on your doorstep.The same holds true with Live Lingua, whose tutors do permit no charge for their first lesson.However, unlike Italki, Live Lingua tutors do not set their own rates, so you have a more even price range to budget for.Furthermore, if you pay in advance for a block of lessons, you will be treated to a discounted per-lesson rate!Are you feeling a sunny Spanish getaway coming on?Lessons first! Your Spanish teacher will be delighted to help you make the most of your holiday by making sure you learn Spanish quickly and well.But s/he probably won’t help you pack.

What Are The Best Ways to Learn Russian

What Are The Best Ways to Learn Russian Best Learning Methods for the Russian Language ChaptersHow to Learn Russian on Your OwnSpeaking Russian: What Are the Principal Difficulties to Watch Out For?How Long Until One Speaks Russian?Is It Possible to Work in Russia Without Learning Russian?Can You Learn to Speak Russian Quickly?Russian is spoken by 260 million speakers and is considered the third most complex language to learn according to the MosaLingua learning platform.So what are the best ways to learn to speak Russian like a local?There are enough American companies that are well established in Russia. This will make your job when trying to seek a job easier.Can You Learn to Speak Russian Quickly?Even if Russian is deemed difficult, if you have a good learning method and great motivation, you can quickly learn the basics of Russian.After a few Russian language lessons, a learner will master the alphabet and some essential Russian expressions. This means it will be possible for the learner to have a basic conversation with a native after a few weeks or months. The f ocus will be on speaking rather than on any one grammatical aspect so as not to be discouraging at first.It will take a little more time for the learner to reach an intermediate level or even an advanced level.  We do not master all the subtleties of a language in a few weeks.Linguistic experts believe that for someone to be fluent in Dostoevsky's language, it takes about ten years. To boast an advanced level, it takes between 2 to 5 years, depending on, of course, the pace of the learning, the seriousness of the learner, and the methodology used.MosaLingua or Babbel offer turnkey solutions to take Russian classes online and improve quickly.Taking some private lessons with a tutor is not useless either, especially if your budget allows it. It will help you pronounce complicated words or learn more about Russian culture, for example.Searching for Russian course London  still produces the most results for Russian tutors but there is a lot more choice if you're willing to learn Russian online.Finally, working a little every day, we can not say enough, is the best way to progress quickly and hope to master the Russian language quickly.If you are going to live in the biggest country on Earth, check out our article about expat life in Russia.In short:Several methods are available to a beginner in the Russian language: learning alone, taking classes, learning with a native Russian Skype correspondent...It's up to you to choose the method that suits you best.Just keep in mind that Russian is a language that holds some difficulties such as: the alphabet, phonetics, or grammar. But nothing is insurmountable with the right amount of work and rigor.Becoming bilingual in Russian takes between 5 and 10 years but mastering the basics of conversation is possible in a few weeks or months at the most.Finally, if you are hoping to go work in Russia, it is better to have some basics in the language if you want to find work more easily.

Theres More to Getting a Promotion Than Great Results - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / There’s More to Getting a Promotion Than Great Results - Introvert Whisperer There’s More to Getting a Promotion Than Great Results A tough lesson many Introvert Leaders sometimes don’t learn is that getting a promotion is much more than simply performing well. If you think about what I’m saying for a minute, you’ll realize that it’s true. What other reason can you possibly come up with for seeing unqualified or lesser skilled people get promoted ahead of you? Performing well is not enough to get you a promotion. (Tweet this!) Do I have your attention? Many of us introverts seem to think that to hunker down and deliver amazing results is enough. To make matters worse, when we see self-promotion or sucking up to the boss, we get self righteous about the dynamic, thinking we’re above it all. Is this you? If so, you’re in for a disappointing and frustrating future. You MUST Create Value for the Boss Of course delivering well in your job is important. You also have to be savvy enough to realize the other things to keep your eye on. There are several moving parts to creating value in the mind of the person who holds power over your next paycheck. You understand their priorities. If you don’t spend time learning what is most important to the boss and then delivering, you fail. Those priorities may or may not have much to do with your job responsibility but it’s your job to find out. You have their back. The boss is between a rock (upper management) and a hard place (you, your peers and the business results). They have a cast of characters to make happy and they’re out there on their own. Are you helping them look good up the food chain? Are you supporting them? Or just doing your job? You are a whole-system thinker.  If all you do is think about you and your work without looking at the bigger picture of what the “right” thing is, the boss will move on. Getting an employee to think beyond their office is hard to do and usually impossible to accomplish. The boss will simply move on to someone who can think that way. You have a personal relationship. People hire people they like. They also promote people they like. Are you likeable? How would the boss know if you don’t spend time connecting with them? Do you have a good attitude or one they can relate to? You have to help them understand your value. Yes, performing well is important, but you have to help the boss understand the eloquence of what you accomplished. Have you done that? You can think it’s their job to know what you’re doing all day long. Does that ensure they really know? No, that’s your job to constantly be informing the boss what you do, why it’s great and why they should care. The person that creates the greatest value in the mind of the boss will get paid more and get the promotions more frequently. That is the point of your career, isn’t it? You can call this being a suck up, boss’s favorite or whatever label you want to put on it. The point is that in order for you to make the climb up the leadership ladder, you have to give management a reason to help you climb. Go to top What’s the hardest obstacle for you to overcome when it comes to working with your boss? Let us know in the comments! Image: Flickr Power-Influence-Office Politics: it comes down to your Strategic Relationships and understanding of how you build each one of these elements. I want to help you accelerate your career by connecting you with your Free Instant Access to my video that outlines all of this and meaningful actions you can take today!  Start watching now by clicking here! Brought to you by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran â€" dedicated to unleashing your professional potential. Introvert Whisperer

