Hi Guys! Have you ever thought of reviving a language you used to study but haven't touched in a while ? Like a dormant language you've studied in high school, or a language you used to focus on months/ years ago ? I FEEL YOU!
Let me take you through my journey on starting back a language !
You're not starting from scratch
Everything has not disappeard! Obviously, some of the knowledge is gone and of course the longer you've not interact with the language, the less is left in your brain. But the vocabulary and grammar partterns are still there and only need to be reactivated!
Be clear about your starting point
Where should you start ? It depends highly on where you stopped.
Were you a beginner ? Then i'd recommend to review from start.
For arabic, I restarted with the basics: conjugation in past/present/future tenses, self-introduction, house vocabulary, adjective declination... It didn't take as much time as when i learned it for the first time, but this refreshment was essential.
Were you more of an intermediate, advanced speaker? Were you able to hold conversations in this foreign language? In this case, have a look at the points below!
Start with a passive learning method
When I try to reactive a language afetr a while, i always start with a passive learning way, meaning i'm not jump starting with grammar or writing dissertations for example.
You should start with no pressure and go easy: find a netflix show, a podcast, some youtube videos: something to re-immerse yourself in the language. You can even use subtitles in you native language/english: the goal here is to get familar againi with the language.
The higher your level was, the more effective this tactic will be as a starter! After watching a Korean drama on Netflix (Thirty-nine or 서른 아홉 in korean), I started having random korean thoughts popping in my head!
Start speaking again
I went to the Polyglot Conference and spoke Arabic after a long time. I felt uneasy at first and I was struggling to find my words and build a correct sentence : basically, the first day flet a bit painful. Yet, by the end of the week and after 4 sessions, I was already feeling way more comfortable.
Try to find an opportunity to speak again. If you had a language partner, don't hesitate to reach out to them. If not, there are plenty of cool apps and websites to find a language partner! Language meetups are also a goldmine.
Built a Habit
Bring the language back into your life. It could be writing every day a small paragraph in your target language, having a weekly study session with a friend, or booking a study session!
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