Common Problems in Interviewing from the Interviewers Perspective

Common Problems in Interviewing from the Interviewer’s Perspective The following piece was written by Jason Lum. Jason has been featured in our Admissions Expert series and is a former application reviewer for the Harvard University Admissions Office. He is the president and founder of ScholarEdge College Consulting. I have conducted alumni interviews with prospective students at Harvard University and Washington University in St. Louis for many years. For me, it is a labor of love; I enjoyed attending both schools. Moreover, I find it enjoyable to volunteer my time to help students learn more about these universities, as well as to help the admissions offices of both institutions learn more about their applicants. Even though fall is my busiest time of year, interviewing students is something I greatly look forward to. However, many students are terrified by the prospect of these interviews. This has absolutely nothing to do with the students stories they usually have great stories to tell about their lives in school and outside the classroom. In addition, interviewers want students to succeed in their interviews. So whats the problem? For starters, many students have never been told what to expect, how to prepare, and what impresses and irritates alumni interviewers. For both parents and students, here are some things to watch out for, based on my 15 years of experience interviewing students. Problem #1: Each interviewer is different There is a fundamental misunderstanding about who becomes an alumni interviewer. You become an interviewerby simply volunteering to do so. The only thing many interviewers have in common is that they happen to belong to a given colleges local alumni association. Interviewers are not paid. As volunteers, they agree to interview a certain number of applicants each fall, given their usually frenetic schedules. So what does this all mean to the student being interviewed? Parents and students think that we are employees of the college or university who have gone through extensive, annual training to be very, very good at what we do. The truth is that we get little to no training just guidelines about what to ask in general and how to conduct the interview. We are always taught what not to ask about (e.g. religion or sexual orientation), but we have wide flexibility in terms of what we want to ask. This is exactly why students will have no idea about the interviewing style of the interviewer. You may have an interviewer who does all the talking. You may have an interviewer who hardly says anything. The interviewer could be an attorney, homemaker, surgeon you name it. For students, this means that you need to be prepared for a wide variety of interview styles. You will also need to learn to adapt to these different interviewing techniques. Problem #2: Students sometimes dont take the interview seriously Im continuously shocked by how a small minority of students dont seem to take the interview terribly seriously. How can I tell? They will dress like they are going to the beach. They dont even try to establish and maintain eye contact. Some even create problems in setting up the interview. Even though my time is valuable and scarce, a recent student forced me to dramatically rearrange my schedule to accommodate a local, regular-season hockey game that happened the day before. Other examples that Ive seen in recent years: I had a student who met me during my lunch break wearing torn jeans, a faded t-shirt, and a backwards baseball cap. He was also 10 minutes late to the interview. On another occasion, one of my interviewees looked out the window for most of the conversation. No matter who your interviewer is, that volunteer is at least worthy of your attention for half an hour, especially if youre applying to a world-class university. Problem #3: Students may be struggling with shyness Almost all students are initially shy during a college interview, and many students are petrified about this. Thats a shame; as alumni interviewers, we expect our interviewees to be shy initially. Its normal most 17- or 18-year-olds dont have much experience in an interview setting. If the alumni interviewer is doing a good job, he or she should make you feel at ease right from the start. However, if shyness is preventing you from doing a good job, just remember that many college interviews are entirely optional. Its usually a better idea for a student not to interview if he or she is going to be shy and unresponsive for 30 to 40 minutes. That being said, I find that virtually all students I work with can be coached to do very well during the interview even if they are extremely shy in what they perceive to be a high-pressure situation. Problem #4: Students may not anticipate whats going to be asked The most important thing that Im shocked by is the utter lack of anticipation of what might be asked during the interview. An alumni college interview is not a high-pressure interview with a management consulting firm or with Google. Its meant to be conversational. It should be a back-and-forth conversation about why the student wants to go to the school, and a place for the alumni to give the student information about the great things the school has to offer. Spending just a few minutes with pen and paper will probably reveal 90% of the questions youre going to be asked. You can take it as a given that the interviewer is going to ask the student about their best classes, favorite activities, whether they play a sport or an instrument, how they volunteer their time, and all sorts of things about the students hobbies and interests. These questions arent difficult when you know they are going to come up in the interview. Yet students sometimes sit in front of me and pause to think about answers to what are virtually guaranteed questions. Remember that you only have about 40 minutes to talk to your interviewer. That time will seem like five minutes. Dont waste time during the interview searching your mind for an answer to a relatively easy question. A final piece of advice With the advent of smartphones, it is now easier than ever to record yourself doing an interview. A good idea is to have someone with experience interviewingdo a mock interview with you. It may be a high school guidance counselor, a private education consultant, or your favorite relative. Whoever that person is, just set up your phone to record the mock interview. Once the interview concludes, sit with the person and go over every question and how you answered it. Never rehearse your answers: you dont want to come across as staged. This is ultimately a conversation. What the video or soundbite will do is show you any nervous mannerisms that you may be committing unconsciously. Maybe youre tapping your fingers. Maybe youre looking at the ceiling as you answer a question. Maybe youre playing with your hands in a distracting way. Perhaps youre interrupting the interviewer when he or she is asking a question. Ive been doing interview prep for students for such a long time that I can tell you that students never notice these things. They will do things during interviews that they are completely unaware of only because they feel like theyre under a lot of pressure. They focus on their thought processes, not their mannerisms. An experienced interview preparer will walk you through the mock interview, pinpointing all your strengths and weaknesses. In short, do the college interviews because they do add value to your application to a college or university but be sure to engage in some preparation before the interview. Work with people who know how the process works, record yourself practicing, and anticipate the questions. And please, no torn jeans and t-shirts even if the interview is in Florida in August. Check out ScholarEdge College Consultingfor more information. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Varsity Tutors.

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Common English Mistakes miss/lose, make/ask, doubt/question There are a couple words in English that my students misuse, mostly I believe due to language interference from Latin-based languages. Here are three incorrect sentences I hear often.I lost my bus.I need to make a question.I have some doubts.To speakers of Latin-based languages, these sentences may sound correct, but to English speakers theyre a little strange. When are not on time for a bus ride, a plane or an appointment, we say that we missed it. For example:He missed his bus.We missed our flight.I missed my appointment with the dentist.Saying that you need to make a question is similar. It may sound right, and even sort of make sense to an English speaker, but its not what we would say. Instead, we use ask. For example:I need to ask you a question.Finally, the overuse of the word doubt. My students are often telling me they have a doubt about something, when they mean that they have a question. It is possible to that you have a doubt about something, but when you use it that way in English, it means that youre not looking for an answer. For instance:I have some questions about my homework. In this case, you would follow by asking specific questions about the homework.I have some doubts about the presidents policies. In this case, youre expressing an opinion that youre not sure the policies are good, but you are not asking for any specific information. Heres a really terrible song form the early 1990s that will help you to remember to say that you missed the bus. If my students make this mistake more than once, they will be assigned to watch this video 10 times ??

Critical Reasoning Question 23 Heart Attack - Private Tutoring

Critical Reasoning Question 23 Heart Attack BobbiM Mar 25, 2014 According to a recent study, a diet that is free of meat and dairy products greatly reduces the risk of suffering a heart attack.   The study cites the fact that only 10% of those who consume such a diet suffer a heart attack at some point in their lives. Which of the following would  most seriously weaken the argument above? A.            Diets free of meat and dairy are low in calcium, which can lead to bone density decreases. B.              Those who consume only dairy but not meat are twice as likely to suffer a heart attack as those who consume neither meat nor dairy. C.           Some people who consume neither dairy nor meat suffer two or more heart attacks over the course of a lifetime. D.           Meat and dairy products are high in low-density cholesterol, which is known to harden arteries and cause other heart problems. E.             7% of those who consume dairy and meat regularly suffer heart attacks over the course of their lifetime. Think you know the answer? The correct answer is E. The conclusion here is that a diet free of meat and dairy products greatly reduces the risk of heart attack, based on the evidence that only 10% of those who omit meat and dairy from their diets suffer heart attacks.   The assumption is that more than ten percent of those who do eat dairy and meat suffer from heart attacks.   If we knew that those who eat meant and dairy are less likely to suffer heart attacks, the assumption would be contradicted and the argument weakened. (A)     is out of scope.   (B) nearly strengthens the argument.   (C) does little to affect the argument in either direction.   (D) strengthens the argument and (E) matches our prediction exactly.

The beginners guide to teaching abroad in Asia

The beginner’s guide to teaching abroad in Asia Every year, Asia continues to be a top teaching destination for teachers abroad, offering a wide array of career opportunities for both ESL and certified teachers. Right now, schools across Asia are actively recruiting new teachers for teaching jobs in Asia for the upcoming school year. While teaching in Asia is an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, teachers need do their research carefully before applying for teaching jobs abroad. To help you get started, we’ve compiled some helpful information on the best places to teach abroad in Asia: China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore, including average teacher salary, benefits, typical start-up costs, cost of living, as well as the most popular areas to find teaching jobs in each country. Country Average Teacher Salary Benefits Start-up Costs Cost of Living Teaching job hot spots (urban/rural) China 10,000 - 13,000 RMB (approx. $1,500 - 2,500 USD) Airfare, housing allowance, vacation time, health insurance Initial daily expenses Low Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen Japan ¥250,000 - ¥300,000 (approx. $2,200 - 2,625 USD) Airfare, health insurance, end-of-contract bonus Initial daily expenses Low in rural areas Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, as well as rural areas South Korea 1.8 - 3.0 million KRW (approx. $1,500 - 2,600 USD) Airfare, 50% health insurance, contract completion bonus, rural placement bonus Initial daily expenses Medium in urban areas Seoul, Pyeongchon, Songpa, as well as rural areas Taiwan NT 40,000 - 62,000 (approx. $1,260 - 1,900 USD) Airfare, health insurance, housing allowance Initial daily expenses Very low Taipei Thailand $800 - 1,200 USD Airfare, health insurance Housing, initial daily expenses Very low Bangkok, Chang Mai Singapore $4,500 SGD (approx. $3,170 USD) Airfare, relocation allowance Housing High in urban areas Singapore Looking for more advice on teaching in Asia? Join our forum to connect with current teacherstoday!

Language Learning Plateau 8 Ways to Get Unstuck and Back in the Game

Language Learning Plateau 8 Ways to Get Unstuck and Back in the Game 8 Ways to Get Unstuck and Back in the Game Youve already come so far with your language learning.In theory, having learned even  some of a language is pretty great.The view from the intermediate level should be beautiful.But its hard to enjoy the view when youve hit an unexpected slump on your way to language fluency.Its an experience many have faced before you, but that doesnt make it any less daunting.Were talking about the dreaded language learning plateau.Yep, your language education was moving along smoothly, and then it suddenly seemed to halt or slow down drastically, right?Youre not alone.Moving Beyond the Intermediate EFL Learning Plateau  by Qing Xu points out that this plateau is unavoidable but can be overcome.In  Moving Beyond the Plateau: From Intermediate to Advanced Levels in Language Learning,  Professor Jack Richards also describes this unique challenge and related issues.So its time to get past whats keeping you from fluency.But before you can move forward, you need to understand what exactly that is. Wha ts a Language Learning Plateau?A language learning plateau occurs when you stop learning as much as quickly. Its easy to make quick progress early on, but as you learn more, you naturally slow down. Because of this, a language learning plateau frequently occurs when learners reach an intermediate level of language proficiency.Why Do Language Learning Plateaus Occur?There are a few reasons why you may be experiencing a language learning plateau.Youve met your goals.  A lot of learners set goals that are reached by the time they reach an intermediate level. For instance, you might want to be able to hold a basic conversation or be able to read a newspaper or book in your target language. If youve met all your learning goals, your learning will naturally pause.You dont have goals. Whether you never had any goals to begin with or you just havent set new ones since you achieved your previous objectives, not having goals can halt language learning progress. Without a clear idea of what yo u hope to achieve, you dont have a clear direction for focused study.Youre stuck on a loop, doing the same thing all the time.  If you keep doing the same thing, youre likely to keep getting the same results. However, once youve milked one particular method for all its worth, youll see your learning plateau.You lack confidence. As an intermediate learner, youve come a long way, but you also know enough to realize theres a lot you dont know. This can diminish confidence and make you feel like you cant possibly become fluent or communicate as clearly as youd like.Theres a natural slowdown. Even if you do everything right, language learning plateaus can naturally occur. Its not a fun truth, but at the same time, at least you arent solely responsible for your current rut!8 Ways to Get Unstuck and Back in the Game1. Set clear goals.Once youve plateaued, not knowing what to do next can be a big part of the problem. If you dont know what to do next, your studying will be less focused, so y our learning will slow down.Clear goals will alleviate this by providing you with the focus you need to surge ahead. Its important to base these goals on your current language level and make them realistic. Setting a specific timeline for your goal is also a good way to keep yourself on the right track.Overly ambitious goals, like becoming fluent in a week, can demotivate you by setting you up for failure. Set realistic goals that are somewhat challenging but that you know you can achieve.For instance, you might resolve to learn a new set of vocabulary words or memorize irregular verb conjugations in the next week.Regardless of what your goals are, having these clear benchmarks will help keep you moving in the right direction.2. Use authentic material.Most students will have focused on resources for learners up until they plateau. While this is a helpful way to understand the underlying structure and rules of a language, youll need to start consuming more authentic material to make your push towards fluency.FluentU is a fun, easy tool that lets you take in more authentic material without being overwhelmed by words you dont know. FluentU collects authentic videos like movie trailers, music videos, news and more. However, thanks to captioning and careful annotation of each word, youll never be in over your head. Word definitions, example sentences and associated images are at the tips of your fingers. If you want to see how a word is used in other contexts, you can even click it to see other videos that contain that word.Plus, FluentU is convenient. You can use it online or download the app on iTunes  or Google Play.3. Try new methods.Since your language learning has slowed down, now is the perfect opportunity to change up whatever youve been doing. Its possible that youre just stuck in a rut with that method. Trying something new could reinvigorate your language education.Trying  creative language learning methods  is a fun way to approach this new phase in you r learning process. But regardless of what approach you take, the main goal is to do something different.One method you may not have tried is double translation. In double translation, you translate a text from one language to another and then back again. Conventionally, you use a dictionary for all of this. However, since you already have language skills, you can skip this with the exception of any words you dont know. This is a helpful way to build vocabulary and practice your reading and writing skills.Other approaches may vary based on how youve studied in the past. For instance, if youve been taking a class or studying a textbook, you might try immersion, language learning software or language learning apps.Or, you could even continue by taking a course. But instead of taking a course about your target language, you could take a course in your target language. Here are some platforms that can help you with that:Coursera offers courses on a variety of subjects, and in addition t o courses taught in English, you can find some taught in French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese and other languages. Finding what youre looking for is easy. Just type a subject that interests you in the search box (like art, math, etc.), and then filter using Course Languages on the left-hand side of the screen.Udemy offers self-paced courses accessible on any device that cover many topics. Once again, you can just search by subject and use a drop-down menu to browse courses for a particular language.If you want to try the challenge of taking a real university-level course in your target language, edX has courses from schools like Harvard and MIT. Search for what youre looking for and then scroll down to the bottom of the page. On the left-hand side, youll see the courses broken down by language.If youve relied on immersion, on the other hand, now would be a good time to crack a textbook to get a more thorough understanding of underlying grammar rules.Regardless of what youve been doing, changing things up is an easy way to get out of your rut and see the language from a new angle.4. Focus on problem areas.At the plateau level, bad habits or mistakes start to become more ingrained, so its time to correct them.Taking proficiency tests and assessing your own skills will help you determine what areas you need to work on. Dialang is a particularly useful free online proficiency test because you can test multiple skills individually to see what skills are your weakest.Another way to assess your own skill without a proficiency test is to think through what youre most comfortable with. If you had to communicate with a native speaker, would you feel more comfortable doing it through speaking or writing? Would you feel more comfortable hearing or reading a native speakers response? Chances are that the skill you prefer is your stronger skill, so focus on the skill you didnt choose.While you may be at an intermediate level overall, chances are that you have some areas that a re stronger and some areas that are weaker. Once you find these areas, all you have left to do is work on improving your weak points!For instance, if you struggle with listening, do more listening exercises. Sure, it may seem obvious, but taking the obvious steps that you may have previously overlooked is important at this point in the process.Similarly, if you struggle with speaking, find opportunities to speak. You might even start a public speaking club in your target language!Additionally, if you struggle with a particular grammar rule, you can dedicate more time and effort to finally nailing it down.Not only will putting time and effort into improving your problem areas improve your language skills, it will also make your confidence skyrocket.5. Learn more vocabulary.Limited vocabulary is one of the main hurdles that keeps intermediate learners stuck in the plateau phase.Fluency in a language requires wordsâ€"a lot of words. While an intermediate learner usually knows the most common words, the depth and breadth of their vocabulary is usually lacking.To push away from the plateau,  learning vocabulary  is essential.You can choose vocabulary sets by considering what words your vocabulary lacks. For instance, many intermediate learners dont have as many verbs as would be desirable, so this is a good place to start. You might also be lacking more academic language, so words related to your academic interests could also be beneficial.Quizlet is a helpful place to find and study thematic vocabulary sets. All you have to do is type in key words (for instance, academic Spanish) and youll find plenty of user-created lists. You can print off the lists to study, you can play games on the site or you can use flashcards on the site.VTrain.net is a free software you can use to create and review your own flashcards, allowing you to choose the vocabulary that you find most important. Flashcard apps like Cram  (available for iOS and Android) are also useful learning tool s that allow you to build your vocabulary in whatever minutes you have to spare.Building your vocabulary wont only help you keep your learning on track, it will also help you communicate more clearly and concisely.6. Interact with native speakers.Most language students focus on a generic form of their target language early in their educations. Once youve plateaued, the next logical step is to learn to speak more like a native. Interacting with native speakers is terrific for speaking practice, listening practice, vocabulary building and pronunciation improvement.It can definitely be intimidating to try to speak your target language with a native speaker. Luckily, conversation exchange is an awesome tool for this. Conversation exchange is when you partner with a speaker of your target language. You get practice in your target language, and you give your partner practice in your native language. This is ideal because theres a strong chance that your partner has also encountered a lang uage learning plateau that theyre trying to escape from.If you cant find a native speaker near you, there are plenty of online solutions. Skype language exchange  is a popular way to connect with native speakers all over the world.  Finding a language exchange partner  doesnt even need to be difficult since there are a wide variety of online resources that will help. Plus, many conversation exchange sites even offer estimated skill levels for participants. If you find someone at an intermediate skill level in your native language, they, too, are probably around the language learning plateau stage.For instance, Conversation Exchange can help you find a native speaker near you or arrange a penpal correspondence. TalkAbroad can also help you schedule online video conversations with a native speaker.Once you start speaking your target language with native speakers, your skill and confidence will propel you past the plateau.7. Build confidence with other learners.Weve mentioned confidenc e a few times before, but it really is that important.Working on your skills in general will help improve your confidence, but the best way to improve your confidence is to use your target language and use it often.If you dont speak, listen to, read and write in your target language often, you wont have the time to build the confidence you need to continue forward towards fluency. When youre learning, native-level skills seem impossible. This is why its important to use your skills in a supportive context. Get together with or make friends who are at a similar stage in their learning progress. If youre not sure how to do this, check out some language learning communities.Together, you can commiserate about the difficulties youre facing and get some valuable practice in. Even if you make friends with someone learning a different language, theres nothing to stop you from speaking to them in your target language (and it might even be less daunting this way)! Similarly, if youre reading or writing alongside a friend, theres someone there to push you forward if you ever feel like quitting.As long as you use the language more often, your confidence will grow until full fluency is within reach.8. Nip discouragement in the bud.Once your learning slows down, it can be easy to become discouraged. You may even stop trying to improve your language skills. But dont let discouragement weigh you down! Learning a language is like a marathon. When you start, its easy to move quickly. However, the farther you go, the more your pace is likely to slow. When things seem impossible, its important to remember that youve come a long way.Sure, it was more fun to move faster, but quitting now that the finish line of fluency is in sight is a mistake you may regret. Youve already put this much work in. Dont let discouragement stop you from finishing the race!The road to language fluency may not be a continual rise.There will definitely be some flat ground along the way.But if you follow these tips, you can overcome your language learning plateau and continue along your way to fluency with confidence! And One More ThingIf FluentU doesnt nip your discouragement in the bud, nothing will. (But dont worry, FluentU will!)FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definition, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover your mouse over the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right t o see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.